We had the pleasure of welcoming philosopher and writer Olivier Larrègle to our centre in Lyon, who honoured us with a preview of his new book on one of the great writers of the twentieth century, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

With passion and enthusiasm, Olivier Larrègle revealed the philosophical thinking of the creator of The Little Prince. An altruist and a humanist, Saint-Exupéry elevated thought to a level that few of his contemporaries had reached. His works lead humanity towards unity by combining opposites: the path of action and the path of contemplation.

Some quotations from Saint-Exupéry that make us want to (re-)explore his works:

“The role of spectator has always horrified me. Who am I if I don’t participate? I need to participate in order to be”. Flight to Arras.

“Man discovers himself when he measures himself against obstacles”. Wind, Sand and Stars.

“A civilisation is a heritage of beliefs, customs and knowledge, slowly acquired over centuries, sometimes difficult to justify by logic, but which justify themselves, like roads, if they lead somewhere, because they open up man’s inner expansion”.