Civic engagement, a collective responsibility

It all started with an insight, that we shared with our partners in the field: a rising trend of distrust, weakening reference points, and a heightened perception of abandonment, particularly among younger individuals. We could not ignore these warning signs.

That is why, at the BNP Paribas Foundation, we are choosing to support a new area of community initiatives, dubbed civic engagement, to enable young people to take part in society in an enlightened, active, informed and constructive manner. We support those who demonstrate dedication to fostering social cohesion and secularism, fighting against fake news, helping others to use social media with discernment and promoting access for young people to places of remembrance, etc.

A programme to strengthen social cohesion

Our Citizen Engagement programme is based on four major pillars:

1. Access to quality education for all is an essential condition for fighting unequal life outcomes. It is vital to support young people in their schooling through mentoring, academic support, etc., as achieved by the associations we support such as Agir pour l’école, Break Poverty, Coup de Pouce, Eloquentia, Le collectif Mentorat.
2. Dialogue, coexistence, freedom of speech, and civic engagement all require renewed focus in times when mistrust prevails. They are crucial for fostering collective action toward a fairer, more unified society, as demonstrated by organisations like Missions Locales de Paris, Les Voix de la Paix, Le Refuge, La Fondation des femmes, Cartooning for Peace, Cité des Chances, l’AFEV, and the Prix Dominique Bernard.
3. Transmission of collective memory is essential to maintain it, learn from history to build a common future and strengthen the link between generations. This is the whole purpose of the Mémorial de la Shoah, La Fondation pour la mémoire de l’esclavage and La Voix des justes, which we support.
4. Fighting disinformation, which directly threatens our democratic society, is also a priority. Raising awareness, providing the tools to distinguish between true and false information so as not to be manipulated, knowing how to analyse and take a step back: this sums up the action of the associations La Chance pour la diversité dans les médias and Lumières sur l’info.

“Citizenship is not an abstract concept: it is learned, built, and practised on a daily basis.” Christophe Paris, Managing Director of AFEV

One of this programme’s main objectives is to encourage young people to debate, question, understand and find their place in society as informed individuals.

Focus on the fight against disinformation

“Deciphering information is becoming a civic imperative,” points out Isabelle Giordano, General Delegate of the BNP Paribas Foundation, in her opinion piece published in Les Échos.

At a time when social media and algorithms shape our perceptions, the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood becomes essential.

54% of French people are convinced that they cannot tell the difference between true and false information, while the global average is 63%. (Source: Radio France). This figure serves to remind us of the importance of educating informed citizens, capable of exercising their critical thinking and actively participating in public life.

An approach true to the DNA of the BNP Paribas Foundation

Since its establishment, the BNP Paribas Foundation has adopted an innovative, bold and pioneering approach to philanthropy:

• A strong commitment to welcoming and integrating refugees, initiated ten years ago,
• A unique support for the jazz scene, hip-hop, and contemporary artists,
• A lasting commitment to equal opportunities, biodiversity and climate, artistic creation and access to culture.

With our Civic Engagement, we are committing to a new direction that reflects the conviction that there can be no enlightened society without enlightened citizens.

Concrete actions on the ground

Our programme, delivered by 170 community and educational partners with support from the BNP Paribas Foundation, includes:

• Media literacy and critical thinking workshops,
• Educational programmes on citizenship and debate,
• Modules for transmitting collective memory,
• Local initiatives in schools, neighbourhoods and cultural institutions.

Discover our partners