: Young Leaders

THE PROGRAM

The “Young Leaders” program is the flagship program of the France-Asia Foundation. Each year – and for each of the programs organized with a chapter country – about thirty French and local personalities aged 30 to 45 are selected. These individuals are expected to play an important role in their own country and in Franco-Asian and international relations.

The laureates participate in two successive five-day seminars, alternately held in France and in the chapter country, in a city or region chosen for its political, economic, and cultural significance.

Each seminar includes discussion sessions on current events in both countries, meetings with leading figures, as well as visits to industrial sites or important political and cultural sites in the country. The “Young Leaders” program particularly emphasizes intra-group exchanges to strengthen ties between participants and foster future exchanges.

The 2013 session brought together 35 Chinese and French young and open-minded leaders in Bordeaux and Paris, during a four-day seminar, from August 30th to September 2^nd .

Overview of the Young Leaders Program in 2013:

• Group discussion sessions between Young Leaders about topics of common concern

• Interview with Mr. François Hollande, President of the French Republic, Elysée Palace

• Interview with Mr. Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Quai d’Orsay

• Interview with Mr. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Prime Minister, the Senate

• Visit of emblematic sites (industrial and cultural) in Bordeaux and Paris

• Visit of “grands crus classés” castles: La Fleur-Pétrus and Smith Haut-Laffite

• Roundtable about sustainable development and debate with its main actors in France

• Gala evening at Le Louvre, notably in the presence of strategic committee members of the foundation

France-China Seminar, August 30th - September 2nd, 2013 (Bordeaux, Paris)

The 2014 edition brought together 37 French and Chinese Young Leaders for 4 days in Hangzhou and Beijing, from October 24th to October 27th. Its main theme was “The Role of Cities in International Relations”.

Program Overview:

Discussion sessions among Young Leaders
Meeting with Mr. LI Yuanchao, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China
Visit to ALIBABA group and discussion session with Mr. Brian WONG, Vice President
Visit to the China Academy of Art with architect WANG Shu, winner of the 2012 Pritzker Prize
Lunch with Mr. Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN, former Prime Minister, and Mr. LI Zhaoxing, former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Discussion session with Mr. Hubert VEDRINE, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, on “The Role of Cities in International Relations”
Meeting with Mr. Maurice GOURDAULT-MONTAGNE, Ambassador of France to China
Visit to the workshop of Mr. HUANG Rui, an iconic figure in contemporary art in China

France-China Seminar: October 24th - 27th, 2014 (Hangzhou, Beijing)

The 2015 edition brought together 37 Young Leaders for 4 days in Normandy and Paris, from October 16th to 19th. Its main theme was “Culture and Soft Power”.

Program Overview:

Discussion sessions among Young Leaders on the theme “Culture and Soft Power”
Reception at the Hôtel de Matignon, in the presence of the Prime Minister, Mr. Manuel VALLS
Meeting with Mr. Philippe AUGIER, Mayor of Deauville, and visit to the Haras du Quesnay
Lunch with Mr. Edouard PHILIPPE, Mayor of Le Havre, Young Leader 2013, and visit to the port of Le Havre
Visit to the Historial Jeanne d’Arc in Rouen, the largest venue dedicated to the memory of this historical figure
Discovery of the Chinese collections at the Musée Guimet with Mrs. Sophie MAKARIOU, President
Participation in a rehearsal of a contemporary dance performance at the Palais Garnier

France-China Seminar 2015: October 16th - 19th, 2015 (Normandy, Paris)

The 2016 edition brought together 40 Young Leaders for 4 days in the Henan province and Beijing, from September 16th to 19th. Its main theme was “Heritage and Innovation”.

Program Overview:

Discussion among young leaders on the theme “Heritage and Innovation”, led by Mr. Cédric VILLANI, mathematician and winner of the Fields Medal, and Mr. Frédéric RAILLARD, Young Leader 2013 and co-founder of Fred & Farid
Interview with Mr. LI Yuanchao, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China
Visit to the infrastructure of the “New Silk Road” in Zhengzhou
Meeting with Mr. Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN, former Prime Minister, at the French Embassy in Beijing
Visit to the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of kung fu, and discussion with the abbot on the theme “Why is kung fu so modern?”
Visit to the SOHO 3Q co-working space in Beijing

France-China Seminar 2016: September 16th - 19th (Henan, Beijing)

The 2017 edition brought together 49 Young Leaders for 4 days in Lyon, Dijon, and Paris, from October 13th to 16th. Its main theme was “Health and Innovation”.

Program Overview:

Discussion sessions among Young Leaders
Visit to bioMérieux, a global leader in in vitro diagnostics
Discussion session on artificial intelligence, with Laurent ALEXANDRE, an artificial intelligence expert
Visit to the New Franco-Chinese Institute in Lyon
Visit to YAN Peiming’s workshop in Dijon
Discussion session with Martin HIRSCH, Director of AP-HP, on “The Challenges of Health in France”
Visit to Station F

France-China Seminar: October 13th - 16th (Lyon, Dijon, Paris)

The 2018 edition brought together 44 Young Leaders for 4 days in Chongqing and Beijing, from October 12th to 15th. Its main theme was “The Megacities of the Future”.

Overview of the 2018 Young Leaders Program:

Discussion sessions among Young Leaders
Interview with WANG Qishan, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China
Visit to the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute
Meetings with LIU Jiakun, world-renowned architect
Discussion with Professor SUN Jiwei, former mayor of Pudong district in Shanghai and vice secretary general of the Shanghai Government
Visit to BOE, a specialist in connected objects, and Face++, a leader in facial recognition technology
Visit to Testbed 2, an artistic renovation district in Chongqing

France-China Seminar: October 12th - 15th (Chongqing, Beijing)

The 2019 edition brought together 44 Young Leaders for 4 days in Aix-en-Provence, Arles, and Paris, from July 5th to 8th. Its main theme was “Optimism”.

Program Overview:

Discussion sessions among Young Leaders on the theme of Optimism
Visit to TheCamp, Aix-en-Provence
Day at the Economic Meetings of Aix-en-Provence
Discussion with Valérie PÉCRESSE
Discussion with Lionel ZINSOU, Thomas BUBERL, and Pascal LAMY
The Arles Photography Meetings: Discussions with Sam STOURDZÉ, Director of Les Rencontres d’Arles, Philippe CHANCEL, and Kurt TONG, photographers
Visit to the National Assembly by deputies Anne-Laure CATTELOT (YL 2018), Coralie DUBOST (YL 2017), and Olivier VÉRAN
Discussion with our Young Leader, Sibyle VEIL, at Radio France

France-China Seminar: July 5th - 8th, 2019 (Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Paris)

The 2021 edition brought together 26 Young Leaders for 4 days in Paris and at the Châteauform Mareil-le-Guyon, from October 22nd to 24th, 2021.

Program Overview:

Meeting with Agnès PANNIER-RUNACHER (YL 2017), Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Recovery, in charge of Industry
Meeting with François BARRAULT, President of IDATE
Meeting with Nicolas HOUZÉ (YL 2016), CEO, Galeries Lafayette Group / BHV Marais
Visit to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann with Alexandre LIOT (YL 2021), Managing Director of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
Meeting with Pascal LAMY, former Director-General of the WTO, President of the Jacques Delors Institute
Young Leaders Session: “What future for the France-China relationship?” organized by groups of Young Leaders
Young Leaders Session: “Europe-China, the challenges of climate transition” organized by groups of Young Leaders
Meeting with Jean-Baptiste DJEBBARI (YL 2020), Minister Delegate to the Minister of Ecological Transition, in charge of Transport
Meeting with Sylvie BERMANN, Ambassador of France to China (2011-2014), to the United Kingdom (2014-2017), and to Russia (2017-2019), President of the Board of Directors of IHEDN
Private visit to the Bourse de Commerce – Collection Pinault

France-China Seminar: October 22nd - 24th, 2021 (Paris, Châteauform Mareil-le-Guyon)

Selection criteria

The Selection Committee evaluates candidates on the basis of their ability to stand out in their respective fields and their leadership potential in their countries. It promotes diversity of profiles and fields of activity (business, politics, culture, media, etc.).

Candidate-specific criteria

In its choices, the Selection Committee seeks a balanced representation of the sectors from which the “Young Leaders” come, including politics, administration, and the military; business and entrepreneurship; arts; media; research; and the nonprofit sector