Who we are

Founded in 2001 by Pierre Dutertre and Hélène de Rengervé and accredited as a charitable organisation, Parcours d’Exil (“A Journey of Exile”) runs a healing centre in Paris that provides free medical and psychological services to victims of torture, government-sponsored violence, and other human rights violations. In 2008, the centre welcomed nearly 900 men, women and children through its doors.

We are one of Europe’s leading centres for specialized care

The majority of our patients are either asylum seekers or refugees who have no other choice but to flee their home country in order to save their own life. Our work is driven by a desire to highlight the numerous strengths, the incredible potential, and the extraordinary resourcefulness that these men, women and children demonstrate at the end of an essential period of self-reconstruction. Their autonomy, perseverance and courage upon which they had to draw to resist, survive and safely arrive in Europe are also great boons to the country that provides them refuge.

 
The efforts of our multidisciplinary team focus on achieving three pirmary goals:
 
► Treating victims of various human rights violations, most notably torture. Parcours d’Exil was founded thanks to the determination of a team of professionals committed to providing care to torture victims living in France;
 
► Training the professionals who interact with torture victims;
 
► Informing professionals, institutions, and the greater public. Working within the regulatory and legal framework that stipulates (on both a national and European level) the conditions for the reception of asylum seekers, Parcours d’Exil aims to bring the care of torture victims to the forefront of public policy debate.
 
Awards and distinctions
 
Recognised for its pertinent action and its dedication, Parcours d’Exil has been awarded several prizes:
  • The “Prix Fondation Pour L’enfance” (Children’s Foundation Prize), 2009
  • The “Prix de Juste d’or de l’action sanitaire humanitaire” (The Gold Prize for Health and Humanitarian Work), 2005
  • The “Prix Fondation Pour L’enfance” (Children’s Foundation Prize), 2006
  • The Giacinto Accornero Prize from the Caisse d’Epargne Banking group, 2006
  • Dr. René Knockaert, President of the Parcours d’Exil executive board, was named Knight of the Legion of Honour in 2005
  • Dr. Pierre Duterte, Medical Director of Parcours d’Exil, received the “Généraliste d’or” (General practitioner of the year, as awarded by the medical journal, Le Généraliste) in 1994 for his brave fight against the death penalty