During the first edition of the Rencontres Numériques de Strasbourg, we succeeded in the challenge of bringing together in the European Parliament, in the middle of March, nearly 150 leaders of the French digital sector for an unprecedented two-and-a-half-day event. Organized by Cigref in partnership with Numeum, this event concluded with the closing speech of Marina Ferrari, Secretary of State for Digital Affairs, who did us the honor of validating, by her presence, the relevance of our initiative and the themes addressed.
The Strasbourg Digital Meetings aim to become a leading European event for leaders and decision-makers in the digital ecosystem. By combining collective intelligence work, inspiring interventions and moments of conviviality, Cigref and Numeum share this interest in promoting exchanges and the co-construction of responsible and committed digital technology serving society and its economy.
This first issue of the Cahiers des Rencontres Numériques de Strasbourg is, in a way, the culmination of a great ambition, the one that we brought to Cigref, with the support of Numeum, to create an unparalleled event, dedicated to decision-makers in the digital ecosystem. Unparalleled in the landscape of events dedicated to digital, because we wanted to free these Digital Meetings from any commercial considerations. It indeed appeared to us that we collectively needed to meet between managers and leaders of our ecosystem, to discuss common issues, and that we could only do this effectively in a space of trust, without a sponsor to ensure funding. of the meeting, each participant covering their own participation costs. Furthermore, if we insisted on the non-commercial nature of these meetings, it is so that this unique dialogue, between representatives of the digital products and services industry, representatives of this industry’s customers, representatives of political institutions, academic and research, can settle down without a second thought. It is essential that we can offer our ecosystem spaces for exchange and sharing, which allow us to go beyond certain considerations, which are otherwise legitimate and structuring for our professional daily life.
JEAN-CLAUDE LAROCHE, PRESIDENT OF CIGREF
A call for audacity, for responsibility, for our European conscience!
This first edition of the Rencontres Numériques de Strasbourg was an undeniable success, according to the numerous enthusiastic feedback I received. The Cigref Board of Directors fully shares this satisfaction. Both the format and the location, and especially the themes addressed, fully produced the expected effects in terms of stimulation, collaboration and cohesion within our community of leading practitioners of the digital ecosystem. By developing the feeling of belonging to this community, through the group dynamics created around the themes that the program committee submitted to the sagacity of the participants, we have the feeling of having responded to a real need that no other forum not offered to date. From our discussions, from our exchanges, from what I was able to perceive and gather from the interest and pleasure of the participants in being gathered in Strasbourg, I have no doubt about the relevance of this system. Our Board of Directors very logically made the decision to renew this event in 2025.
At the end of these three days, and as a summary of the thoughts we shared, Cigref and Numeum launched a triple appeal to digital leaders and decision-makers, which I would like to share with you, dear readers, as a conclusion to my remarks.
A call for boldness, first of all, in the research and development of progressive digital solutions. Faced with technological challenges, it is essential to explore new ways to design digital tools that positively transform society and its economy. Boldness must guide our actions to anticipate and respond to future needs with innovative and relevant solutions from the point of view of human progress.
A call for responsibility, then, in our appropriation of technological innovation. The integration of new technologies into our organizations must be carried out with a keen awareness of their social, ethical and environmental impacts. Responsibility involves ensuring that innovation serves the common good, respects the rights and dignity of people, and contributes to the sustainable development of our companies and public administrations.
A call to our European conscience, finally, by placing the common values of our continent, values of social, societal and environmental progress, at the heart of our digital activities. It is by anchoring our digital professions in these values that we will be able to build a digital future that benefits everyone, a future of progress that serves the cohesion of society, the prosperity of its economy and the protection of our natural spaces.
Editorial by Jean-Claude Laroche – President of Cigref
