MGEN
The MGEN Group, which manages the Social Security and health and life insurance plans for employees of the Ministry of National Education, Youth, and Sports; the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation; as well as those of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Ecological Transition, continues and expands its natural partnership with the Mucem. Launched in 2017 with the redesign of educational spaces for young audiences, MGEN’s commitment also extends to the temporary exhibition on AIDS and its evolution, from the first patients diagnosed with the disease in the early 1980s to the present day.
As a socially conscious organization that provides coverage to more than 4.2 million people through its 10,000 employees and 3,500 volunteers, MGEN is highly active in the fields of education, preventive health care, medical research, the fight against all forms of discrimination, and access to culture for all. Through this partnership, MGEN pursues these same goals and ambitions and works—as it does with other major cultural institutions such as the Palace of Versailles, the Philharmonie de Paris, the Louvre Museum, and the “Cartooning for Peace” exhibitions, to bring culture and social discourse closer to the general public—particularly young people—thereby reaffirming its commitment to making culture for all a prerequisite for individual empowerment.
70 years in 2017
Since its founding 70 years ago, MGEN has, in fact, never stopped fighting:
- Against obscurantism, against individualism;
- For solidarity;
- To promote culture, education, and citizenship by highlighting innovative initiatives in these areas—particularly those related to schools—on the grounds that arts and cultural education is an integral part of the fundamental learning experiences of future citizens, fosters the development of critical thinking among younger generations, and contributes to strengthening social cohesion.
Throughout the 2016–2017 school year, we celebrated our 70th anniversary across the country by hosting various events and engaging in discussions focused on our vision for the future. More specifically, we have focused extensively on issues related to education, culture, and youth, as these sectors—which are heavily impacted by the constant rise of new technologies—are also central to questions of social cohesion, community life, and equal opportunity.
An active member of the educational community
As an active member of the educational community, we believe it is essential to inspire young people and provide them with the means to discover the richness and diversity of cultures and civilizations around the world. We believe that culture is a fundamental right, one that—in a society where individualism seeks to supplant the collective—serves to bring people together, to be shared by fostering relationships with others, and to be passed on. Culture is the strength of “us”—a collective “us” bound by solidarity.
That is why the MGEN Group, which provides coverage for 4 million people—including public employees in the fields of education and culture (as well as those in youth, sports, and the environment), is a natural partner for associations and organizations working to make culture accessible to all and to foster civic dialogue through artistic creation, particularly in schools.
Encourage efforts to promote cultural democratization
It was by exploring the most effective methods and most effective for welcoming a more diverse audience to cultural institutions—which are still too often frequented by certain social groups—that MGEN has, since its inception, decided to support efforts toward greater accessibility initiated by cultural institutions.
To this end, the Mutual Insurance Company for Education, Youth, and Culture has chosen to support and get involved in various programs and cultural events throughout the country in order to have a presence everywhere—particularly in isolated areas or those far from cultural offerings—and thus “leave no one behind .” MGEN has also chosen to promote projects and initiatives in which schools play a meaningful role.
Examples include collaborations with other major national museums—such as the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles—as well as Cartooning for Peace, of which MGEN is a founding partner, the Rendez-vous de l’histoire in Blois, the High School Moot Court Competition organized by the Caen Memorial, and the Saint-Malo International Book and Film Festival, “Etonnants voyageurs.” Since January 2017, MGEN has been an official partner of the Angoulême International Comics Festival and, more specifically, of the school comics contest.
By partnering with the Mucem, MGEN is continuing its 70-year commitment to making culture accessible to as many people as possible and is championing culture for all as a prerequisite for individual empowerment.