“Decrypting the world to better anticipate its upheavals.”
Pascal Boniface
Pascal Boniface
Pascal Boniface is one of the most recognized and followed French geopolitical experts. Director and founder of IRIS (Institute for International and Strategic Relations), he has been analyzing the major upheavals of the contemporary world for over thirty years. An academic, consultant, and prolific author, he has established himself as an essential voice in international relations in France.
A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and a doctor of state in public international law, he began his career within major strategic institutions before founding IRIS in 1990, which has become one of the leading French think tanks in defense and international politics. He also directs La Revue internationale et stratégique and L'Année stratégique, two reference publications.
Author of more than 80 works, he alternates between incisive essays and educational books. His works focus on global strategic balances, nuclear issues, French foreign policy, contemporary conflicts, as well as a field he has significantly contributed to structuring: the geopolitics of sport.
Very present in public debate, he frequently appears on major French and international networks. He is particularly followed on social media today: his YouTube channel "Understanding the World" has over 460,000 subscribers, and in total, he is followed by more than 1,300,000 people, demonstrating his ability to make the most complex geopolitical issues accessible.
Engaged in the sports world, he is a member of the National Ethics Council of the French Football Federation and a geopolitical consultant for the Olympic Museum as well as for the NGO Peace and Sport. He notably developed the concept of "geopolitics of sport," which is now widely adopted.
Pascal Boniface is an Officer of the Legion of Honor, a Knight of the National Order of Merit, and a Knight of Arts and Letters. His conferences are appreciated for their educational clarity, frankness, and their ability to link immediate news to the underlying trends of the international system.
The changing world order: towards a new distribution of powers?
- Trump's election is not just a simple political turnover; it is a global strategic revolution that challenges the international order established after the Second World War and the very notion of the Western world.
- The world is not experiencing a mere succession of crises: it is undergoing a structural transformation. The balance inherited from the Cold War has given way to an unstable, multipolar system marked by Sino-American rivalry, Russian repositioning, and the rise of emerging powers.
- In this conference, Pascal Boniface analyzes the ongoing recompositions: the relative weakening of the West, the rise of the BRICS, strategic fragmentation, and the reinvigorated dynamics of power. He shows how economic, military, and technological power relations are redrawing the global map.
- He also deciphers the role of non-state actors – multinationals, digital platforms, NGOs, global public opinion – who now influence strategic decisions.
- A clear and structuring intervention that enables leaders and decision-makers to understand the major trends to anticipate risks and identify opportunities in an uncertain geopolitical environment.
Does France still weigh on the international stage?
- Is France still a great power? Or are we witnessing a gradual marginalization in a world dominated by continental blocs?
- Pascal Boniface offers a lucid analysis of France's position: diplomatic assets, a seat on the Security Council, nuclear deterrence, a global cultural network, but also budgetary limits and European constraints.
- He questions the notion of "strategic autonomy" and examines the Franco-German relationship, the role of the European Union, and the French maneuvering space in relation to the United States and China.
- A conference particularly suited to institutions, local authorities, and French companies wishing to understand the strategic framework in which they operate.
Sports Geopolitics: the new battleground of powers!
- Sports are no longer just entertainment. They have become a major instrument of power and influence.
- Through the Olympic Games, the World Cups, or the strategic investments of certain states, Pascal Boniface demonstrates how sports are used as tools for visibility, soft power, and sometimes parallel diplomacy.
- He analyzes the issues of image, the influence strategies of Qatar, China, or Russia, and the identity role of sports in contemporary societies.
- An original and impactful conference, ideal for sports organizations, companies partnering with events, or institutions wishing to understand the interconnection between sports, politics, and power.
Current crises and conflicts: understanding Ukraine, the Middle East, and global tensions
- Why do some wars last? Why do mediation attempts fail?
- Pascal Boniface places contemporary conflicts within their historical depth: Ukraine, Middle East, tensions in the South China Sea, African instability. He explains the strategic, energy, ideological, and territorial logics at work.
- He also shows how perceptions differ according to regions of the world, revealing a growing gap between the Western view and the Global South.
- An essential conference to understand the dynamics shaping international news and their economic and political consequences.
Terrorism and new threats: security challenges of the 21st century!
- Terrorism has profoundly changed security policies and international balances.
- Pascal Boniface analyzes the evolution of forms of radicalization, the transformation of terrorist networks, and state responses. He highlights the tensions between security and public freedoms.
- He also addresses the new hybrid threats: cyberattacks, disinformation, and the instrumentalization of migratory flows.
- A strategic intervention for companies, public institutions, and security actors confronted with contemporary risks.