An introduction to the activities of Humanitude Promotion Headquarters

"Humanitude" was born in France.
Its philosophy and technology have transcended national borders, spreading to Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world.

Humanitude: A network of connections that transcends national borders

Humanitude Promotion Headquarters will serve as a base for disseminating and promoting Humanitude both domestically and internationally, and will disseminate information about the activities of the organizations that have signed the "Humanitude Sans Frontières Charter."

This time, we focused on one of the signatory organizations, "IGM international," and conducted an online interview with its Director, Franck de Vivie (hereinafter referred to as "Franck"), and its Chief Operating Officer (COO), João Pärtel Araújo (hereinafter referred to as "Joao").

■What is Humanitude Sans Frontières Charter?
Eight organizations working on Humanitude have pledged to cooperate in spreading the practice across national borders. Representatives from each organization gathered in Montrouge, France, in November 2023 to sign the agreement.

<Signature Groups>
(France) SAS Humanitude, École Humanitude, IGM France, IGM International, Père Favron Foundation
(Colombia) Fundación Albeiro Vargas & Ángeles Custodios
(Japan) Fukuoka City, Japan Humanitude Association

About IGM International

IGM International (Institut Gineste Marescotti International) is an organization established to promote the international spread of Humanitude. It is licensed by SAS Humanitude, which holds the intellectual property of Humanitude, and is responsible for its implementation in various countries (excluding France and Japan, where it originated and is implemented independently).

In some countries, IGMs are established through a franchise system, while in other regions, IGM International directly supports their activities and development. We grant rights to IGMs in each country and work to ensure that the values of Humanitude are consistently maintained worldwide through the development of educational systems, quality control, and support for business operations.

The people who support IGM International

This initiative is supported by Franck and Joao, who possess extensive experience and expertise.
Director Franck, with a background in business administration, has worked as an international development expert and has been responsible for the development of the IGM network since 2012. He is active in many countries and regions and has contributed to the growth of the network.

Furthermore, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Joao, drawing on his experience as a healthcare professional (nurse), has a deep understanding of Humanitude philosophy as an expert in geriatrics and dementia care, and has been responsible for its practical implementation internationally. Through trainer development and education in various countries, he contributes to building an independent operational system and ensuring quality.

Humanitude is taking root all over the world.

Currently, Humanitude is practiced not only in Japan and France, where it originated, but also in various parts of the world.

In particular, in the three countries where we have franchise agreements (Portugal, Spain, and Singapore), trainers are being trained in each country, and a system is in place that allows each country to operate independently.

In particular, in Portugal, where the movement began around the same time as in Japan, Humanitude has become deeply rooted in the community thanks to its long-standing efforts.

In contrast, IGM International directly travels to countries where it does not have a franchise agreement (such as the United States, Canada, and South Korea) to conduct promotional activities.

Regarding future international expansion, both individuals expressed their vision of "establishing one franchise in each country." However, they also mentioned the challenges of expansion, such as adapting to the differences in culture and circumstances in each country, and ensuring the quality of franchisees.

Beyond elderly care: New challenges in kindergartens and newborn care.

Humanitude is not limited to elderly care; it is a technique for building "relationships = bonds" between people.
Currently in Europe, there is also progress in expanding into new fields.

<Practical applications in educational settings>
In France and Portugal, programs for high school students and seminars for kindergarten teachers are being piloted. Humanitude has been incorporated into student communication and teacher-child relationship building, and has received strong support.

<Supporting the beginning of life>
In France, training programs are being planned for new mothers, childcare workers, and midwives.

[Editor's Note] Deepening collaboration and sharing with the world

For the first time, we conducted interviews with practitioners of Humanitude who are active overseas.
At the end of the interview, both of them said the following:

"By getting to know each other better and building a relationship of trust, we can deepen our understanding even further. I would like to learn more about Fukuoka City 's activities and case studies and use them as a reference."

"Let's continue to interact and share information in the future, and use it to benefit our respective initiatives."

We will continue to share the thoughts and efforts of people around the world who are practicing and expanding the reach of Humanitude.