Heidi Kühn, founder of Roots of Peace, has dedicated her life to transforming war-torn lands into thriving agricultural communities. A UC Berkeley graduate in Political Economics, Heidi began as a journalist, covering glasnost and perestroika, before focusing on humanitarian work. In 1997, after surviving cancer, she launched Roots of Peace with the “Mines to Vines” initiative, replacing landmines with vineyards and orchards. Her work has restored livelihoods to over a million farmers, planting 7 million fruit trees in 10 countries.
Globally recognized, Heidi has received the Skoll Award, Jefferson Award, Mahatma Gandhi Global Family Seva Medal, and the 2023 World Food Prize. Roots of Peace has boosted Afghan agricultural exports from $250M in 2014 to $1.5B in 2024 and removed over 100,000 landmines.
A San Rafael native, Heidi’s memoir, Breaking Ground (2020), chronicles her journey. She continues her mission to cultivate peace and inspire global change.
Economic OpportunityEnvironmental SustainabilityHuman RightsLivelihoodsPeacePeace and Human RightsResponsible Supply ChainsSmallholder ProductivitySustainable MarketsWomen's and Girls' Education
Middle East and North Africa, Southeast Asia
