On September 29, 2026, the French Red Cross Foundation, the Research Group on Multilateral Action (GRAM) at Sciences Po CERI, and the Columbia Global Center Paris (Reid Hall) are co-hosting a unique event: Frontline Responders & Witnesses, a half-day of discussions divided into two sessions, dedicated to one of the most pressing issues in contemporary humanitarian action.
The first event is a seminar for researchers only, organized at Sciences Po by GRAM’s thematic network, and the second is a conference open to the public, organized at Reid Hall by Columbia University’s Global Center to raise public awareness of the challenges currently facing humanitarian aid.
Context
The international humanitarian system is facing a crisis that goes beyond mere financial considerations: the very ability to carry out operations and provide assistance to vulnerable populations is being called into question. At the heart of this crisis lies the issue of access. From Gaza to Sudan and Syria, access restrictions imposed on humanitarian workers are increasingly preventing the rapid delivery of vital aid. International journalists are being barred from or hindered in their access to conflict zones, depriving the world of reliable, real-time accounts. Social science researchers struggle to collect data in dangerous, sensitive, or isolated environments. And yet, in these very same settings, local communities are organizing—spontaneously or through more formal structures—to respond to crises, often on the front lines even before international actors arrive.
Who are the responders and witnesses to contemporary humanitarian crises today? How have access restrictions transformed the roles and dynamics among actors? What does this mean for those who respond to, bear witness to, or are affected by these crises? And what do these restrictions reveal about international law, institutions, and protection mechanisms?
This event aims to provide some answers to these questions by fostering a unique dialogue among three professions that work in the same fields but do not always communicate with one another: humanitarian workers, journalists, and field researchers.
Program
Afternoon – Research Seminar at Sciences Po
Sciences Po, 28 rue des Saints-Pères, Paris 7th arrondissement
2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | For researchers only; by invitation only
Ahead of the public event, a research seminar at Sciences Po will bring together an academic community—researchers, doctoral students, and practitioners—to discuss the same topics. This more intimate and informal forum for scientific dialogue will provide an opportunity to explore practical challenges in greater depth within an academic setting, as well as to address the challenges of establishing joint research programs, securing potential funding, and finding ways to adapt to this particularly difficult new context.
Evening Event – Roundtable discussion in English, open to the general public at Reid Hall (Columbia University’s Paris campus)
Columbia Global Center Paris – Reid Hall, 4 rue de Chevreuse, Paris 6th arrondissement
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. | Free admission with registration
The event will bring together journalists, humanitarian workers, and researchers for a roundtable discussion in English lasting about two hours, followed by a social gathering. It will bring together an audience of about 120 people—professionals, academics, students, and members of the general public—for a cross-disciplinary and unprecedented dialogue among three professions that share the same field but do not always communicate with one another.
- Nicoletta Antonini, Deputy Head of Delegation and Protection Coordinator for the ICRC Regional Delegation in Paris
- Rawan Damen, Executive Director of ARIJ (Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism)
- Dr. Maria Gabrielsen Jumbert, Research Associate at CERI (Sciences Po) and PRIO (Peace Research Institute Oslo) (to be confirmed)
- Dr. J.C. Salyer, professor of anthropology and law at Barnard College, Columbia University.
- Adel Zaanoun, head of the Agence France-Presse (AFP) bureau in Gaza
Full schedule coming soon.
The registration link will be posted on this page shortly.
