[LUM#9] A Child of the Century

[LUM Magazine] - Published on July 30, 2019 in Science and Society

Thierry Escolar is undoubtedly deeply engaged with his times. As a student at the Institute for Preparation for General Administration (IPAG) and a graduate in political science and history, he is also a co-founder of the Montpellier-based humanitarian organization Jeunesse s’engage.

“After philosophy comes action.” This quote from Victor Hugo has become the motto of the organization Jeunesse s’engage and “a way of looking at life” for its co-founder and president, Thierry Escolar. For more than three years, this student has been organizing weekly food drives and outreach efforts for the homeless in Montpellier and Paris, conducting health prevention outreach among young people, and developing partnerships with institutions and other organizations… In 2015 and 2016, he even put together a team to travel to Palermo for two humanitarian missions to assist migrant children.

"A Way of Looking at Life"

It was during previous assignments in the Middle East and Egypt that this native of Montpellier, who grew up in working-class neighborhoods, had a revelation. “Seeing countries in ruins or under colonial rule, I realized in hindsight just how fortunate we are to have institutions and civil servants—things we may disagree with, but which ensure peace and make society function.”

Back in France, he began a dual degree program in political science and history. Current events, however, caught up with him—not only the shock of the 2015 terrorist attacks but also the growing precariousness in Montpellier. “We were seeing more and more people on the streets, and the migration crisis was starting to make headlines…” Thierry pauses to reflect,“In political science, you discover an interesting framework for understanding the world. We were strongly encouraged to put our learning into practice through collective projects.” Together with his friend Olivier Saunier,he then decided to found Jeunesse s’engage.

A Third Way

Their goal?“To offer young people a third way—a form of engagement that is neither religious nor partisan political. To simply allow them to participate in a one-time initiative that might raise their awareness of our collective responsibility.” Since then,more than 500 young people have answered this call. 

The political science student, for his part, switched to public administration because he believes that’s where he can “make a difference.” After working as a parliamentary aide, he is now completing an apprenticeship at Place Beauvau:“Symbolically, given where I come from, a pay stub from the National Assembly or the Ministry of the Interior is just proof that it’s possible in France, too.” Soon, someone else will take up the torch at the helm of the association, but Thierry Escolar’s commitment remains unwavering.

Keywords: Students, Humanitarian, LUM#9, LUM Magazine, Company