It has become commonplace to say that our world, which is in the grips of a multidimensional and seemingly never-ending crisis, is in very, very bad shape. This crisis, in fact, reveals a loss of meaning, reinforced by a trend towards the homogenization of the world’s cultures, brought on by an accelerated globalization of markets. This is leading to a veritable dehumanization of relations between individuals, peoples, and states.

It is a great pleasure to welcome participants from around the world as President of CIPSH. Please allow me to acknowledge the support and hard work of all friends and colleagues who has made this conference possible, special thanks go to my colleagues from UNESCO, Liege, and the CIPSH.

The World Humanities Conference completes its work in Liège on 11 August 2017: An occasion for the local organizers to draw up a positive first assessment of this world premiere that will resonate for a long time to come.

For one week in August 2017, Liège, in Belgium, became the “world capital of humanities”, to quote Paul-Émile Mottard, President of the Provincial College of Liège. The World Humanities Conference (WHC), which ran from 6 to 12 August, ended with the adoption of a new vision for the humanities for the 21st century. Participants agreed that, the humanities’ capacity to engage substantive long term reflection was indispensable to our societies in steering the environmental, technological, and cultural dynamics that are transforming them.