At a time when our country is due to elect a new National Assembly, a cornerstone of our democracy, the Collège de France calls on all citizens and elected representatives to renew their commitment to humanism, science and openness to Europe and the world.
In a world where global challenges such as climate change, the collapse of ecosystems, armed conflicts, pandemics and social inequalities are becoming ever more pressing, while untruths multiply and various forms of obscurantism develop, we wish to reaffirm the humanist values defended by the Collège de France. These values have infused every aspect of the research and teaching carried out here since 1530.
These values imply a profound respect for human dignity and human rights, for cultural diversity and intellectual exchange, and for the rule of law, which alone guarantees complete freedom of thought and expression. They include the conviction that education in critical thinking, knowledge and culture for all are essential pillars of democracy, equality and social cohesion.
Through the study of the most diverse civilizations and cultures in time and space, and the pursuit of research without frontiers of nationality, gender, sexual orientation or religion, the Collège de France will continue to combat racism, anti-Semitism and all forms of discrimination. By promoting free, rigorous and disinterested scientific knowledge, it will reject any instrumentalization of the sciences. These objectives and the values that underpin them are and will remain intact.
