Winter School 2021: Monaco’s Department of International Cooperation educates first-year students at Sciences Po about various rights in MENA* region

Sciences Po Menton © Direction de la Communication / Michael Alesi

From 18 to 22 January 2021, the Department of International Cooperation is holding a week-long Winter School at the Sciences Po Middle East-Mediterranean Campus in Menton. Now in its seventh consecutive year, the School aims to raise awareness and inspire vocations among first-year students. In a major first this year, due to the constraints of the pandemic, the Winter School will be entirely virtual.

As it has done every year since 2015, Monaco’s Department of International Cooperation is mobilising its partners – all experts in their fields – to work with the 131 students, representing 28 different nationalities, enrolled in their first year at the Sciences Po campus in Menton. The Winter School offers a unique opportunity to instil vocations in these future leaders, and to promote Monaco as a responsible and supportive partner.

Among other things, students will receive an introduction to international humanitarian rights from Frédéric Joli, a spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, to the rights of people with disabilities from Dr Jean-Baptiste Richardier, the founder of Handicap International, and to the right to food from Geneviève Wills and Patricia Colbert, representing the World Food Programme, which recently won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, this virtual week has particular resonance, as highlighted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Laurent Anselmi in his introductory remarks to the students: “Here you are – here we all are – thrust into a reality which is more restrictive, less free, less mobile, less abundant. In a way, this situation will probably make you more responsive to the challenging humanitarian and social realities that you are going to tackle [over the course of this week – Ed.].”

Finally, the week will feature a creative solidarity challenge, which will conclude with the award of prizes. Split into teams, the students will need to create a visual to promote the five different rights covered, competing on behalf of partner associations of Monaco’s Department of International Cooperation, to whom the prizes awarded will be donated.

*: Middle East and North Africa