‘L’Épopée Village’: BNP Paribas continues its support for an educational odyssey in Marseille
Alongside the third places ‘L’Ascenseur’ in Paris and ‘Apprendre & Devenir’ in Lyon, ‘L’Épopée Village’ in north Marseille is supported by BNP Paribas for its crucial work in promoting equal opportunities and empowerment through education. On 1 July 2025, a vibrant day of events put social impact in the spotlight, sealing the long-term partnership between the Group and this pioneering third place.
The epic story of a lasting partnership…
Founded in 2021, L’Épopée (which means ‘epic’ or ‘adventure’) offers a unique model in Marseille: a hybrid space that represents France’s first village of educational innovation committed to social engagement, inclusion and the development of local talent.
Providing long-term workspaces and hosting one-off events, L’Épopée has become a hub for Marseille-based non-profits and a strategic launchpad for developing educational initiatives tailored to the needs of the Marseille area.
A catalyst for encounters, an accelerator of initiatives and a driver of transformation, it is more than a co-working space and dynamic hub, it is first and foremost a place with a mission:
To discover, support and nurture the talent of all, especially the most marginalised.
This shared mission led the BNP Paribas Group to first choose to support L’Épopée in 2022, a partnership that helped to create the ‘HQ of Equality’ space that hosts five resident non-profits:
- Arborescence
- L’Atelier de la Langue Française
- Les Déterminés
- Nos Quartiers ont du Talent (NQT)
- 100,000 Entrepreneurs
These non-profits are also supported by the BNP Paribas Foundation – either directly or through Projet Banlieues – forming a cohesive ecosystem committed to social impact.
On 1 July 2025, the BNP Paribas Group renewed its support for this singular third place.
… to make a positive impact in Marseille
Under the Mediterranean sun, July’s vibrant ‘Les Voies de l’Impact’ event brought together stakeholders involved in L’Épopée as well as our wider ecosystem in the area who are building a better tomorrow.
In the company of:
- Isabelle Giordano, Head of Group Philanthropy and General Delegate of the BNP Paribas Foundation,
- Laurent Choukroun, Co-founder and Director of L’Épopée, and
- Pierre Veyres, Pierre Veyres, BNP Paribas Regional Director, Southeast France, …
… it was the perfect occasion to:
- welcome the sixth key resident to the ‘HQ of Equality’: JobIRL, a leading non-profit in the field of mentoring and educational innovation that the Group has long partnered with through our programme 1MillionHours2Help (1MH2H)
- as well as share some results that are more than impressive – dare we say: epic!
100,000 Entrepreneurs
+ de 388
entrepreneurs in the southeast region had encounters with 14,237 young people (3,151 from Marseille) during the 2024–2025 school year
14
initiatives were led by 12 BNP Paribas employees
Les Déterminés
45
entrepreneurs supported in three six-month programmes
10
young people were trained in community project management who then engaged in community service
15
non-profits supported in the framework of the programme Asso Déter, in partnership with the Aix-Marseille-Provence agglomeration and Deloitte
Nos Quartiers ont du Talent (NQT)
356
young people from Bouches-du-Rhône received support
152
transitioned to employment or training
25
BNP Paribas mentors
L’Atelier de la langue française
7,320
students benefitted from educational initiatives
10
events organised in 2024 as part of the ‘Journées de l’éloquence’, a festival dedicated to the art of speech, attracting 4,560 spectators
+56,000
subscribers to the YouTube channel
A highlight of the ‘Les Voies de l’Impact’ event was the presentation of four everyday heroes: bold individuals with projects rooted in reality, connected to their neighbourhoods and driven by a common desire – to make a difference.
These four entrepreneurs, supported by the non-profit Les Déterminés, bore witness to the concrete success made possible by an approach based on cooperation, trust and the power of the collective.
Known by the pseudonym WolfFire, Esteban Cela is a student in communication and digital marketing, as well as a content creator and esports entrepreneur who is committed to helping young people in Marseille. A former professional Fortnite player, he founded Universal Esport, an organisation that uses video games to unlock young people’s skills and support them in finding employment or training. Through his projects, he seeks to unite, inspire and create lasting opportunities for young people.
The 22-year-old Elena Guigliano trained in entrepreneurship with Pepite Provence and project management with Les Déterminés, and is now applying her skills as a community service volunteer with the non-profit Schebba, based in Marseille since 1986. Working for the empowerment of women and the inclusion of vulnerable groups, Schebba leads actions around access to rights, health, education and autonomy. Together, they are developing the Café Solidaire, a convivial place that seeks to promote integration by providing training in the catering industry and employing women facing challenges in the job market – stay-at-home mothers, single women, widows or women who are isolated – in order to encourage their social and professional reintegration.
With an interest in fast food sparked by working at McDonald’s, Hassani Fayad, 27, climbed the ranks at Le Spécial in Montpellier, where he worked for five years. He went on to manage Le Bucket in Marseille, building on this experience. Eager to start his own business, he joined the Les Déterminés training programme, which was instrumental in allowing him to create CHA’HOULA, the first fast food restaurant specialising in food from the Comoros. Located in a food court in Marseille, CHA’HOULA offers ‘Como’bowls’ and fried specialities, and Hassani’s ambition is to develop it into a franchise and to offer wholesale and catering services.
Known by the pseudonym Zx.land, Zayan Essadi is an ambitious 20-year-old content creator who has made his name by sharing his daily life with bold authenticity. The story he transmits to his community is one of a young man starting from nothing who believes in his dreams and does everything he can to make them come true. He shares his passion of travel, adventure and freedom, taking his followers along on his popular Zx.Vlogs, where he captures real, raw and inspiring moments of life. Today, beyond just telling his story, he creates concepts, organises events and launches projects to prepare for a future that is much bigger than the virtual world.
Stronger communities and a brighter future through coalitions and philanthropy
The grand finale of this radiant event showcased another kind of engagement, as the all-girl All’Style hip-hop collective from Alès – a Projet Banlieues laureate – gave an electric and energetic performance.
As dance is another vehicle for excellence and equal opportunity, it is an art form the BNP Paribas Foundation has made central in its philanthropy since 1986. In the field of culture, a key mission is to explore new approaches in music and dance to foster the development of ever more inclusive stories. This mission has made BNP Paribas Foundation a pioneer in supporting hip-hop.
With L’Épopée, a unique third place that is blazing new trails, BNP Paribas reaffirms our commitment to working hand in hand with local communities to meet their needs, taking a long-term approach of co-construction with the shared aim of reducing inequality and building stories of empowerment.
The Group’s support is part of a productive coalition, where youth, culture, education, entrepreneurship and social innovation intersect – all united by the same spirit of social impact and driven to pave the way to a more inclusive society.
.
The stories of tomorrow are coming to life today. And that, too, is an epic odyssey.
Pour aller plus loin :
Education and youth
Professional inclusion and entrepreneurship
Giving confidence in the future