Les Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco

The organization was co-founded in 2015 by Charlotte Casiraghi (who serves as president),^[4] the French philosopher Robert Maggiori,^[b] Canadian-French philosopher Joseph Cohen, and the French philosopher Raphael Zagury-Orly.^[8] Since 2024, Laura Hugo has been listed in press articles as director of the organization and one of the main spokespeople.^[9] The initial goal was to award an essay prize to a writer in the French-language philosophical landscape, however the project evolved into a more ambitious^[7] establishment in Monaco, positioning itself ostensibly as an international hub for contemporary philosophical engagement.^[1] Operating outside of (but in collaboration with) traditional academic institutions, the main objective of PhiloMonaco has been to make philosophy broadly accessible and culturally beneficial.^[1][2]

The dialogue between students and teachers^[7] is a key framework that runs through PhiloMonaco's core history and mission. Casiraghi was a student in Maggiori's philosophy class and as Laura Hugo has emphasized, the organization continues to operate along that fundamental Socratic model.^[1] From that core relationship grows an exchange and flow of ideas. In Casiraghi's words, the mission is to "share culture with a wider audience on a larger scale", so promoting the work of the scholars and making their contributions known to more people.^[10]

PhiloMonaco is organized in partnership with the Prince's Government and the Department of Education, Youth, and Sport.^[2][7] It is also subsidized by luxury sponsorships like Montblanc^[3] and Chanel,^[c] as well as the Columbia Global Centers for international research.

Sometimes the media are partners with PhiloMonaco for events, as was the case between the organization and Madame Figaro (Le Figaro's magazine) for Semaine PhiloMonaco in 2024.^[9]

At the head of the PhiloMonaco team and its departments:

• President:^[11] Charlotte Casiraghi
• President of the Jury:^[2] Robert Maggiori
• Honorary Member:^[11] Raphaël Zagury-Orly
• Honorary Founding Member: Joseph Cohen^[d]
• Director:^[11] Laura Hugo^[e]
• Secretary General: Vanina Mandelli^[11]
• Press officer: Élisabeth Trétiack-Franck^[11]

A jury, presided over by Maggiori, consists of "recognizable personalities"^[2] in the world of philosophy.

The jury members are:^[11]

• Robert Maggiori, president of the jury^[2]
• Isabelle Alfandary [fr]
• Étienne Bimbenet
• Charlotte Casiraghi
• Catherine Chalier [fr]
• Denis Kambouchner [fr]
• Sandra Laugier
• Claire Marin
• Géraldine Muhlmann
• Corine Pelluchon
• Judith Revel
• Camille Riquier [fr]
• Patrick Savidan
• Raphaël Zagury-Orly

Honorary committee members:^[11]

• S.A.R. La Princesse de Hanovre
• Valerio Adami
• Henri Atlan
• Remo Bodei†
• Albina du Boisrouvray
• Rémi Brague
• Jean-Claude Carrière†
• Hélène Cixous
• Boris Cyrulnik
• Souleymane Bachir Diagne
• Anne Dufourmantelle†
• Umberto Eco†
• Ágnes Heller†
• Julia Kristeva
• René Major
• Charles Malamoud
• Jean-Luc Marion
• Pierre Nora†
• Avital Ronell
• Fernando Savater
• John Scheid
• Amartya Sen
• Michel Serres†
• Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

Events are held throughout the year, hosted by one or more of the founding members and honorary members, and organized around the chosen annual theme. Semaine PhiloMonaco (PhiloMonaco Week) occurs in June every year to promote public engagement directly by taking the conversation onto the streets, to workplaces, to schools, and third spaces.^[7][12] With its emphasis on public participation, Semaine PhiloMonaco aims to provide opportunities for meaningful questions and dialogue between the public, professionals (i.e. medical, media, business, and education) and visiting scholars.^[12][13]

PhiloMonaco holds monthly thematic public workshops (ateliers) throughout the academic year in Monaco.^[3] It hosts the annual PhiloMonaco week (in French: Semaine PhiloMonaco), which features panels, debates, and philosophical educational events co-organized across Monaco and Paris.^[1] Live events take place at event venues in the Principality of Monaco, most often at the Théâtre Princesse Grace,^[1][14][15] but sometimes at other places, like the Fort Antoine Theatre,^[16][17] the New National Museum of Monaco,^[1][17], the Yacht Club de Monaco,^[15] and the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.^[3] Round table discussions, jury meetings, and prize ceremonies are often coordinated at la Maison de la Poésie in Paris.^[2]

The organization communicates with the public via major social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Broadly, the username for the organization is designated as @philomonaco. Recorded transmissions are published on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, and Soundcloud.^[18] During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media became an essential tool of communication, with Maggiori, Zagury-Orly, and Cohen doing regular and alternating "#InstantPhilo" lectures using videoconferencing software. That period saw eleven episodes of Les Antivirus Philosophiques (antivirus series), each one hosted by a different scholar connected with the organization and transmitted via the normal social media channels and to the internal Princess Grace Hospital Centre network.^[18][19]

Each year during its June symposium, the organization presents its jury-selected awards,^[6] to honor contributions to French-language philosophical text and publishing,:^[1] bridging theory and real-world applications to key issues.^[23]