You are the director of Les Champs Libres, a cultural establishment in Rennes. Could you introduce its mission and activities? 

Les Champs Libres is a cultural institution in Rennes that brings together a large library, the Museum of Brittany, a science center, a planetarium, and various meeting spaces, including a café and an auditorium. Each year, Les Champs Libres welcomes over one million visitors. Its mission is to serve as a public space for culture and knowledge, closely aligned with the daily lives of Rennes and metropolitan residents. We are a multifaceted space, shaped by diverse uses. We also strive to be highly receptive to civil society initiatives. Finally, we are committed to giving a voice to youth. For example, during the event Nos Futurs, co-organized with *Le Monde*, we hand over the keys of Les Champs Libres to young people from diverse backgrounds, allowing them to share the issues that matter to them with the public. 

As the main partner of the Rennes segment of the European Dialogues (November 7 – December 1), Les Champs Libres will host the main sessions of the event on November 29, 30, and December 1. How did the collaboration with the Institut français and other partners in Rennes come about? 

The initiative came from the Institut français, which has long-standing partnerships with the city of Rennes. I was invited to speak in Vilnius at the end of 2023 during the first European Dialogues event, titled “What can culture do in the face of war?” I then accepted the offer to host the French leg of this first series of Dialogues in Rennes. The chance to amplify European voices is a tremendous opportunity for us. In a time when we are deeply affected by the geopolitical context, we cannot afford to ignore the issues or overlook the perspectives of those who bring expertise and firsthand experience. 

In Vilnius, I realized that each of us has a role to play and that our actions, when combined, reflect shared values and commitments. I was also profoundly moved by exchanges with colleagues from across Europe, especially from Eastern Europe, who are directly affected by the potential implications of a Russian victory. These encounters shifted my perspective and priorities. Upon my return, I shared this experience with cultural and higher education stakeholders in Rennes. I was surprised to learn that many already had connections with Eastern Europe in various meaningful and dynamic ways. The Rennes programming reflects these connections rather than creating them anew. 

The discussions will focus on the challenges facing European societies and states today, particularly on the geopolitical level. What are the key issues of the sessions you are organizing? 

We are offering three types of sessions. First, there is the Institut français's program, mainly composed of round tables that will allow us, here in Rennes, to hear leading intellectual voices from Europe and broaden our perspective on the world. Then, there is the programming from Rennes' cultural and academic stakeholders, which will bring us in touch with the artistic production of creators from Eastern Europe throughout November. We begin on November 5, with the Travelling festival screening of the film *Remembering a City* about Sarajevo, with the director in attendance. This will be followed by contributions from the TNB (National Theater of Brittany), the National Orchestra of Brittany, the Center for Contemporary Speech Production, libraries, and more.

Lastly, at Les Champs Libres, we have been hosting a series of events since October. We inaugurated the exhibition *Ukraine, vision(s)*, which features photographs from the MYOP collective paired with texts by young Ukrainian writers. Among other events, we will hold two conference-concerts dedicated to composers from Ukraine and the Baltic states, as well as several discussions, the first of which, *War in Our Minds*, will feature screenwriter Simon Rochepeau and essayist Romain Huët. We will conclude on December 1 with a session dedicated to Ukrainians, where we will present, for example, a choreography by Olga Dukhovna, a Ukrainian dancer living in Rennes.

The program gives considerable attention to Central and Eastern Europe. Are you aiming to raise awareness in France about this often-underappreciated part of Europe? 

The first revelation was the extent and resilience of the ties that already exist between civil societies. These connections may be invisible, but they are robust, which is reassuring and heartening. Our professional contexts and projects are intertwined, creating a very fertile ground that cannot easily be broken. But, of course, this is also an opportunity to deepen our mutual understanding, as Europe is multiple and diverse. As Paul Ricoeur reminded us, "we must exchange our memories." I am convinced that Europe, like democracy, will only live and survive if people continue to believe in it. Democracy doesn’t exist if people no longer support it; the same is true for Europe. Europe exists because we recognize ourselves in it, because the connections between people are alive, and, above all, because we desire it. In my view, we are fulfilling our role by offering these moments of exchange, mutual understanding, and shared aspirations. We are taking responsibility, from where we stand, to preserve, strengthen, and defend these powerful legacies, such as Europe and democracy. 

Titled What Do Ukrainians Dream Of?, the final segment at Les Champs Libres will, as you mentioned, give a voice to Ukrainian civil society. Is it important not to limit the European Dialogues to discussions among experts? 

This is very important for us at Les Champs Libres. Expert dialogue has plenty of other spaces in which it can take place. At Les Champs Libres, our goal is sharing with the general public—in other words, among all of us who make up society. In this sharing, it’s unthinkable to talk about Ukraine or the war without giving a voice to Ukrainians living in Rennes, especially given that we are fortunate to have a very active association, Solidarité Bretagne-Ukraine, which has brought forward inspiring ideas. The Institut français used the term "forum" to describe the Dialogues, and to me, a forum is, above all, a place where everyone has a voice. For us, the goal is to create this peaceful forum, without which we cannot discuss, build, and live together.