The French Association for the United Nations

What The French Association for the United Nations does

The French Association for the United Nations (AFNU) is a non-profit civil society organization founded on November 10, 1918, in Paris by Léon Bourgeois, the first President of the League of Nations and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Recognized as a public benefit organization (reconnue d'utilité publique) since January 30, 1922, and renamed AFNU in 1945 following the entry into force of the UN Charter, AFNU serves as the official French member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA). Its core mission is to promote the UN and multilateralism, raise French public awareness of international issues (peace and security, human rights, development, climate, biodiversity), and serve as a forum for reflection on global challenges.

AFNU's product and service portfolio centers on knowledge production and convening rather than technology. Products include educational publications (Les Petits Manuels series, weekly Revue de Presse, and the 2026 book 'La Paix par le Droit'), the Léon Bourgeois research prize awarded jointly with GRAM-CNRS and the Kofi Annan Foundation, and the AFNU Youth Area (UNYA France). Distribution is primarily through 100+ events per year (conferences, symposia, webinars, G7 Youth Forums, Model UN partnerships with 15+ universities and high schools), digital channels (website, LinkedIn, YouTube/AFNU TV, weekly newsletter), and a partnership network spanning French ministries, foundations, and international research centers. AFNU holds no proprietary technology and operates without software products or APIs.

The business model is membership-based with seven tiered subscriptions (€15 student, €60 regular individual, €120-€500 individual benefactors, €1,000 regular legal entity, €1,001-€4,999 legal entity benefactors, €5,000-€9,999 corporate sponsors, €10,000+ major corporate patrons), supplemented by publication sales via HelloAsso and tax-deductible donations (66% French tax deduction). Primary customer segments are students and young professionals, the general French public interested in international affairs, former and current diplomats/UN officials, academics, and corporate partners seeking alignment with multilateralism values. Governance is delivered through a Board composed of former UN Under-Secretaries-General, ambassadors, and leading academics, with day-to-day operations led by Délégué général Jérémy Mercier.

Name

The French Association for the United Nations

Legal name

Association française pour les Nations Unies

Website

https://afnu.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AFNU is a Paris-based non-profit civil society organization founded in 1918 that serves as France's official link to the United Nations, promoting multilateralism through educational publications, conferences, Model UN partnerships, and a tiered membership base spanning students to corporate sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Civil Society Organization / International Affairs Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Business Associations (813910), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAFAB

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGADAH

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAMAGAB

Model United Nations (MUN)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Academic Clubs & Competitions (Debate, Model UN, Olympiads)

Keywords

• Civil society advocacy
• International relations education
• Multilateralism promotion
• Model united nations
• Nonprofit association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees from natural persons (60 EUR regular, 15 EUR students, 120-500 EUR benefactors) and legal entities (1000 EUR regular, 1001-4999 EUR benefactors, 5000-9999 EUR corporate sponsors, 10,000+ EUR major corporate patrons). As a recognized public-benefit organization, donations are eligible for 66% tax deduction in France.
2. Publications sales: Revenue from sale of publications including 'La Paix par le Droit. Irremplaçables Nations Unies' book (10 euros) published by Douin, and Petit Manuel educational guides.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AFNU is a non-profit civil society organization that serves as the recognized bridge between the United Nations and French civil society. It sells annual memberships, publishes educational handbooks (Les Petits Manuels), a weekly press review, and books, organizes conferences, symposia, and webinars on international issues (peace, human rights, climate, ocean), runs youth engagement programs through Model UN partnerships, and awards the annual Léon Bourgeois research prize. It is funded primarily through tiered membership fees, corporate sponsorships, and tax-deductible donations.

Product overview

AFNU (Association Française pour les Nations Unies) is a non-profit civil society organization recognized as a public benefit organization since 1922. It serves as a link between the United Nations and civil society in France. AFNU's activities include publishing educational materials (Les Petits Manuels, weekly Press Reviews, books), organizing conferences and symposia on international topics (peace and security, human rights, climate, ocean governance), running youth engagement programs through Model UN partnerships and the UNYA France network, and awarding the annual Léon Bourgeois research prize. The organization does not offer technology products or software services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AFNU Annual Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 300+ in-person attendees and 1000+ online participants at major symposia (e.g., Ocean Symposium November 2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WFUNA (World Federation of United Nations Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFNU is the official French member of WFUNA, the global network of UN Associations headquartered at the UN in New York. This membership provides international legitimacy and connects AFNU to the global UN civil society ecosystem.
• UNEP/SPBF (Science Policy Business Forum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner supporting UNEP efforts to connect scientific community, public actors, civil society, and businesses around environmental protection challenges. Supports sustainable development, biodiversity, and green technology initiatives.
• CERI (Centre de Recherches Internationales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint conferences (Retours d'expériences) featuring international organization personalities, and the Léon Bourgeois research prize awarded with GRAM and Kofi Annan Foundation.
• Centre Thucydide - Analysis and Research in International RelationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual conference cycle 'Paroles de diplomates' at Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas focusing on diplomacy and international action.
• GRAM (Groupe de Recherche sur l'Action Multilatérale - CNRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNRS-labeled research structure awarding annual Léon Bourgeois Prize for doctoral theses and master's dissertations on UN and international relations topics.
• Kofi Annan FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-awards the Léon Bourgeois Prize for outstanding university research on multilateral cooperation, promoting international peace and governance.
• French Ministry for Europe and Foreign AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry providing institutional support for AFNU events including G7 Youth Forum, UNOC3 participation, and diplomatic events.
• Maison de l'Amérique latinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis venue partner hosting AFNU events including colloquia, book presentations, and Latin America Week activities.
• MGEN (Mutualité Générale de l'Éducation Nationale)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealth mutual organization supporting AFNU through partnerships and cooperation in international education and health prevention.
• Fondation Pierre et Catherine LalumièreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation supporting AFNU educational initiatives including the human rights video competition for high school students in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
• René Cassin FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized 75th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights with MEAE, with proceedings published in Droits fondamentaux journal.
• SFDI (Société Française pour le Droit International)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench society for international law created following 1967 Strasbourg colloquium, fostering study and advancement of international law.
• Oceanographic Institute of MonacominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported AFNU's November 2024 Ocean Symposium on climate, biodiversity, and global food at Maison de l'Océan.
• Sciences Po Nations Unies (SPNU)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStudent Model UN association at Sciences Po Paris, partner in youth forums, research contributions, and G7 Youth Forum.
• RIMUN (Sciences Po Reims)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor annual Model UN conference with 350+ students, AFNU as institutional partner and speaker contributor.
• EDHEC Nations UniescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosts annual Model UN for High School Students (MUNL) with 700 participants, AFNU supported event.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA): Largest national UN Association in the WFUNA network with a similar mandate of connecting civil society to the UN system through advocacy, education, and Model UN programs; serves as the U.S. analogue to AFNU's role in France.
• Amnesty International France: Major French human rights advocacy NGO with membership-based funding, public campaigns on UN-related themes, and research publications; competes for the same French civic-minded donors and audience as AFNU.
• Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH): Paris-headquartered international human rights federation with a French presence that produces advocacy reports, conducts litigation, and engages the UN system — directly comparable in civil society/UN advocacy positioning.
• WFUNA (World Federation of United Nations Associations): Global umbrella organization of national UN Associations headquartered at the UN in New York, of which AFNU is the official French member; operates similar membership, youth (UNYA), and research programming across national chapters.
• United Nations Association of the UK (UNA-UK): Sister UNA-UK is the British equivalent of AFNU: a WFUNA-affiliated membership organization promoting UN awareness, hosting high-level speaker events, and engaging youth on multilateral issues — directly comparable in mission and structure.
• Ligue des droits de l'Homme (LDH): Historic French human rights and civic association with a comparable membership-driven model, advocacy mandate, and historical depth; overlaps with AFNU on human rights programming and education work.

Broad incumbents

• French Red Cross (Croix-Rouge française): Largest French humanitarian and public-benefit organization recognized since 1940; overlaps with AFNU on UN-affiliated themes (humanitarian law, health, disaster response) and operates at a much larger scale across France.

Emerging players

• CERI (Centre de Recherches Internationales, Sciences Po/CNRS): CNRS-labeled international relations research center that co-awards AFNU's Léon Bourgeois Prize with the Kofi Annan Foundation; comparable as a French academic hub producing scholarship and events on multilateralism.
• Centre Thucydide - Analysis and Research in International Relations: Paris II Panthéon-Assas research center co-running AFNU's 'Paroles de diplomates' annual conference cycle; directly comparable as a French academic-international relations convener with an event-driven engagement model.

Others

• Kofi Annan Foundation: Geneva-based foundation of the late UN Secretary-General that co-administers AFNU's Léon Bourgeois Prize; comparable as an international organization promoting multilateral governance, peace, and youth engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/afnuonu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@afnutv2471
• Facebookfacebook.com/OnuFranceAFNU/?locale=fr_FR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/afnu-association-française-pour-les-nations-unies-🇫🇷-🇺🇳-a4644aba
• Instagraminstagram.com/unafrance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The French Association for the United Nations