The Conférence Olivaint is an independent youth association welcoming students and young professionals looking to sharpen their knowledge of public life while cultivating their love for debate. The oldest student organization in France, it was created in 1874 by Jesuit Father Pierre Olivaint in an effort to prepare young people for public life, and has since remained loyal to its historic mission. Our core activity focuses on the organization of weekly conferences open to the public with speakers from both civil society and the political world. A significant part of our activities is dedicated to practicing debate through lectures and workshops and partaking in public speaking contests. Generations of prominent political, economic and cultural French figures have passed through its ranks and remain loyal to the Conférence Olivaint. They include Jacques Attali, Michel Bon, Raphaël Hadas-Lebel, François d'Aubert, Michel Barnier, Jean-Michel Belorgey, Christian Blanckaert, Jean-Louis Bournalges, Michel Charasse, Hervé de Charette, Jean-Pierre Chevènement, Jean-François Deniau, Laurent Fabius, François Heisbourg, Brice Hortefeux, Elisabeth Huppert, Jérôme Jaffre, Antoine Jeancourt-Galignani, Jean-Noël Jeanneney, Francis Lorentz, Didier Maus, Olivier Mazeaud, Frédéric Mitterrand, Christine Ockrent, Erik Orsenna, Dominique Perben, Etienne Pfimlin, Alain Poher, Louis Schweitzer, Michel Vauzelle, Eric Woerth, Jean Ziegler, François Zimeray, and more.