Unpacking the 2026 Challenge Theme: 'Conflicts, Technologies, and World Security'

The Entente Cordiale Day Challenge encourages students to take an aerial, future-oriented gaze towards the global issues that most impact us

This year, the competition will focus on the critical theme of 'Conflicts, Technologies, and World Security'. The global landscape is increasingly defined by geopolitical tensions, rapid technological advancements, and pressing questions surrounding peace and security. The need for rigorous analysis, interdisciplinary dialogue, and forward-thinking solutions has never been more apparent in this context.

In light of the current challenges, it is clear that the terms'  conflicts', technologies', and world security' are closely interconnected, especially in today's climate of political and military instability. As part of the Entente Cordiale Day Challenge, we invite students to bring together their insights and reflections on the 2026 Challenge theme's three components to propose solutions to the issues they will have identified.

CONFLICTS

The term ‘conflict’ today goes far beyond symmetric warfare. It includes political, social, and environmental struggles across both national and international settings. Ongoing issues such as the Russia–Ukraine war, disputes over water resources like the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, climate justice movements, Indigenous land claims, and global trade tensions illustrate the many forms that conflict can take.

You may choose to study conflict in its narrowest form, as the armed struggle between states or groups over territory or power. However, conflict can also refer to broader oppositions of interests, identities, and values. These can manifest as systemic injustice, ideological polarisation, or struggles over access to resources. Some conflicts erupt violently, while others simmer beneath the surface, embedded in political structures or social systems. Participants are encouraged to reflect on both the visible and hidden dimensions of conflict, as well as the consequences for those directly or indirectly affected.

TECHNOLOGIES

In parallel with rising global tensions, we are witnessing the widespread influence of new technologies across all areas of life. Innovations in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotechnology, communication, and sustainability are transforming the way individuals, governments, and societies interact with each other and the world around them.

This theme invites you to think about technology not just as neutral tools or inventions but as artificial systems that shape behaviour, power dynamics, and ethical choices. Although teams are free to develop new technologies as part of their proposal, you might also explore how existing technologies could be applied differently, governed more effectively, or understood through new social or political frameworks. Technologies offer both challenges and opportunities: they can deepen inequalities or help resolve them, provoke conflict or foster cooperation. Your work should explore this dual potential.

WORLD SECURITY

World security is no longer limited to military defence or the prevention of war. It now includes ecological stability, digital safety, public health, and the protection of vulnerable populations. Conflicts (whether armed, environmental, political, or social) can threaten both national public order and international peace. At the same time, technologies influence how security is maintained, challenged, or reimagined.

Participants should consider what a secure world might look like today and in the future. Security may mean the protection of borders, but it may also mean ensuring fair access to clean water, defending democratic values, or safeguarding digital privacy. This broad understanding of security encourages a holistic approach, one that includes both human well-being and systemic resilience.

NEXT STEPS

You can find out more about the competition process and expectations for the report here.

Do not hesitate to email us at info@ententecordialeday.org or ingrid.chan@ententecordialeday.org if you have any further questions. Please note that we do not accept inquiries regarding the suitability of your report outline.