Pasteurdon launch – celebrating 15 years of fundraising

Lights off... silence... and action! The Pasteurdon 2021 opening film began at 12 noon, offering a touching, heartwarming retrospective to mark the 15th anniversary of the fundraising campaign.

On Wednesday October 6, the launch event for the 2021 edition of Pasteurdon got under way, with the participation of Stewart Cole, President, Antoine Bogaerts, Director of Philanthropy, Erik Orsenna, Institut Pasteur Ambassador, and several TV and radio partners and partner companies. The colorful event began by looking back at 15 years of commitment, efforts and generosity, a wave of collective momentum – with the lab coat, decked out for the occasion in a kaleidoscope of colors, taking center stage!

Once again, the Institut Pasteur community showed its commitment to Pasteurdon by logging in for this major event to kick-start the Institut Pasteur academic year via Teams. Stewart Cole emphasized this aspect as he opened the launch event – "Delighted to see you all here for this 15th edition!" – and greeted those "who are watching remotely: scientists, donors and partners. Thank you all for being with us and for your invaluable support!"

 

Stewart Cole then reiterated the outstanding efforts of all those involved in the campaign, noting that "each year, the Institut Pasteur community steps up with enthusiasm and creativity to turn this great event into a real celebration of research!"

 

After wishing everybody a successful – and colorful – anniversary edition of Pasteurdon, he handed over to Antoine Bogaerts, the new Director of Philanthropy and host of the launch event, who carried out the task with great enthusiasm despite the unfortunate absence of Pasteurdon patron Alexandra Lamy, unable to attend because of her latest film shoot.

So it was Antoine Bogaerts who stepped up to present this overtly colorful 15th edition, which aimed to highlight the diversity of research at the Institut Pasteur as represented by six different colors:

Green for emerging infectious diseases,

Yellow for antimicrobial resistance,

Blue for brain connectivity and neurodegenerative diseases,

Pink for cancer,

Purple for vaccinology,

Red for advanced technology and artificial intelligence.

This symbolic color palette will feature in the Pasteurdon campaign until October 10, offering a new visual means of raising awareness about the challenges facing several major research fields.

 

Antoine Bogaerts then invited Erik Orsenna, loyal Institut Pasteur Ambassador, up on stage to speak about his strong commitment to the Institut Pasteur. The writer and member of the Académie Française expressed his heartfelt admiration for scientists and emphasized their vital, fundamental role in advancing knowledge. The current COVID-19 context continues to demonstrate just how crucial science is for the international community and the part it plays in keeping us all safe and healthy. Erik Orsenna also made a point of mentioning the importance of public generosity, sponsors and companies in furthering research.

 

The next part of the event showcased the efforts of the Institut Pasteur's media partners and the major campaign that will take place on TV and radio from October 7 to 10. This sequence was presented together with Anne Barrère and demonstrated the scale of Pasteurdon's partnership with the media – nearly 50 TV channels and radio stations are now involved in the campaign, each calling on their top journalists and presenters to raise visibility for Pasteurdon. The audience were then shown the Institut Pasteur film and various short programs and radio spots, after which the media representatives and presenters who had come along to the event took to the floor one by one to express their support and commitment to the cause.

It was then time for a few words from the Pasteurdon sponsors. One by one, the Fondation Le Roch-Les Mousquetaires, AG2R LA MONDIALE and Assu 2000, all loyal Pasteurdon sponsors for many years now, spoke about their dedication to the Institut Pasteur's research alongside Antoine Bogaerts and Erik Orsenna, via a video message and then in person. They also emphasized how important Pasteurdon was for their staff members every year.

 

Vincent Rodella, who directed the new Institut Pasteur video, was a special guest at the launch event. He took to the stage to explain how he worked with the Institut Pasteur's teams to put together the new film (see the September 3 issue of the newsletter for more about how the film was made). He also shared a very personal message about what the Institut Pasteur and medical research represent for him – and his deep appreciation of the value of the Institut Pasteur's work clearly shone through during the production of the Institut Pasteur film.

 

 

Following these personal accounts and examples of real commitment to the cause, the focus turned back to the 15th anniversary, echoing the theme of the opening retrospective, and the afternoon's proceedings culminated in the broadcast of a unique video produced thanks to the enthusiastic participation of 50 Institut Pasteur staff on the esplanade of the CIS building on October 1. Wearing lab coats in the colors of the campaign, they brought the number 15 to life, wishing Pasteurdon many happy returns for many years to come!

Together, let's defend research and let's continue to fly the colors of research!
 

Watch the launch event

Watch the making-of