In 2024, the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity has decided to honour the woman of letters Fatou Diome<\/b>, in recognition of her commitment to cultural diversity. The Coalition is also recognising the Cartooning for Peace <\/b>organisation for its work to promote cultural diversity and support gender equality through its \u2018Draw me gender equality\u2019 project, which is being rolled out in priority neighbourhoods in the city of Vaulx-en-Velin.<\/p>\n
Created in 1997, the French Coalition for Cultural Diversity brings together more than forty professional organisations from all cultural and creative sectors such as cinema, audiovisual, performing arts, publishing, music, graphic and plastic arts, etc. Together, they defend freedom of expression and creation, and the right of each State to define policies to support creation.<\/p>\n
With the presentation of its Cultural Diversity Prizes since 2011, the French Coalition recognises professional and artistic careers and encourages good practices in favour of the defence and promotion of cultural diversity.<\/p>\n
The 2024 winners<\/strong><\/p>\n Fatou Diome<\/strong><\/p>\n A Franco-Senegalese woman of letters, Fatou Diome has profoundly marked the international literary scene with her works exploring immigration in France and the complex relations between France and the African continent. Born in Senegal in 1968, she developed a passion for French-language literature at a very young age and began to write at the age of 13. After leaving her village to continue her studies in Dakar, she moved to France at the age of twenty-two. In the early 2000s, after obtaining a doctorate, Fatou Diome became a teacher while publishing her first recognised works. Her autobiographical account of a dream of emigrating to France, Le Ventre de l’Atlantique<\/i>, was a resounding success and has been translated into some twenty languages. Since then, Fatou Diome has continued to make an impression with novels such as K\u00e9tala<\/i> in 2006, Celles qui attendent<\/i> in 2010 and Les veilleurs de Sangomar<\/i> in 2019, which won her the Rotary Club Literary Prize. Her works, characterised by their subtlety and humanity, explore themes such as immigration, grief, romantic relationships and the search for identity.<\/p>\n Beyond her writing, Fatou Diome is also an outspoken activist, taking a stance on social issues. Her public statements are opportunities to defend republican values, to advocate for fairer cooperation between Europe and Africa, and to denounce the injustices and stereotypes that persist in international relations. A true spokesperson for the causes she defends in her novels, Fatou Diome has established herself as a major figure in contemporary French-language literature and an ambassador for cultural diversity.<\/p>\n The association Cartooning for Peace<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 2006 by Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize winner, and cartoonist Plantu, the association Cartooning for Peace is active in the priority neighbourhoods of Vaulx-en-Velin, where it is involved in the regional anti-discrimination plan.<\/p>\n For the 2023-2024 school year, the association is launching its flagship project, \u2018Draw me gender equality\u2019. This project tackles the challenges of gender inequality with humour and creativity through an exhibition of international press cartoons. Written by Ghada Hatem, obstetrician-gynaecologist and founder of the Maison des Femmes de Saint-Denis, the texts accompanying the exhibition offer a unique perspective on this theme. This project is being rolled out in three leisure centres and four secondary schools, where the young participants have the opportunity to meet a press cartoonist to discuss the topics presented and create their own cartoons.<\/p>\n The association’s activities are centred around three main themes: promoting press cartoons as a powerful and universal means of expression; offering educational workshops that raise participants’ awareness of contemporary issues, using tools drawn from the cultural and artistic diversity of international press cartoons; offering support to cartoonists under threat and defending freedom of expression and artistic creativity.<\/p>\n For almost 20 years, Cartooning for Peace has established itself as an essential international network. Its commitment to human rights and mutual respect between people of different cultures and beliefs makes press cartoons a vehicle for dialogue and understanding, thus promoting values that are essential in our contemporary society.<\/p>\n