On December 4, 2003, in Paris, France’s new National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (INPES) organized a symposium titled “The Effectiveness of Health Promotion,” in collaboration with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). Taking advantage of the presence in Paris of numerous international leaders in the field, following the UIPES Board of Directors meeting held in the preceding days, the symposium organizers paired them with several French experts to assess the situation both on the international stage and in France, with regard to the thorny issue of the effectiveness of health promotion interventions. [Article excerpt]