Cartooning for Peace had the pleasure of taking part in the official opening of Sciences Po Le Havre on 11 September 2023 with Kak (France), President of Cartooning for Peace and Zach (Philippines), cartoonist and member of the network.
Michaël Hauchecorne, President of the Sciences Po Le Havre campus, Stéphanie Balme, Director of the University College, Mathias Vicherat, President of Sciences Po, Edouard Philippe, Mayor of Le Havre, and Christine Dorival, Deputy Director General of the Normandy Region, opened the lesson.
Freedom of expression and its related freedom of the press are at the heart of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 75th anniversary of which we are celebrating this year. These fundamental freedoms, vital to democracies, guarantee citizens’ right to information.
At a time of democratic crisis and disinformation, press cartoonists are becoming particularly exposed targets as well as courageous defenders of freedom of expression. Sometimes praised, sometimes criticised, they crystallise the issues at stake in the right to information and democratic debate.
Kak (France) presented Cartooning for Peace and explained the challenges currently facing cartoonists, as well as the importance and reality of freedom of expression in France.
Zach (Philippines) talked about the reality of being a cartoonist in the Philippines, and how art can be an effective means of asserting oneself as a citizen.
The Sciences Po Le Havre campus, which specialises in the Asia-Pacific region, is launching a broader programme for students in the 2023-2024 academic year, focusing on freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
With the support of the French Embassy in the Philippines and Micronesia, Stimulerings Fonds, DAKILA and Sciences Po.
The “Cartooning for Peace” exhibition is on display on campus until mid-October. It will be open to the general public during the National Heritage Days on 15 and 16 September.
