Every two years, the residents of the Cité internationale organise L’Université de la paix – the University of Peace – a week of debates on the major challenges that must be met to promote peace and harmonious coexistence. The event provides an opportunity for the 12,000 students and researchers living on campus, as well as the general public, to debate together alongside guest researchers and other personalities. The last edition, in 2019, focused on the climate emergency.
The Université de la paix allows the international students living on the campus to compare and contrast their world views with those of their co-residents as well as famous figures and experts from all walks of life. Over three days of talks and debates, participants are invited to discuss a theme related to peace and to come up with some recommendations to help people live together more harmoniously.
To bring together some of the intellects that are the hope of tomorrow and to make them realise that people, despite the diversity of their origins and the traditions that have formed them, are not as different from each other as they imagine.
Analysing crises in democracy from a cross-disciplinary and international perspective and identifying best practices and new, more inclusive and more participatory organisational structures was the aim of the 6th edition of the Université de la paix, organised by 20 houses of the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris.
The 5th edition of the Université de la paix examined the major issues linked to the climate emergency. How can we bring about a radical change in our lifestyles? How can we re-establish a balance that is now seriously compromised? How can we change the way we consume?
Artificial intelligence, cybercrime, fake news, big data, transhumanism… Questions about the challenges and threats of new technologies for our democracies abound. The Cité internationale organised the 4th edition of the Université de la paix on the theme of democracy and digital technology.
The Cité internationale was born in the aftermath of the First World War, from the dream and desire of personalities engaged in public life and exceptional philanthropists. They wanted to do their bit to build a more peaceful world by creating a place devoted to international dialogue.
The residents of the Cité internationale play an active role in organising political, social and cultural activities on campus. They engage with the major contemporary social issues, setting up collaborative projects and organising debates and events on campus throughout the year.