Yves Lopez, President of the UNESCO Federation of France

Served as a professor of philosophy and director of several educational institutions. Yves Lopez is a regular activist in the field of UNESCO’s aims and networks.

Lopez is the founder of several UNESCO clubs, initiatives and associations. A patron of the arts and inter-culturality, a fighter for human rights, an initiator and leader of the Congregation of Mediterranean theatres and coordinator of the MLF network in France. He has gained enormous experience in establishing programs of education and civil society, primarily in France, Spain and Lebanon, and the House of Good News is honored to publish an interview given to us by this respected figure and activist.

In your capacity as a professor and director of educational institutions, with many years of experience in education, do you think Nikola Tesla has a place in school textbooks?

Unreservedly so, especially in primary school when children should be taught the role of human beings in science and technological discovery. For example, is Louis Pasteur, the great biologist who developed the vaccine against rabies, known to all children? A more abstract and theoretical character of inventiveness will certainly follow, but in the initial years I believe from a pedagogical point of view that it is very interesting to insist on the dimension of the personality. In that context Tesla, like Pasteur, is a fascinating figure and learning about them can only stimulate curiosity for science in schoolchildren.

During your address at the opening of the Tesla Forum on Mt. Fruška Gora on 10 July 2014, you stressed that Tesla is a two-fold source of light. Do you think that humankind is capable of seeing that light?

I am afraid that at a time of unprecedented moral regression, the gap between the bright progress of science and the loss of moral consciousness is growing ever bigger. As much as Tesla’s discoveries in technology and industry resounded, so his humanistic vision of the world remains unknown, and as he himself said, the product of his inventions was unequally and unfairly divided.

What are your impressions from the Tesla forum?

Entirely positive. I see the forum as an incredible place for exchanges in a humane and fraternal spirit. I learnt a lot about Serbia, the Serbian people and culture. Forums like this must indubitably be expanded and repeated, because they emphasize the importance and diversity of the contribution of every people to the common culture of humanity. It is fully in keeping with the mission of UNESCO, and we shall endeavor to continue with meetings like this. During the forum, I realized how much Tesla had the conscience of a citizen of the world.

The forum promoted in particular Tesla’s contribution to world peace. What do you think about that connection between Tesla and peace?

If we cite Tesla’s words and writings, we can see that his inventions are directed solely as contributions to justice and peace in the world. Nikola Tesla did not work for a handful of people, he worked for everyone, and his biggest attention was aimed at using the results of his discoveries for the welfare of the people and making their lives easier, and equal distribution throughout the world. Unfortunately, if we look at the situation of extreme inequality on our planet, we can see that are very far from the realization of Tesla’s dream. Unpretentiously, but with conviction, UNESCO’s networks fight for the realization of such a dream.

In the French UNESCO Federation, in which you are its President, your advisor is, in the capacity of federal advisor, Aleksandar Protić, about whom our website has already written. What can you say about your cooperation?

I respect Aleksandar Protić very much, and every since he was elected a federal advisor, the French UNESCO Federation has been gaining from his knowledge and his hard work. A number of virtues can be seen in Aleksandar at the first glance: generosity, excellent perceptiveness, and refinement. He is a brilliant ambassador of Franco-Serbian dialogue and a passionate promoter of Tesla’s work. The manner in which he guided the UNESCO Club at the Sorbonne is a brilliant example which we would want other university clubs to follow. He also headed and organized the forum with a lot of talent. Finally, Aleksandar is a person who leaves no-one indifferent.

Source: House of Good News