The Sciences Po House of Arts & Creation is partnering with the French Red Cross Foundation to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the French Red Cross and the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.
“Music and international humanitarian law : exploring connections and creating resonance”
Sciences Po (Chapsal Amphitheater) – 27 rue Saint-Guillaume – 75006 Paris
November 28, 2024 – 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM
How does music act as a vehicle for expressing human rights and humanist values, and what challenges arise in protecting civilians and preserving their dignity during times of war ?
The roundtable will feature immersive sound and musical experiences.
PRESENTATION
When celebrating the 160th anniversary of the French Red Cross, the global humanitarian situation is alarming. Armed conflicts and tensions are multiplying, whether between states or armed groups, and civilian populations are facing extreme vulnerability. These populations, trapped in the heart of the fighting, witness international humanitarian law being disregarded, even as this year marks the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. In such contexts, what role can music play? Does it have a role to play? Is it possible to raise awareness of humanitarian issues and international law through this art form? To what extent do musical practices support humanitarian efforts and what effects do they have on the implementation of its principles?
Building on the conference “Music and International Humanitarian Law: Two Utopias in Times of War?” held in Bayonne on October 5, 2024, as part of the Haizebegi Festival, this roundtable event is co-organized by the House of Arts & Creation at Sciences Po and the French Red Cross Foundation, in collaboration with the CERI, Sciences Po’s Engagement Department, the Haizebegi Festival, and the French Red Cross.
It will bring together musicians, humanitarian practitioners, and researchers in the humanities and social sciences. The roundtable will also serve as an opportunity to present the Tuning In-Acoustic of Emotion exhibition from the International Museum of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva, which focuses on the sound archives that have shaped the history of the organization.
MODERATORS
- Frédéric Ramel, professor of political science and director of the department of political science at Sciences Po (Paris)
- Virginie Troit, general director of the french Red Cross Foundation, associate researcher at the CERI (Sciences Po-CNRS)
WELCOME REMARKS
- A representative from the House of Arts & Creation at Sciences Po
- Françoise Fromageau, vice president of the french Red Cross Foundation
- Julie Tenenbaum, regional legal advisor for Europe at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
ROUNDTABLE (with musical interludes)
- Kudsi Erguner, musician, renowned ney player, UNESCO artist for peace in 2016
- Elise Petit, lecturer in musicology, University of Grenoble Alpes
- Paul-Henri Arni, retired diplomat from the United Nations, initiator of the project “When music defies war”, So Why of the ICRC
- Elisa Rusca, art historian and director of exhibitions and collections at the international Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva
- Luis Velasco-Pufleau, musician and associate professor at the Faculty of Music, University of Montreal, as well as Marie Sklodowska-Curie Global Fellow at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University and at the Institute of musicology at the University of Bern
THE MOMENT OF THE AMBASSADORS, organized by Sciences Po students
MUSICAL CLOSING
CLOSING REMARKS
- Caroline Brandao, head of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Department at the French Red Cross
- Julia Grignon, scientific director of the reasearch Institute of the military School (IRSEM), president of the Sub-Commission on international humanitarian law and humanitarian action at the CNCDH (Nation Commission on Human Rights)
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A look back at the special day “Music and IHL, Two Utopias in Times of War”
Saturday, October 5, 2024 – Haizebegi Festival in Anglet
On Saturday, October 5, the Quintaou Theater in Anglet hosted a diverse and enriching group of speakers for an afternoon event from 2 PM to 6 PM, focusing on the theme “Music and International Humanitarian Law: Two Utopias in Times of War ?” through a series of lectures. To conclude the day full of discussions, a jazz concert presented by musicians from Traditions Without Borders provided a fitting and lighter ending to the event.