Presentation of the descartes foundation

Our initiative aims to serve the public interest by promoting the need for sincere information and to fight against all forms of disinformation and information manipulation. Sincere information refers to an exact and complete account of the facts, devoid of any intention to distort its meaning. This initiative was born out of a reflection on the loss of trust in news and the media, linked especially to the increase in disinformation and information manipulation. We believe that sincere information, and the trust that citizens have in it, are essential to the harmonious functioning of our democracies.

We are currently established in the form of an Endowment Fund under French law (the Endowment Fund for the creation of the Fondation Descartes), with the aim of creating a state-approved public interest foundation. This will be dedicated to the challenges related to the quality of information necessary for public debate in a democratic society

The Endowment Fund for the creation of Fondation Descartes (the statutes of which can be viewed here) is presently organising the future activities of the Fondation. It also has the aim of bringing the endowment together with the necessary budget to create a state-approved public interest foundation and to undertake the administrative procedures to achieve this.

Since September 2019, the Endowment Fund has benefited from legal entity status, allowing it to take actions to achieve its goals. It created the website fondationdescartes.org

It has established the following bodies: 

• An Executive Board, currently with eight members from various backgrounds, and chaired by Jean-Philippe Hecketsweiler. The Executive Board, which aims to recruit more members in the coming months, collegially defines the Endowment Fund's strategy and positioning for the creation of Fondation Descartes. 
• A Scientific Board, which has the aim of establishing the scientific legitimacy of the Endowment Fund and the future state-approved public interest foundation. The Scientific Board, which is currently being formed, is made up of four members at present.
• A permanent team, presently comprising five people, led by researcher Laurent Cordonier, oversees all research, initiatives and work by the Endowment Fund, under the authority of the Executive Board. It is based on the development of a circle of experts, made up of associate researchers and qualified individuals in the Endowment Fund's areas of research and action.

The activities and bodies of the Endowment Fund for the creation of Fondation Descartes plan to continue within the future Fondation Descartes as soon as it has been established.

The Endowment Fund for the creation of Fondation Descartes was established at the initiative of Tiphaine and Jean-Philippe Hecketsweiler, who have provided the initial funding. The Endowment Fund is currently expanding its sources of funding thanks to other private donors with the aim of creating Fondation Descartes.

The Endowment Fund aims to collect the 1.5 million euros that will be necessary to establish the state-approved public interest foundation, as well as the funding necessary for its activity over the next five years.