Eirene Suisse

About

Eirene Suisse strengthens and promotes locally developed projects in support of the promotion of peace and human rights, through exchange and mutual learning. By putting the exchange of personnel in development cooperation at the heart of its partnerships, Eirene Suisse supports its partners’ local actions in developing their own strategies based on their field of expertise. Eirene Suisse concentrates its efforts on strengthening civil societies working in fragile or unstable circumstances in Central America, Haiti, and the African Great Lakes region.

Eirene Suisse believes in dialogue, exchange, reciprocity, and human encounters to improve understanding between human beings and to overcome isolation, prejudice, hate, and fear. Tied to this basic value is the establishment of balanced partnerships with organizations in the South and the choice to work within the framework of exchange of personnel in development cooperation.

Eirene Suisse promotes citizen engagement and solidarity, both in Switzerland and in the field. Mobilization of “volunteers” within the framework of exchange of personnel in development cooperation stems from this basic value: it is about qualified professionals who choose a unified commitment for which the motivation is neither payment nor social status. Citizen commitment in the South is an essential component of our local partners’ mobilization.

Eirene Suisse values the participation of stakeholders concerned with the creation, realization, and evaluation of actions, both in Switzerland and in the field. We promote the sustainability of these actions by turning to collective intelligence, reassessment, and individual responsibility. Autonomy is a priority in all projects.