Les marques du silence - Genève

Friday, September 4, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Jardin Anglais

Geneva: When brands break the silence

For its third edition, *Les Marques du silence* (Marks of Silence) set up in the Jardin Anglais in Geneva.

Once again, the act was simple: applying a mark of paint to make visible what too often remains unseen.

But in Geneva, something particularly powerful happened.

The marks multiplied rapidly. Dozens of people stopped, observed, asked questions, and then took part. Residents, visitors, and people from many different countries and cultures left their own traces.
A mark. A color. A gesture. And sometimes, behind that gesture, a story.

Young people at the heart of the action

What particularly struck us during this edition was the presence and active involvement of so many young people.
They came of their own accord. They wanted to understand, participate, and engage in dialogue. Some shared their personal stories.
Bullying, violence, feelings of isolation, and the difficulty of speaking out are not abstract concepts to them. They know these issues. They witness them. Sometimes, they experience them firsthand.

Their reaction reminds us why this initiative exists.
It is not enough to simply talk *about* young people; we must create spaces where we can listen *to* them.
A mark can open the door to speaking out

As the event unfolded, we saw conversations multiply.
People came forward to share personal experiences, talk about situations they had lived through, or simply put into words something they had previously kept to themselves.

This is where *Les Marques du silence* (Marks of Silence) takes on its full meaning.
The paint catches the eye. The act of making a mark allows for participation without the need for words. Yet sometimes, once the mark is made, the words follow.

Art becomes a meeting point—a shared language—and a way to approach difficult topics from a new perspective.

Different backgrounds, a shared gesture

At the Jardin Anglais, people from all walks of life took part in the artwork.

They came from diverse linguistic, cultural, and generational backgrounds, with varied life stories. Yet, everyone was able to perform the exact same gesture.

This diversity lends a special dimension to this third edition: it demonstrates that violence against children and young people—and the resulting trauma—transcends borders and social divides.
In the face of these issues, we can all choose not to look away.

Making the invisible visible to give voice to the unspoken

With each new edition, the artwork evolves.

It bears more colors and more marks, but above all, it holds more human stories.
Geneva leaves us with an even stronger conviction: when we create a space that is accessible, welcoming, and free of judgment, voices can emerge from the most unexpected places.

And those voices matter. Because a person who dares to share their story is no longer just a statistic. They become a voice we must hear.

*Les Marques du silence* will therefore continue on its journey.
From city to city.

From mark to mark.

From encounter to encounter.
Until what we have left in silence for too long becomes impossible to ignore.