CIFEDHOP was established as a training centre in 1987 by the World Association for School as an Instrument of Peace (EIP), a non-governmental organisation which has acquired consultative status with ECOSOC, UNESCO, the ILO, the Council of Europe, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Organisation of the Francophonie.

The CIFEDHOP is a semi-academic, multidisciplinary research and training centre whose projects are intended for teachers, trainers, researchers and other professionals in the fields of formal and informal education as well as activists from all area of civil society.

EIP founder Jacques Mühlethaler tells the story of how EIP was founded.