6 - La construction d’un idéal national de paix : analyse de l’action de Félix Houphouët-Boigny

Abstract

Building a national ideal of peace: Felix Houphouët Boigny’s agenda
By presenting himself to Ivorians as “the apostle of peace”, Houphouët-Boigny set about building,
with a multiplicity of tools, this ideal during his magisterium. The island of peace that was the country
in a sub-region plagued by conflicts of all kinds seems to validate its method. Alas, in 1999, Côte
d’Ivoire experienced a coup d’état before sinking into a decade of war from September 2002. If this
sad episode reveals the fragilities of the building, the place of choice that occupies Houphouët-
Boigny in the quest for reconciliation can testify to survivals and adherence to his vision of peace.
But then; What were the symbols, the method and the testamentary legacy of Félix Houphouët-
Boigny in his promotion of peace? On analysis, we realize that Houphouët promotes this ideal of
peace through strong speeches and symbols and concretizes it through dialogue and ethnic
balance in the management of the country.