Animal Rights at Sciences Po: what can we expect from SciencesPaws Week?

By Molly Long

Today marks the start of Sciences Paws Week, but just what can we expect?

As a proud voice for animals on campus, Sciences Paws has organized a range of different events in order for us to better understand the commitments we have to our furry friends. The festivities run from Feb. 5-9 and will include Sciences Po favorites like a photo booth and sticker sales.

Sciences Paws stickers. Picture credits: Molly Long

What promises to be one of the highlights of the week will take place this evening: a conference discussing the rights of animals. Whether you’re a hardcore vegan or a skeptic, the event looks to be both thought provoking and entertaining – and if you needed any more convincing, there will be free drinks too. President of the association, Léa Wai Quan Chin says this event and others are not intended to make people feel guilty, instead she suggests: “We want to reach as many people as possible without getting them afraid of what is fighting for animal rights.”

Other highlights already touted for this week include a showing of the Netflix sensation Okja. With its stirring messages against animal exploitation and capitalism, the film provokes a dialogue that we often don’t like to think about.

So, what’s the aim here? Mattis Gilbert of Sciences Paws believes this week is a way for people to begin to understand animal rights, whilst also entertaining people. Speaking of the Open Mic night at the Dropkick, organised for this Thursday, he said: “For just €3 for a ticket, it is a way to help the animal cause, and have fun at the same time.”

Sciences Paws members. Picture credits: Molly Long

Sciences Paws Week is the product of many months of hard work. For those involved with the association, this event is an important potential gateway to learning more about animal rights. President, Léa, believes that more than anything, “the main goal of our association is to get Sciences Piste sensibilized of what is animal cause and why is it primordial. We hope to offer Sciences Po events of quality but also events that can introduce everyone—even uninterested people—to the animal cause.”