Resilience · Memory · Transmission
"Poppies and Daffodils transmits the memory of wars so they may never happen again, and supports the children who fall victim to them — whether children of civilians or of military personnel."
Our Story
The story of Poppies and Daffodils began long before the association was founded. Its roots lie in a family memory shaped by wars, absences, silences, and invisible wounds passed down from generation to generation.
My great-grandfather fell in combat, leaving behind a two-year-old son. My grandfather, a prisoner of war for six years, was called "Monsieur" by his own child who had never known him. One truth became clear: behind every war, there are children who grow up in absence, in silence, carrying wounds that are not theirs to bear.
Across the world, and most recently in Ukraine, conflicts reawaken the same sorrows. And it is always the children — of civilians and soldiers alike — who carry the scars the longest.
So that memory may be alive, shared, and passed on.
So that it may protect the generations to come.
Together, we make remembrance a living act — one that looks toward childhood and the future.
Our Mission, Two Pillars
Preserving Memory
So that wars may never happen again
- —Keeping the memory of wars alive, particularly the two World Wars that involved France
- —Organising educational visits and events at sites of memory, in France and across Europe
- —Raising awareness of Nazi persecution and the Holocaust through educational and memorial initiatives
- —Working with teachers and educators to pass on history and its lessons
- —Promoting solidarity between peoples, peace and international cooperation
Supporting Children Victimised by War
Children of civilians and of military personnel alike
- —Supporting children affected by conflict, in France, in Ukraine, and wherever war strikes
- —Accompanying children of military personnel marked by absence, grief, or the invisible wounds of a parent
- —Developing resilience tools for young people: games, workshops, spaces for expression
- —Building bridges between generations: the witnesses of yesterday in service of the children of today
- —Highlighting the role of animals in war and their power to comfort both wounded soldiers and children
- —Raising funds for organisations supporting children victimised by war
Our Current Projects
Our projects blend creativity, transmission and commitment. They open up spaces of expression and memory for young people — to heal the wounds of the past and nurture the hopes of the present.
"Memory & Resilience" Game
A cooperative game designed for secondary school students to explore the life journeys of historical figures who faced adversity. Through inspiring stories, collective challenges and resilience strategies, young people develop both their historical awareness and personal reflection.
Discover the GameThe Motanka Doll
Inspired by an ancestral protective symbol from Ukraine, the Motanka doll becomes a pedagogical tool for inner healing. Made in workshops by young people or those in vulnerable situations, it embodies the connection between culture, memory and restoration.
Every doll made helps support Voices of Children, an organisation supporting children affected by the war in Ukraine.
A hand that creates, a heart that heals.
See the Motanka Project
Act With Us
Would you like to get involved as a partner, volunteer, witness or contributor? Are you a teacher, retiree, trainer, veteran, or simply someone who shares our values?
There are countless ways to contribute to our mission.
- → Propose a collaboration
- → Make a donation for children victimised by war
- → Sponsor a project
