Official launch of the UNESCO Chair in ‘Memory and the Future of Peace’

On Monday 15 June 2026, the official inauguration of the UNESCO Chair ‘Memory and the Future of Peace: Law, History and Neuroscience for Lasting Peace’ at the University of Caen Normandy took place.

Speeches were given by the University’s President, Lamri Adoui; Ms Suzy Halimi, head of the French network of UNESCO Chairs; Ms Armelle Gosselin-Gorand, Professor of Private Law and holder of the Chair; Ms Nicole Ameline, President of the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace and a member of the Board of Directors of the French National Commission for UNESCO; and Ms Julie Barenton-Guillas, Vice-President of the Normandy Region responsible for higher education, research, innovation, digital technology and health, as well as by Christian Taoutel, Head of the History Department at Saint-Joseph University in Beirut, served to highlight the importance of this programme, which aims to draw on law, history and neuroscience to better understand the mechanisms of conflict, support processes of justice and reconstruction, and contribute to the education of future generations.

This accreditation recognises a collective research and training project developed by a multidisciplinary academic team, based in three research laboratories (ICREJ, NIMH, HisTeMé), the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace, and researchers from partner universities.

This accreditation recognises a collaborative research and training project developed with a multidisciplinary academic team, based in three research laboratories (ICREJ, NIMH, HisTeMé), the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace, and researchers from partner universities: Assane Seck University in Ziguinchor, Senegal; Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal; Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon; and the University of Toamasina in Madagascar. Under the auspices of the President of the Normandy Region, Hervé Morin, two departments of the Region are involved: the Department for Higher Education, Research, Innovation, Digital Technology and Health (Ms Julie Barenton-Guillas) and the Department for European and International Affairs (Mr François-Xavier Priollaud).

Julie Barenton-Guillas, Armelle Gosselin-Gorand, Lamri Adoui, Nicole Ameline

It also marks the Chair’s entry into the global network of the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme, opening up new prospects for academic cooperation and the dissemination of knowledge in the service of a culture of peace, with the support of the French National Commission for UNESCO and the Jane Goodall Institute.

The project will be based on close collaboration with UNESCO’s Section for Inclusion, Rights and Intercultural Dialogue.

UNESCO uniTwin UNESCO Chair

In her address, Armelle Gosselin-Gorand reiterated the ambition that guides the Chair’s work:

“Research to expose, research to redress, research to transform.

Never forget, build peace, educate for peace.”

The Chair extends its sincerest thanks to all its researchers, institutional and international partners, as well as to all those who contribute every day to bringing this collective project in the service of peace to life.