Speak out freely, always,
for democracy’s sake.

In 2005 the world of press drawing was upset by the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in Denmark. Charlie Hebdo acted in isolation when it published them and perhaps it would not have been stigmatized – perhaps – if all the french newspapers had also published them jointly, as they should have done. After years of threats, it seemed unimaginable, at least to the sane, that Charlie Hebdo journalists would be directly targeted and executed in their office on January 7, 2015. Since that date, the press cartoon has become a global symbol. They were so many calling themselves Charlie because the citizens were able to identify with them. Because in attacking them, the barbarians attacked a certain idea of ​​democracy and freedom.

After the assassination of Tignous and his companions it was essential to publish more in their same spirit, quickly and in large quantities, to show the world that the barbarians would not silence us, that we would not give in to fear and that we would not become hateful. My standing up was at first to pay homage to him, an individual response as a woman. Standing up today is an answer to the community, a project for society.

Almost four years later there has been a lot of talk and debate about cartooning from which very little has resulted. We do not have time for that anymore! There are too few of us for a common goal to remain unknown. If nothing changes, the dead will have been lost for nothing!

It is time to question the place and usefulness of cartooning in society, its concrete use as tool of expression. It’s our responsibility! The challenge of this Cartooning Global Forum is to show humanity that we can work and live together while still disagreeing about much. But we must take a new, different look at cartooning, side by side, all colors, all cultures and unified in our ambitions, armed only with our humanity!

Chloé Verlhac-Tignous
Member of the CGF Steering Committee
Director of publishing
Publishing house ‘Les Petites Teignes’