FCF | 2019 Young Leaders Seminar in Provence and Paris
The 7th session of the France China Foundation’s Young Leaders Program took place on July 5-8, 2019 in Provence and Paris, with “Optimism!” as the main theme for discussion. 45 Young Leaders from China and France gathered for a fruitful 4-day of visits, meetings, and discussion sessions, thanks to which they could exchange views and get to know each other. Highlights in the program were the participation of the group in the Rencontres Economiques d’Aix-en-Provence, the visit of Arles Photo Festival, thecamp, and Château La Coste. In Paris, the Young Leaders discovered the National Assembly led by Members of Parliament, Young Leaders themselves.
Composed of young talents from all fields of activity, the 2019 Young Leader group was particularly varied, and included two Olympic medalists, a colonel, a journalist, a violinist, a doctor, a dancer, researchers, entrepreneurs, politicians, top-level company executives, etc. Through various team-building activities and discussion sessions, they were invited to express themselves and interact with their pairs. The theme chosen for this year’s discussions was “Optimism!”, which raised plenty of questions and vivid debates on attitudes towards the future and our own values for action. The Young Leaders visited thecamp, an iconic campus out of Aix-en-Provence, running programs to accelerate innovation for positive impact in fields such as mobility, food, work and education.
The group was offered the chance to participate in the Rencontres économiques d’Aix-en-Provence, a very influential annual symposium created in 2001 by the Cercle des économistes. Over three days, dozens of conferences and debates are organized, with top level guest speakers exchanging thoughts on some of today’s hottest political, social or economic topics. This year’s theme was “Renewing Trust!” Two Young Leaders from the France China Foundation, Allen Guo (2016) and Zheng Tengfei (2018), were invited as guest speakers. During the forum, four leading political and economic personalities gave a special speech to the Young Leaders group and invited them to interact: Valérie Pécresse, president of the Ile-de-France region, Pascal Lamy, former head of WTO, Thomas Buberl, CEO of Axa, and Lionel Zinsou, former Prime Minister of Bénin.
Art and culture hold a good place in the 2019 program, with the Young Leaders discovering Château La Coste, a beautiful art center and winery in the Aix region combining the love of wine and architecture. In the enchanting landscape of vineyards, world renowned architects Jean Nouvel and Tadao Ando were invited to design the buildings (wine storehouse and boutique), whereas artists were commissioned in situ artworks disseminated in the domain.
The group also spent a day in Arles to visit the Arles Photo Festival, celebrating this year its 50th anniversary. The Young Leaders had the chance to meet with the Festival Director, Sam Stourdzé, who explained the values and missions of the festival, as well as its developments abroad and in China especially, where it has partnered with the city of Xiamen and created the Jimei-Arles Photo Festival. The group visited an exhibition by Lei Lei, presented by curator Bérénice Angrémy, and met with artists Kurt Tong and Philippe Chancel.
Back in Paris, the group had a real life visit of the French National Assembly, led by two Young Leaders who are Members of Parliament, Anne-Laure Cattelot and Coralie Dubost, as well as by MP Olivier Véran. Led by its President and Young Leader, Sibyle Veil, they also discovered the headquarters of Radio France where they listened to the rehearsal of the in-house orchestra and had a presentation by Ipsos about the perceptions of French people, and other countries residents, about the future. As a round-up of four days of exchanges about optimism, the final day of the seminar ended with a panel discussion including alumni and present Young Leaders, who shared they views on optimism, or how pessimism can sometimes also be a drive for change and action.
© Photos Credits: Aurélien FOUCAULT
Created during the summer of 2012 by a team of diplomats, entrepreneurs and artists, the France China Foundation encourages the development of relationships between French and Chinese leaders, to stimulate their interest in the other country and to inspire them to set up joint projects. Its main activity consists of organizing an annual Sino-French «Young Leaders» program, which takes place alternately in China and in France. This four-day seminar brings together about 50 highly talented leaders from China and France who are selected for their outstanding political, economic or cultural backgrounds.
For more information, please check: www.francechinafoundation.org.
MB Projects Director, Marion Bertagna, is the Secretary-General in China of the France China Foundation. She is the main contact for the Foundation’s official Chinese partner, CPIFA, and coordinates the Foundation’s activities in China.
