Bridging generations through stories and writing

During the Morges literary festival Le livre sur les quais, we’re proud to share that our Swiss Maturité students in Grades 11 to 13 presented works of their own creation. Giving a public reading of their writing, they captured the life stories of the residents of the Foundation Rozavère retirement home, and celebrated the culmination of a rewarding intergenerational project.

An initiative to connect generations

Le livre sur les quais launched this project in 2026 as a way to connect secondary school students with senior citizens though the power of storytelling and writing. In May, students from Collège Champittet and secondary schools in Morges spent a day interviewing residents at the Foundation Rozavère. In doing so, the students discovered a wide variety of life experiences, stories and memories, as well as unexpected common ground.

The purpose of the initiative was not just to listen, but to collect these testimonies and preserve them for future generations through the written word. These conversations, and the texts they inspired, paved the way for an enriching intergenerational exchange. 

“Doing this activity outside the usual demands of school was really refreshing. It was great not to have the pressure of grades. It was an enjoyable project, but above all it gave me valuable experience in meeting people I would never normally have had the chance to meet,” said a participating student.

Helping young writers develop their voice

To transform these oral testimonies into written narratives, our students received writing guidance from the Désir d'écrire school and writer Adrien Gygax. Through the process of drafting, feedback and revisions, our students honed their writing skills while learning how to capture diverse life experiences with sensitivity and authenticity.

A participating student reflected, “It was a wonderful experience to give residents the opportunity to share their life stories and experiences, while also discovering more about myself through every paragraph I wrote. The project has inspired me to keep writing even more!”

Preserving stories for future generations

At the public reading, our students shared their final work with their families, festival visitors and the senior residents they had interviewed. This moving experience strengthened bonds across generations and left our students with lasting lessons in empathy, human connection and the transformative power of storytelling.

The collected stories have been compiled into a book, now available in the Collège Champittet library. We hope they will continue to inspire readers and foster ties across generations for years to come!