Speech by AIVP President Edouard Philippe at the AIVP International Conference Venice 2023

Read here an excerpt of the speech of the President of AIVP. The document can be downloaded at the end of this article. Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends, During this period of global upheaval, we could hardly find a more inspiring setting than Venice. Venice, this world-city from which, in 1271, a young man of 17 set out to follow his father and uncle on the trade routes of Central Asia, a young man who would himself become a trader, diplomat, and official at the court of the emperor Kubilai, at a time when Mongolian power was being sinicized. A few years later, this Venetian left us an exceptional testimony, entitled "Book of the Marvels of the World", on this moment of readjustment of world knowledge that was the 13th century. This talented Venetian is Marco Polo. And if he were to recount his travels to young Venetians today, the parallels with our own time would be striking. The 13th century ushered in…