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CARTOONING FOR PEACE
PRESS RELEASE

PRESS CARTOONS: A STATE OF AFFAIRS
An International Seminar on Freedom of Speech
Monday, September 21st, 2015, in Paris

The international network, Cartooning for Peace, and the Social, Economic and Environmental Council (SECE) are organizing an international seminar on press cartoons and freedom of speech on September 21st in Paris. This event came from the collaborative reflexion of philosopher Régis Debray and cartoonist Plantu, President of Cartooning for Peace.

The strong emotions generated around the world by the terrorist attacks in Paris and Copenhagen in early 2015, combined with a new awareness of the growing chasms between different communities in our societies, have lead to the creation of a common space dedicated to the promotion of dialogue, the exchange of  ideas, debates on the freedom of speech and cartoons in the press; a space that is more important than ever.

Indeed, press cartoons evoke many questions: in the name of freedom of expression, shall we tolerate anything and everything? Is it possible to laugh about everything, with everyone? How can we combine freedom, responsibility and tolerance?
Cartoons in the press make us smile, convey messages in a direct way and encourage thinking: they are, undeniably, tools at the service of open dialogue and tolerance. By laying the foundation of a calm and peaceful debate, this seminar seeks to suggest concrete solutions so we may all coexist together, free.

The seminar is divided in two distinct sessions of debates and round-table discussions:

- From 9:00 AM to 12:35 PM: morning session will help to define a multidisciplinary picture of the state of freedom of speech today. The agenda includes a history of caricature through time and space (with historians Jean-Noël Jeanneney and Pascal Ory), a description of the evolution of laws regarding freedom of speech in France and abroad (Georges Kiejman, lawyer, and Jack Lang, President of the Arab World Institute) and the status of images in the 3 major monotheistic religions (Jean-François Colosimo (essay writer and publisher), Hélé Béji (writer) and Delphine Horvilleur (rabbi).

- From 1:45 PM to 5:30 PM: the afternoon session will be dedicated to debates and live drawing with cartoonists, opening the floor for discussion about their work and prospects for the future, particularly after the shock of January 7th, 2015.

About 15 cartoonists, all of whom are members of the international network, Cartooning for Peace, will debate and share their points of view about constraints, secularism, freedom and tolerance.

After the debates, different activities will take place in the Palais d'Iéna until 6:00 PM including: signing sessions, book sales, short animation screenings,  press cartoons fresco and meetings with Cartooning for Peace volunteers.

From September 18th to October 11th, an exhibition of press cartoons on freedom of speech will be displayed open-air on the walls of the Palais d'Iéna (Avenue Albert de Mun).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Free entrance - Reservation on:
etatsdudessindepresse.lecese.fr

Monday, September 21, 2015, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

At Palais d'Iéna, SECE headquarters
9, place d'Iéna - Paris, 75016 - France

The program of the event is available on:
etatsdudessindepresse.lecese.fr

To receive the complete program and for all interview requests, please contact:

Claire Cerniaut: + 33 1 57 28 27 56
claire@cartooningforpeace.org

CARTOONING FOR PEACE

Cartooning for Peace is an international network of 125 press cartoonists, committed to promoting mutual respect between people from different cultures and religions. The project was initiated by Kofi Annan and Plantu in October 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Cartooning for Peace facilitates meetings between professional cartoonists of all nationalities with a wide audience, promotes exchanges on freedom of expression and educational projects about press cartoons. The NGO also provides assistance to cartoonists working in difficult environments.

PRESS CONTACTS

CARTOONING FOR PEACE
Claire CERNIAUT
Communication manager
claire@cartooningforpeace.org
+ 33 1 57 28 27 56

SECE
Emilie HUMANN
Press Relations
emilie.humann@clai2.com
+ 33 1 44 69 54 05
+ 33 7 77 26 24 60