Positioning and Recognition

Graines de Paix is recognized in the field of education transformation. Its innovative pedagogy combines
the values and skills of peace culture with the best pedagogical practices. The approach aims to
simultaneously achieve academic success, prevent violence and radicalization, and foster a climate of
peace in classrooms and the world. Founded in 2005 in Geneva, the NGO holds ECOSOC status at the
United Nations, is a member of the UNESCO Africa Network for Peace Culture, and was awarded the
ASHOKA Impact in 2014. Its programs have received funding from UNICEF, the UBS-Optimus and
Smartpeace foundations, the Swiss Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire, the French Development Agency (AFD),
and multiple Swiss and French institutions and donors.

Pedagogy

Graines de Paix implements national training for teachers, develops educational resources for
kindergarten, primary, and beyond, and will soon address early childhood through parental training.
Objectives: to help children grow beyond academic success from an early age, to open them to
themselves, to others, and to world issues as a means to build peace. The pedagogy is inclusive of
diversities to meet the needs of acceptance and belonging. Students build their human, social,
intercultural, and eco-citizen values and skills through experiential collaboration. They learn that violence
can be physical, verbal, or psychological, and that these forms can be considered unacceptable by their
peers.
More generally, the Graines de Paix pedagogy values humanity, discernment, creativity, and proactive
responsibility, essential for understanding each other, soothing emotions, finding solutions to conflicts,
and acting in times of tension. All this leads to education for a culture of peace.

Implementation Countries

Graines de Paix operates in Switzerland, France, West Africa, notably in Côte d’Ivoire, and gradually in
the MENA region. In Côte d’Ivoire, Graines de Paix has been working alongside the Ivorian government
since 2012.

The government identified Graines de Paix to address its needs to establish national
reconciliation and lasting civil peace. Several challenges needed to be addressed, including the need to
restore schools as safe places and prevent violence in school environments, including educational
violence by teachers (disciplinary measures, physical or humiliating punishments, verbal threats, etc.).
The NGO thus designed and implemented a national program for the continuous training of teachers.
More than 23,000 primary and preschool teachers have been trained. The impact of our training has
been demonstrated by an external evaluation by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The
results show a better understanding of the negative consequences of the use of violence and a strong
motivation to change classroom posture.

In 2016, following successful implementation, Graines de Paix became a Technical Partner of the Ivorian
Ministry for the Implementation of the Reform of Primary Teacher Training.

This involves including itspedagogy in the training of future generations of teachers, ensuring quality, inclusive training that
promotes living together. The program is being replicated in Benin, agreements have also been signed
with Senegal and Lebanon (both awaiting funding), and an agreement is hoped for in Tunisia, followed
by other countries in the Maghreb. Graines de Paix also trains teachers in several French-speaking
cantons and works in schools in Switzerland and France.