[2] Its mission is to provide young people with training in public life, notably by holding weekly conferences with political figures and, since 2003, with personalities from civil, economic and cultural spheres.
In a time of revolution, it is necessary, through knowledge, character, and independence, to rise above all parties, to see only the interests of the country and to devote oneself to its salvation", he said.
The goal of the Conférence Olivaint at the time was to recruit young people form the Rue de Sèvres Congregation and prepare them to become defenders of the Church and the country.
Originally intended for a male audience, the Olivaint Conference opened its doors to women in the 1950s and, in 1970, elected its first woman president, Angéline Arrighi.
[citation needed] The Youth Branch comprises a large majority of students and a minority of young professionals.
Jacques Pradon, Mario Stasi and Olivier Schnerb have served in succession as public speaking advisors to the Conférence Olivaint.
In 2017, the Olivaint Conference created the Olivier Schnerb Prize for Eloquence in tribute to its late oratorical advisor.
The Olivaint Conference also organises each year[10] - A symposium open to the public : - A study trip, where members of the Conference meet political figures from the country visited (Argentine and Uruguay in 2005, Ukraine in 2006, Turkey in 2007, the United States in 2010,[11] Kosovo in 2011, China in 2012, Tunisia in 2013, Iran in 2014, Greece in 2016, Lebanon, the Vatican, Italy in 2017, Romania in 2019, Senegal in 2022),.
(2011), "Sans culottes" (2012), "Veiled lisses" (2013), "Living standing" (2014), "Utopia" (2017), "Desire" in (2022) - The Weimar Forum, which brings together young students from Germany, Poland and France at an international symposium.
In 2017, the forum was held at the National Assembly on the topic of dogitalisationand Europe, under the patronage of Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and the Commission Supérieure du Numérique et des Postes.
It relies on universities and institutions, as well as other French and international entities sharing its values of independence, boldness and eloquence, and aligned with its interest in public life.
Some partnerships also serve more short-term purposes, such as the one forged in 2014 with the Société universitaire canadienne de débat inter-collégial to participate in various tournaments.
Among the Alumni of the Conférence Olivaint are Laurent Fabius, Karine Berger, Jean-Louis Bourlanges, Jean-Pierre Chevènement, Dominique Perben, Jean-François Deniau, Jacques Attali, Hubert Védrine, Hervé de Charette, Michel Barnier, Frédéric Mitterrand, Arnaud Montebourg, Éric Woerth, Mounir Mahjoubi, Henri de Gaulle, Michel Charasse, François d'Aubert, Alain Poher, Jean-Noël Jeanneney, Dominique Perben, Michel Vauzelle, René Pleven, Vincent Chauvet, Robert Schuman, Georges Bidault, Marguerite Bérard (fr), Jacques Attali, Jean-Claude Casanova, Raphaël Enthoven, Isabelle Huppert, Érik Orsenna, Jean-François Deniau, Michel Bon, Philippe-Joseph Salazar, Christine Ockrent, Paul Michaux, François Zimeray, Anne Carvello[13]