After three weeks of in-depth study of defence, security and sovereignty issues, the 44 trainees of the 252nde Participants in the Corsica regional session have completed their training programme. This session enabled them to deepen their understanding of the major contemporary strategic challenges through a programme combining high-level lectures, field visits and group work.
The first week in Bastia gave the participants the opportunity to explore the strategic challenges facing Corsica and France. Visits to the 126th Air Base, the company Stella Mare and SITEC provided a practical insight into the challenges relating to security, innovation and sovereignty. This part of the programme was further enriched by several lectures on Corsica’s geostrategy, the capabilities of the three armed forces, and France’s nuclear deterrent.
The second week, devoted to the armed forces and defence equipment, took place in Toulon. In particular, the participants had the opportunity to visit the amphibious helicopter carrier Thunder as well as the naval base at Toulon. Lectures on cyber security, the military programming law, the geopolitics of the Middle East and issues in the Mediterranean provided food for thought for the trainees. This residential period also proved to be a highlight in terms of team-building and hard work, characterised by committee work.
The third and final week took place in Ajaccio. It provided an opportunity to address issues relating to government action at sea, internal security and crisis management. Participants benefited from numerous presentations by experts and field visits, notably to the Civil Protection Training and Response Unit, Corse Composites Aéronautiques and Safran. These meetings highlighted the diversity of stakeholders involved in ensuring the resilience and security of the region. This final session also featured an event organised by the Association régionale 33 Corse, offering participants a unique opportunity to engage with the Institute’s alumni network.
This was also an opportunity to officially announce the name of the graduating class: Fred Scamaroni (1914–1943). A senior Corsican civil servant who became an officer in the Free French Forces, he played a major role in organising the Resistance in Corsica, preparing for the island’s liberation under the command of General de Gaulle. Arrested and tortured by the Italian authorities in March 1943, he chose to take his own life rather than reveal the secrets of his mission, leaving as his final message: «Long live France, long live De Gaulle!». His actions earned him a posthumous appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Liberation on 11 October 1943.
At the end of this 252e Following the course in Corsica, participants leave with an in-depth understanding of the defence and security issues that shape our strategic environment, as well as having forged lasting bonds with their fellow students.
Well done to them!
