January 13, 2023
Bulletin interne de l'Institut Pasteur
A look back on the 2023 New Year ceremony
On Tuesday January 10, the traditional New Year ceremony was held, with the participation of Yves Saint-Geours, Chairman of the Board of Governors, Stewart Cole, President, and Erik Orsenna, Institut Pasteur Ambassador.
After taking place remotely for two consecutive years because of COVID-19, the ceremony was once again held entirely in person this year, and many of you came along.
Erik Orsenna opened the event, wishing all staff a happy new year and then welcoming Yves Saint-Geours, the new Chairman of the Board of Governors.
Yves Saint-Geours then offered his new year wishes for 2023 and spoke about his recent arrival at the Institut Pasteur, a time of new and fascinating discoveries, while also alluding to the global context, which is having an impact in so many areas, including the economy, society, geopolitics, the climate and health. "This complex context has upset the individual and collective balance and prompted us to re-examine how we work together, the importance of cooperation, and the role of each individual both in society and at the Institut Pasteur."
Yves Saint-Geours also emphasized the Institut Pasteur's recent successes, despite the difficulties of the past two years, in terms of scientific projects and events linked to Louis Pasteur's bicentenary. These achievements demonstrate that "the Institut Pasteur has always been at the forefront of scientific excellence, (...) that Pasteur continues to be just as much a reference today as in the past," and that "we should be proud of this."
In a nod to his predecessor and as a way of marking the transition, Yves Saint-Geours closed his address with a quote from Christian Vigouroux's recent book*: "In the face of scorn, innovation and discovery, listening and imagination contribute together to improve the world. We need to recognize that we are not identical but that we are equal, and that is the pathway to respect."
Read the address by Yves Saint-Geours (in French)
Taking the floor from Yves Saint-Geours, Stewart Cole then looked back over 2022, the penultimate year of the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan, before speaking about the present and looking ahead to the future.
Despite a highly unsettled global context in geopolitical, climate, health and economic terms, with repercussions for the Institut Pasteur and also at individual level, Stewart Cole pointed out that 2022 was also a year in which much progress was made. There have been advances in each of the Institut Pasteur's four missions: research, public health, education, and the applications of research and innovation.
Following this retrospective, Stewart Cole presented the three key issues for the Institut Pasteur at the beginning of this new year: the current and future budget situation, an ambitious, dynamic international policy, and the modernization and development of the Institut Pasteur's communication and scientific outreach measures.
The bicentenary of Louis Pasteur's birth gave rise to a host of events throughout 2022, and Stewart Cole welcomed the many initiatives that once again boosted the visibility of Louis Pasteur and his legacy in France and worldwide. He also took the opportunity to invite Institut Pasteur staff to bring the bicentenary year to a close by attending the award ceremony for the Louis Pasteur Bicentenary Prizes on January 26 at 6pm in the CIS.
Finally, referring to the Explorer group that he has tasked with leading a forward-looking reflection, Stewart Cole called on staff to look to the future in 2023, "taking inspiration from the Pasteur ethos which is rooted in humility, perseverance and audacity," to build the future of the Institut Pasteur.
Based on the avenues for action identified by the Explorer group, and in line with the Strategic Plan, Stewart Cole announced three major priorities for the Institut Pasteur in 2023:
- launching the Vaccinology and Immunotherapy Center (CVI),
- boosting the appeal of the Institut Pasteur,
- continuing the capital campaign.
Inspired by the entry by Michel Rocard in the Institut Pasteur's visitor book in 1991, Stewart Cole encouraged the Institut Pasteur community to embrace "audacity if we want to be true to Louis Pasteur, (...) attract the best talent, and (...) succeed in our mission to serve the progress of science and human health!", before wishing everyone all the very best for 2023.
* La Société du dédain, published by Odile Jacob