What we read
The ball of illusions. What France believes, what the world sees
This book is the result of a survey on the image of France abroad: by asking people all over the world about their vision of the country, we were able to find out how France is perceived abroad.
Our publications
our contributions
Raoul Castex: an admiral strategist at the heart of the spirit of defence
To mark the 90e As the IHEDN celebrates its 400th anniversary and the French Navy celebrates its 400th anniversary, we look back at the life of Admiral Raoul Castex (1878-1968), founder of the Institute. An exceptional sailor and major military theorist, he was able to impose a global vision of strategy that still informs our thinking today.
Franco-British defence cooperation
This fact sheet focuses on Franco-British military cooperation, from its historical foundations marked by the Entente Cordiale of 1904, the First World War, the Battle of Dunkirk (1940) and the Suez Crisis (1956) to post-Cold War operational rapprochement. It analyses the role of the Treaties of Lancaster House (2010) and Lancaster 2.0 (2025), which institutionalise the Franco-British Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) and strengthen nuclear and capability coordination, while highlighting the limits of this solidarity in the face of national trade-offs and divergent industrial choices. Finally, it sheds light on the prospects for the relationship, between opportunities for European rapprochement post-Brexit and the challenges posed by competition in the development of military capabilities. It also sheds light on the differing approaches of Paris and London to Ukraine, in a context of strategic recomposition of European defence.
Successful take-off for the 248e session in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region
From 17 March to 17 April, 46 students from a wide range of backgrounds will be meeting in Belfort, Besançon, Chalon-sur-Saône and Dijon to gain a deeper understanding of the defence, security and resilience issues shaping our strategic environment and having a direct impact on our regions.
General Schill: «The identity of each regiment is nurtured by its local roots».»
In the aftermath of the municipal elections, Army General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army, describes the close links that this institution maintains with the many territories in which it is based and the close cooperation between the various units and the regional sessions of the IHEDN. Interview.
Africa on the move: a seminar to rethink Franco-African partnerships
A seminar devoted to the contemporary dynamics of the African continent brought together experts and decision-makers with a common objective: to rethink the relationship between France and Africa in the light of current challenges.
90 years of IHEDN exhibition
To mark the Institute's 90th anniversary, this exhibition retraces the history of the IHEDN since it was founded in 1936.
A unique forum for meetings and dialogue between the nation's driving forces, both in France and internationally, the Institute has gradually opened up to civil society in order to work towards building a shared defence culture. For nine decades, it has pursued a singular mission: to train citizens from diverse backgrounds to better understand crises and threats, in the interests of national cohesion and resilience.
