Café scientifique – France-Poland: a friendship that is more necessary than ever for the future of Europe

To celebrate Polish-French Friendship Day on 20 April, Polish Academy of Sciences Scientific Centre in Paris is hosting a meeting with Mr Antoine Godbert on 22 April. The event, France–Poland: a friendship that is more necessary than ever for the future of Europe, will explore the importance of Polish-French relationship for the future of Europe. Polish-French Friendship Day commemorates the anniversary of the interment of Marie Skłodowska-Curie’s ashes in the Panthéon in Paris and was established by the Treaty of Nancy.

Franco-Polish friendship has often experienced intense moments over the centuries, but today it is important to view it more rationally in the light of a shared European destiny.

Antoine Godbert, an affiliate professor of geopolitics at ESCP Business School and delegate for international affairs for the Île-de-France academic region, grew up in a dual French and Polish cultural environment.

A former diplomatic adviser, he has participated in numerous European negotiations, particularly in the fields of defence and education.

He will present the current transition of France-Poland friendship. Because one year after the signing of the Treaty of Nancy and as the 35th anniversary of the Weimar Triangle approaches, it seems increasingly clear that at a time when France and Poland must together confront the new Russian imperialism and accept a new, more distant relationship with the United States, their traditional friendship must now be understood as a major axis of the development of European power.

Former student of the École Normale Supérieure in Fontenay-Saint-Cloud and the National School of Administration, Mr. Godbert holds a Master’s degree in Epistemology from the University of Paris VII and an aggregation in Geography. He began his career as a researcher and teacher in geopolitics at ESCP before joining the General Secretariat for National Defence, where he served as a mission manager within an inter-ministerial crisis monitoring unit. Later, he moved to the General Directorate of Administration and Public Service, working as the Director of the “Senior Management and Careers” mission.

His journey as a high-ranking official led him to coordinate governance areas and the Eastern Paris region at the Capital Region Mission alongside the Secretary of State for the Capital Region Development. He later served as a diplomatic advisor to the Minister of National Education.

His outstanding merit and qualities led to successive appointments as the Director of the national Erasmus+ Agency, Director-General of the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, and finally, as a project director with the Defender of Rights.

Antoine Godbert has been appointed as the Regional Delegate for European and International Relations and Cooperation (DRAREIC) of the Île-de-France academic region and Delegate for European and International Relations and Cooperation (DAREIC) for the Paris Academy starting from September 1, 2022.

The event will be held in English. Those interested in attending the event are asked to email secretariat@paris.pan.pl.

We look forward to seeing you there!