The René Cassin Foundation – which perpetuates the work of the jurist who co-authored the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – is located in Strasbourg. At the end of the year, she launched a prize dedicated to human rights. To talk about it, José-Manuel Lamarque talks with Valérie Candau, the general director of the Foundation.
franceinfo: 1969 is the year of birth of the Cassin Foundation. For what ?
Valérie Candau : The reason is simple: René Cassin won his Nobel Peace Prize in 1968 and at that time wanted to create what was called the International Institute of Human Rights. This institute was born only the following year, in 1969. It wanted to be apolitical with the objective of promoting human rights in France and in the world through two means: training, that is to say 80% of our activity is research. In 2015, the Institute was transformed into a recognized public utility foundation.
Does the Cassin Foundation only work in France?
We operate in France, with large sessions which sometimes last a month, particularly in the summer with 200 participants from 70 different countries and more than 50 international experts. We have also been operating abroad for 16 years with an average of 10 training sessions: in Africa – for example in Senegal, Ivory Coast, Sudan, Mozambique, Burkina Faso or Mali – and in South America. South with Peru, Argentina and for 2025 Brazil.
An event took place on December 13 in Strasbourg: the birth of the Jacques Ribs prize. Who was Jacques Ribs?
We are very proud to organize this Jacques Ribs Human Rights Prize. Jacques Ribs was a lawyer and defender of human rights. He chaired the France Terre d’Asile association and led this fight throughout his life. Before his death, he wished that our Foundation could carry a Jacques Ribs Human Rights Prize. The objective is to reward a legal entity, an association or an individual who has led significant fights for human rights in relation to refugee law.
Who are the winners of this first Jacques Ribs prize?
This year, we have chosen to recognize two winners. The first is Şebnem Korur Fincancı, who dedicated his life to the search for truth and fought intensely against torture and the violation of human rights in his country, Turkey. As a result of her fight, she is the subject of numerous administrative investigations and trials. Moreover, a trial was to be held last December and was postponed until January. The second winner is an association called Prison Insider. It is an association, founded by Bernard Bolzer and whose director is Florence Laufeur, which has existed since 2015 and fights tirelessly for the condition of detained people.
I would add that in these troubled times, to continue our fight through training, the entire Foundation team needs your support!
