On 3 October, to kick off Democracy Week, a group of 70 participants took part in Explorer Genève: Démocratie, Philanthropie et Institutions Internationales, an immersive journey through Geneva exploring how democracy is supported and strengthened beyond the ballot box.

Organised in collaboration with Geneva – Economy and Innovation (OCEI), SwissFoundations, the University of Geneva Centre for Philanthropy and the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy at the Geneva Graduate Institute, the visit brought participants into contact with organisations and individuals working across philanthropy, civil society, media, research and international cooperation.

Throughout the visit, participants discovered how initiatives and spaces across Geneva contribute to strengthening democratic participation. The itinerary took the group from the Maison des Fondations to La Tour en Communs, before continuing to the Maison de la paix at the Geneva Graduate Institute and concluding at the Portail des Nations.

Along the way, participants had the opportunity to engage with Elodie Van Hove, Sacha Meuter, Gilles Marchand, Stéphane Garcia and Alix Hoffmeyer, whose perspectives helped shed light on the different ways in which democratic participation, dialogue and innovation can take shape across Geneva. The visit also offered an opportunity to discover the work of ET PK PAS ?, alongside the organisations and initiatives that welcomed the group throughout the afternoon.

At the Maison de la Paix, the group explored an environment where democratic resilience and innovation are subjects of both research and action, across different levels of governance, from the local to the multilateral. The stop also highlighted the contribution of academic research to broader conversations about the challenges facing democracies today.

The journey through Geneva offered participants an opportunity to look at democracy from multiple perspectives and to consider the roles played by philanthropy, civil society, media, research and international cooperation in sustaining democratic life.

More than a tour of Geneva’s institutions, the afternoon highlighted the people, organisations and spaces that contribute to building and renewing democratic participation. It offered a tangible reminder of one of the central ideas behind Democracy Week: democracy is about institutions and participation, but above all, it is about people.