a publication of Art4Development.Net
Transcription
a publication of Art4Development.Net
Art4Development.Net Issue No 9 Fall/Winter 2008 Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 1 arts, culture, social change, and development magazine | a publication of Art4Development.Net Dear art’ishake reader: Just in time for the holidays, here comes the 9th issue of art’ishake, again filled with interesting and surely inspiring initiatives and stories from around the world. We will begin by taking a close look at “service learning” which is about empowering students, mainly at elementary school stage, to understand and engage in development issues. See how arts play a vital role in developing a primary school service learning agenda. We will then move on to another inspiring initiative by the Center for Environmental Research and Education in India, who have created OUT OF THE BOX, an art-and-craft-with-waste manual, with the aim of helping children learn about waste and creating awareness about the environment. Meet Educultural Artists Kenya (ECAK), a group of visual artists whose common objective is to use creativity in educating their communities. You will surely find their strategic approach usually involving diverse audiences very useful. Tabaka Artisan Center Youth Group is another organization from Kenya working to mobile young people to implement community based projects to fight mainly HIV/AIDS problems in Kenya. The Group also involves youth in creative/artistic work in an effort to address poverty. art’ishake e-publication intends to address interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, and inter-sectoral issues in tandem with arts and development. Editor and Design Nil Sismanyazici-Navaie Art4Development.Net Associate Editor Elif Ertem Art4Development.Net Associate Editor Janet Feldman ActALIVE Created and Produced by As you may know, 2008 has been chosen by the EU to be the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. “A Sea of Words” a short story contest dedicated to youth on the theme of intercultural dialogue, is one of the successful projects aiming at promoting intercultural dialogue and understanding. Arts for Global Development, Inc.| Art4Development.Net URL: http://www.art4development.net Email: [email protected] Next you will find the details of Project 3: Empowered by Artistry, a collaboration of 3 arts initiatives; Arts for Global Development, Inc, La Femme: The Feminine, and The Girls Gotta Run Foundation dedicated to social justice issues and to making a difference for women through creativity and fine arts. We have several artworks and poems dealing with diverse issues such as women’s issues in Africa. Finally; you will also get the details of the most recent Art4Development projects; their focus of which ranged from health advocacy to girls empowerment. This complimentary issue has been created in collaboration with contributors: Daryl Wells, Katy Rustom, Luciana Grosu, Remy Musindi, David Kerr, Nico Phooko, Samson Getubo, C. Mali Phonpadith, and Carol Sorhaindo. We hope to be able to continue to inspire you with the last issue of 2008. May 2009 be even more inspiring! Have a creative new year where you continue to make, small or a big a change through arts! As always we look forward to hearing your experiences in the next issue of art’ishake. Elif Ertem Vice President Art4Development.Net Cover Image: ‘Future Vision” by Marijn de Vries Hoogerwerff, The Netherlands Marinos is a young IT specialist and digi-artist who contributed this piece to the “Vision 2015 Your Future” arts contest that was conducted in 2005 in collaboration with TakingITGlobal, Arts for Global Development, and the UN Millennium Campaign. He says: "My vision for the future is built on love and hope. In this artwork I tried to expose this feeling, without any answers or explanations. Just feelings." The image of this art piece, along with over 20 other youth artworks, is currently being displayed at CreativeChange Travelling Arts Exhibits across the world. CreativeChange exhibitions aim to raise greater awareness about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); explore the emotional facets within the goals; foster an intercultural dialogue and understanding through diverse perspectives around these globally common goals; and ultimately contribute to the achievement of the MDGs by 2015. To learn more about CreativeChange and ways to join this arts and development journey please visit: Art4Development.Net http://www.art4development.net/creativechangetae.html We would like to thank all our contributors for submitting information and sharing their ideas and work. Feel free to write to us, share your comments, and contribute for the next issue! We look forward to hearing from you. Contact us at [email protected]. You may find the guidelines at http://www.art4development.net/artishake.html. Submission deadline for the next issue is March 01, 2009. Copyright in editorial matter and in the art’ishake as a whole belongs to Arts For Global Development, Inc. Copyright in individual articles and artworks belong to the authors and artists. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the producer nor be circulated in any form of cover other than that in which it is published. Requests for permission to reproduce any article, artwork, or any part of the publication should be sent to the producer. In the interest of providing free flow of discussion, ideas expressed in art’ishake belong to the artist/author and are not necessarily those of the editors or Arts For Global Development, Inc. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in art’ishake, Arts for Global Development, Inc. does not accept responsibility for the veracity of claims or accuracy of information by contributors. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 2 CONTENTS Matching Need with Want: Independent Schools as a Resource for Educational Development through Art...................................................................................................................... Daryl Wells, UK .............................................................................................................................. 4 Children Learning About Waste through Arts and Crafts .............................................................. Katy Rustom, CERE, India............................................................................................................... 9 MDGs By Educultural Artists Kenya ................................................................................................... ECAK, Kenya..................................................................................................................................10 “A Sea of Words”: International Short-Story Contest promoting Intercultural Dialogue through Art............................................................................................................................................... Luciana Grosu, Romania...............................................................................................................12 Project 3 - Empowered by Artistry ................................................................................................14 an artist: Remy Musindi, Kenya.......................................................................................................16 Women Pumping ...............................................................................................................................17 Predators ................................................................................................................................................. David Kerr, UK ..............................................................................................................................18 Tabaka Artisan Centre Youth Group.................................................................................................. Samson Getubo, Kenya ................................................................................................................19 Doorstep................................................................................................................................................... C. Mali Phonpadith, Laos/USA ..................................................................................................20 Ancestral Spirits ...................................................................................................................................... Carol Sorhaindo, UK ....................................................................................................................21 Some news from Art4Development.Net and Friends..................................................................22 Notes....................................................................................................................................................26 Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 3 ·an opinion Matching Need with Want: Independent Schools as a Resource for Educational Development through Art* Daryl Wells, UK The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice. Article 13, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Achieving universal primary education means more than full enrolment. It also encompasses quality education. It also encompasses quality education, meaning that all children who attend school regularly learn basic literacy and numeracy skills and complete primary school on time. Millennium Development Goal For those of us who feel passionately about art and social change, the focus is often on need: how can we provide creative opportunities to as many disadvantaged people as possible? It may be difficult to perceive what a wellendowed school with a student body of privileged, cosmopolitan primary school children might have to do with developing richer educational programs in underprivileged communities. Up until four years ago, through my work as an artist, international art educator, and community arts activist, my most valuable experiences consisted of non-profit work in Art4Development.Net inner city communities-- developing art projects through local arts councils, and giving voice to young artists who lacked these opportunities through their local educational institutions. However, when I started my position as an Art Specialist at the American School in London four years ago, I became aware of a different set of needs common to school communities whose students come from more prosperous backgrounds. I experienced the shock of moving from work as a resident teaching artist in the South Bronx to working as a primary school art teacher with a generous budget, a high level of parent involvement, and administrative support for the arts. Still, the one thing that these students commonly lacked was awareness of, and exposure to, the lives of peers living in less privileged circumstances. This problem is particularly pronounced in the primary years; as students grow older, they are often given opportunities to take part in outreach service initiatives—programs which usually consist of local and international volunteering opportunities, and for which students are sometimes given academic credit. In the Lower School at ASL, though, most of our ‘community service’ initiatives involved asking students for targeted donations—cash toward the purchase of a charitable gift, as well as clothing and food drives. These children’s level of participation was therefore limited to asking their parents to provide the necessary funds or items, and their thoughts about the process rarely extended beyond ‘they don’t have enough, and we have more, so we should share’. While we as educators certainly want to encourage compassionate thinking, I was concerned about the ‘us and them’ thinking that it exemplified, and the ‘one-way’ tone of the donation model. As we began a search for other, more engaging alternatives for our students’ efforts at outreach, I repeatedly came across the term ‘service learning’, as applied to the kind of projects that matched our needs. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 4 What is service learning? According to the U.S. National Youth Leadership Council, it is: commonalities that are useful in constructing a basic model for evolving such projects in the most constructive way for all involved. a teaching method that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools and communities… Young people apply academic skills to solving real-world issues, linking established learning objectives with genuine needs. For students in the primary years, this should be modified to read: a teaching method that enriches learning by exposing students to meaningful service in their schools and communities… Young people apply practical and creative skills to solving real-world issues, linking established learning objectives with genuine needs. This is the crux of what service learning is about—empowering students to understand and engage in an issue, rather than simple ‘giving’. I have spent the past four years investigating ways in which we could connect students to community action in a deeper way. Through both local and international projects extending over the past five years, I have found that the arts are an ideal springboard towards the development of a primary school service learning agenda. With their potential for communication across boundaries of language, cultural, and economic background, art is the perfect conduit for establishing primary-level service learning projects, and may provide the framework for other independent schools to incorporate into their developing service learning curricula. Though this thinking has manifested itself quite differently at the local and the international level, there are certain Art4Development.Net First, how is this applied at the local level? During my first year teaching in London, I discovered that many British state schools lacked a regular art teacher— such schools are usually given a budget much too small to provide a full-time art position, and use what funds are available to pay for brief in-school artist workshops and museum field trips. This situation is not unusual, and in the cashstrapped inner city educational system, the arts are often the first thing to go when budget cuts become necessary. However, if we agree that the arts are a necessary element of contemporary educational practices—active learning, teaching to the ‘whole child’—then mustn’t we agree to reach toward including disadvantaged students in this practice? And shouldn’t well-resourced schools, searching for meaningful kinds of service learning, be a part of extending the arts to students of all backgrounds? Recent stories in the media have documented the evolution of a kind of ‘educational apartheid’ in the developed world, with disadvantaged children losing out as they progress through schooling. In the US Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 5 and the UK, many people have begun to question the fairness of ‘fee-paying’ independent schools’ charitable or non-profit status, where endless amounts of money and resources are poured into bettering the educational prospects of a sliver of the student population, while a majority of children are left to flounder. Meanwhile, many independent schools have burgeoning service learning programs involving the fundraising and donations model; others have begun to lean towards more participatory models. In the UK, “dozens of independent schools are investigating acting as sponsors of new schools. Church of England schools are looking at acting as sponsors in a move to spread their educational and musical expertise.” (Meikle, Observer 08/07) Independent, well-resourced schools bear the majority of responsibility for equity in innercity education, but I think it’s clear that there is more that we can and should do, and students in at-risk schools are not the only ones who stand to gain from such partnerships. Educational disparity can also be detrimental for students at wealthier schools. A 2005 study in the American Journal of Community Psychology found that family, school, and community are important factors related to children’s academic achievement: Integrated settings are thought to promote more positive attitudes in friendships with children of other groups. Thus, more mixed socioeconomic learning communities are needed for students of ALL backgrounds, including more privileged ones. While it may be easy to envision such collaborations between schools in the same metropolitan area, geographical and cultural distance creates additional challenges. Still, if each school is committed to the principle of equity in education, and understand that students will benefit from engaging in Art4Development.Net communities beyond their usual reach, restricting the agenda by geography would be unfortunate. First, we have to agree upon the notion that art is a necessary component of education. In the segment of the Millennium Development Goals devoted to primary education, no mention is made of artistic education, and only literacy and numeracy are specified as elements of ‘quality’ education. This is an unfortunate but understandable omission: these skills are obviously key to children’s survival, and must provide the structure for their academic future. But if all findings point to the fact that creative expression is an essential characteristic of a superior school, future policy must begin to reflect that fact, and all educational institutions can have a hand in providing this to primary students. How can independent schools contribute, beyond raising money for needy schools in developing countries? Many private schools are beginning to form links with partner schools abroad, but in order for these to be effective in the long term, a systematic, goal-oriented approach is needed. A similar model to the previously discussed school partnerships may be established, but in this instance, the teachers play an even more crucial role, as detailed in Model No.2 below. At this point, many will be asking ‘How does this type of project qualify as ‘service learning’? This model involves teachers, rather than students, traveling to other schools and encountering the challenges and rewards of working in other educational environments and socioeconomic communities. The confusion is understandable, but I’ve come to the conclusion that we as art educators are also delegates for our students’ evolving global awareness. It is our job to stimulate their curiosity about the world, and seeing us participate in such collaborations creates awareness that community engagement is a ‘normal’ and essential part of life. If we want to discourage the insularity that can lead to xenophobia and conflict later in their lives, we must send students on a lifelong quest for common ground; in the early years especially, we are the emissaries of that search. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 6 In the earlier-quoted study from The American Journal of Community Psychology, the authors ultimately found that teachers had the greatest effect on children’s notion of ‘perceived barriers’, more so than even their parents: Children whose teachers perceived fewer barriers due to race and ethnicity evidenced more trust and optimism… The collective experience of one’s community communicates important messages about education and opportunity. If we as individual artist-educators, and as larger school communities, join forces to create meaningful creative links across social, economic, racial, and ethnic barriers on a local and global scale, not only do students in underserved schools stand to benefit, but our students will also become aware of the possibilities for change they can effect within their own lives, as Art4Development.Net ‘service learning’ becomes an inseparable part of their wider pursuit of lifelong learning in the arts. If independent schools make the link between their determination to expose their students in service learning and the widespread lack of art education for children in need, both groups will reap untold benefits. To quote a key UNESCO finding on education in the arts: The encouragement of creativity from an early age is one of the best guarantees of growth in a healthy environment of selfesteem and mutual respect Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 7 critical ingredients for building a culture of peace. *This article is modified from a presentation I gave in November 2007 at the Mediterranean Association of International Schools Conference in Rome, entitled ‘The Arts as a Conduit to Service Learning’. Daryl Wells is an Art Specialist at the American School in London. (1) (2) (3) (1-2) Working with students from Churchill Gardens Community School, an English state school, on the joint ASL Community Heroes project, and beginning portrait photography workshops at Churchill Gardenswinter of2006. (3) Daryl Wells with Dana Dajani (centre), Churchill Gardens’ Arts coordinator, and student artists from both schools, at the Community Heroes exhibition, Abbey Community Centre, London, May, 2006. Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 8 ·a book Children Learning About Waste through Arts and Crafts Katy Rustom, CERE, India “It has taken me a whole lifetime to learn to draw like children.” Pablo Picasso During an arts and crafts session a little boy, Taha, arrived looking pinched and tired. He was not very well but insisted on staying to make clay lamps. He had just molded and shaped the clay into a lamp in the shape of an elephant, when he let out an ear-splitting yell. ‘I’VE GOT MY POWER BACK!!!’ The transformation was magical. His eyes were shining and he was bursting with energy. This is what arts and crafts do – they give children their power back. All the bubbling energy that has been sucked out of them by work which rarely stimulates or challenges them is returned to them in the act of creation. Unfortunately, in many countries arts and crafts are just a peripheral subject in the educational system. Moreover, it is taught in a rigid, structured fashion where only a specific ‘product’ is acceptable. This not only limits creativity and personal expression but robs people of the ability and the desire to express themselves and value what they create. A limited amount of material also makes it difficult for them to be imaginative. Not everyone can draw a horse that looks like a horse but they might fashion one out of clay or make one of papier-mâché. Using waste to create art is an ideal way to provide all kinds of materials of different textures, colors, and malleability, while simultaneously creating the vital awareness that we produce large amounts of waste, which has become a serious problem. Art4Development.Net The use of waste for art is beneficial in many ways. For one, it enhances the artistic experience because children are working with a variety of materials instead of just paper, pencils, and crayons. A variety of materials necessarily implies a variety of activities – cutting , sticking, painting, and molding This would widen their perception of ‘art’ and give many more children the confidence to participate, as it taps different talents rather than just the ability to draw. Moreover, children themselves collect materials, which would create awareness about the environment and the problems we are facing in a real and meaningful way. They learn to recognize waste as a cheap resource that can be reused creatively, and so learn the fundamental principles of sustainable living that they can practice. Lectures on global warming and the depleted rainforests only create a sense of their helplessness (if it makes an impact at all!) as these problems seem too overwhelming for them to do anything about. Use and collection of materials inculcates a sense of responsibility. It also encourages that vital leap of the imagination – the ability to see hidden possibilities. What can something become? A bottle cap could be the burning eye of a dragon, a foil packet its shimmering scales! To unleash the potential of both the child and that of waste, The Centre for Environmental Research and Education (CERE) has published an art-and-craft-with-waste manual, entitled ‘OUT OF THE BOX’. It is for children between the ages of 8 and 12, and allows them to express their creativity while learning about one of today’s most pressing problems – waste. The book has over 30 inventive, colorful, and easy-to-do projects that use everyday Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 9 household waste materials to make beautiful works of art. The ideas here have evolved over a long period of working with groups of children in Mumbai, many of them in schools for the underprivileged. In order to make sure that these ideas are practical and ‘do-able’ in the classroom, they have been tried out at different levels and in different schools. Many of the ideas have been shaped by the children themselves and hopefully will help children get their power back! You can order a copy of the book from the following online bookshops in India: www.otherindiabookstore.com www.earthcarebooks.com MDGs BY EDUCULTURAL ARTISTS KENYA ECAK, Kenya All projects that have been carried out by Educultural Artists Kenya (ECAK) have been community based and are aimed at either creating awareness or calling for behavior change to fight certain problems affecting people in a society. Our tools of communication have been arts- based because ECAK is an artists’ organization whose initial objective was to promote visual artists and empower them to use their creativity to educate communities around the country. Art4Development.Net Original members of ECAK had been interacting occasionally through projects organized by local NGOs in Kenya. This resulted in gaining experience together and sharing more on how to improve their careers as visual artists. A decision was reached to form a visual artists’ organization which would be managed and run by artists themselves. Visual artists in Kenya have been working as individuals for a long time and depending on other organizations to promote their work. This has done little in terms of strengthening them economically to reach vital common goals. Artists, like other members of a community, are equally affected by all shortcomings caused by underdevelopment. Our common objective was therefore to use our creativity in educating our communities to develop their socio-economic status and improve their living standards. We have used artistic expressions on posters, brochures, books, calendars, charts, and murals to communicate about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, family planning, gender equality, governance, and domestic violence issues. Before a message is developed into a pictorial form, artists meet at a workshop to discuss the theme. The theme is divided into three parts: problem, dilemma and option. After all three parts have been exhaustively discussed, each participating artist is given time to come up with sketches according to his/her own interpretation of the theme. A successful final image should be able to depict all the three areas clearly and effectively too. The best sketch is selected improved and a final sketch done in full color. Although this is a long process, high standards of creativity, experience and love of art gives our artists inspiration to go through it. The strategy we use, especially for murals, involves the audience from the community in question. Due to the complexity of many communities in Kenya who have different cultures, religions and economic backgrounds, it’s not wise to use communication materials before understanding the community fully. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 10 We use both performing artists and muralists to achieve our goal effectively. The first step is to do a baseline survey on the problem in question, either through local groups or random questionnaire sampling. After the facts causing the problem have been identified, skits depicting the same are composed. The best skit is polished to be used at wellmobilized outreaches at suitable community centers. The skit only depicts the problem and dilemma at this stage. This gives suspense to the audience, challenging them to think about their personal options. A willing individual from the audience is invited into the play to give an option to the dilemma. This continues with different options being given till the absolute and reasonable option for the dilemma is reached. Sketches on the problem, dilemma, and options which the muralists have done are displayed to the audience at the end. The audience chooses the sketch that addresses the problem clearly. ECAK muralists then supervise local artists in painting the mural. This has proved to be an effective and inclusive method which the whole community accepts and owns. ECAK recommends that at least one youth group should be identified in every region to be trained and extend this trend to other areas of their community. Such groups would then be closely supervised by ECAK specialists to monitor their activities and give additional technical and moral support. Art4Development.Net However, implementing the above program has been greatly hampered by lack of funds. All our previous successful proposals have managed to provide us with limited resources that have allowed for carrying out one workshop and an outreach in a region. Another major setback is that groups we have trained do not have public-address equipment, materials for mural production, and other necessary facilities. ECAK artists are based in the city and are fairly enlightened and exposed, whereas artists from rural areas are not. Lack of art materials, inspiration and motivation are just a few of the problems facing the rural artist, whose talent fades away because his creativity is not valued. At ECAK we have a mixture of the self-taught and trained artists who share ideas and develop individual skills with great creativity. Each piece produced is unique and special, giving all members motivation to compete and bring out the best in them. The factor of team spirit has produced a combination of harmony and high quality work. For example, we have three artists with different styles and techniques working together on a mural. This allows the inexperienced to learn how to be a team player. In some instances, we have had performing artists picking up brushes and joining muralists to paint on the wall. Muralists do the same at skits, and the final product has always been stunning. It is quite exciting to participate in one of the artist’s sessions, and it’s even more satisfying when our audience approves and accepts the artworks on site. There is a large group of visual artists in Nairobi who use different media to express their great talents. A number of these artists do not practice their art with the MDGs in mind, but as a means of making a living. Most of the works seen in Nairobi art galleries depict culture, beauty, landscapes, and abstracts. The same trend is true all over the world, but our big problem as Africans is under-development. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 11 We need to address these issues urgently, or we will experience extinction of all that we value. The only art that is relevant and consumable by our community now would be art for development (AFD). A lot of the art produced here is not meant for the local markets but for export. In order for artists to gain from the local market, we need to educate our populations to appreciate Kenyan art and promote it by purchasing art works from us. This would only be possible after we address disease, unemployment, and poverty. ECAK’s present activities include sourcing for markets of works produced by women weavers, jewelry makers, as well as works of children from orphanages and children’s homes. In addition to this initiative, our artists have volunteered to mentor young artists from various special schools in the Nairobi slums in 2008-2009. Art colleges are few and costly in Kenya, and our young artists--if not encouraged-- will lose hope in practicing art. We are also designing teaching aids for Kenyan lower classes that relate to our cultures and environment. We shall recommend and promote these aids for all Kenyan schools when we complete workable samples. Our mission is to empower all practicing artists to value their work and find the self-esteem that is so elusive in Kenya. We are working towards conserving this breed of visual artist, who is the key to maintaining a physical history of our culture and heritage. Due to neglect and market insufficiency related to art pieces, visual artists have fallen victim to collectors, middlemen, and other businessmen who have connections elsewhere. This kind of market doesn’t benefit the artist but makes him/her dependent on the middleman. To learn more about ECAK please visit http://www.ecak.or.ke/ Art4Development.Net “A Sea of Words”: International Short-Story Contest promoting intercultural dialogue through art Luciana Grosu, Romania As 2008 has been selected by the EU to be the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, the Anna Lindh Foundation has launched the campaign 1001 Actions for Intercultural Dialogue, which involves the encouragement of any type of action aimed at the development of contact between communities and knowledge of the other in the Euro-Mediterranean area. The IEMED (Institut Europeu de la Mediterrania) project, “A Sea of Words”, is located within the framework of the 1001 Actions for Intercultural Dialogue and is aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue among youth. “A Sea of Words” was a short story contest dedicated to youth, on the theme of intercultural dialogue. After the jury’s decision was made public, all the participants got in contact through the Internet. However, the jury chose only 30 young finalists from the EuroMediterranean area and offered them the chance to meet in Spain in order to experience intercultural dialogue “live”. The four-day trip (9-12 July 2008) was a good opportunity for all young people involved to learn more about each other’s countries and cultures, as well as debate over the way they Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 12 would like to continue working together in the future. The forum, held in Barcelona on 10th July, was on the topic: “the literary tale as a mean of intercultural dialogue”. This gave the young creators the chance to talk to experienced writers. Technical secrets of good literary production were shared and everyone had the chance to talk about what writing means to each person. A social message was also present, as all the participants chose to participate in one of three thematic workshops on “Conflict, Identities, Migration”. During the forum’s conclusions, the young writers expressed their desire to keep the project alive and involve more people. For the moment, they would like to have their own website in order to continue to promote intercultural dialogue through art. Youth were also anxious to see their stories put together in the book the Anna Lindh Foundation promised to published in four languages: Spanish, French, English and Arabic. In addition to the forum, the young writers were given the chance to meet some experts in youth policies, by visiting the Catalan Agency for Youth in Barcelona and the Spanish Youth Council in Madrid. Strategies of implementing youth projects were discussed in detail, as it seemed everyone wanted to learn more about promoting youth participation. Catalonia and the Centre for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona. The young writers were thrilled to discover the beauty of sunny Spain and only wished they could also show the others the beauty of their own countries. When visiting “Casa Arabe” in Madrid, the young winners were asked once again to express their originality and creativity. Everyone was supposed to create a short story, drawing inspiration from one of the photos of the exhibition: “Spain and the Muslim Word: One Century of Relationship through Images”. The stories, written in only a few minutes, proved to be very diverse in style and content, as well as rich in ideas, thoughts and feelings. From poetry to literary sketch, from humor to drama, from very concrete to very abstract, every story offered a unique vision of the world and expressed a different cultural message. Sharing their stories, the young writers felt once again fascinated by the many faces of cultural and artistic diversity. Back home, the thirty “Sea of Words” finalists reinforced their desire to keep working together and even came up with some new project ideas. They also decided to invite all the other contest participants as well as any other young person interested in intercultural dialogue to join the group. “A Sea of Words”…definitely a story “to be continued”. Cultural visits were not forgotten, as the 30 winners were also invited to visit the Library of Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 13 Links of interest: Anna Lindh Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures – http://www.euromedalex.org/ IEMED –Institut Europeu de la Mediterrania http://www.iemed.org/ 1001 Actions for Dialogue Campaign – http://www.1001actions.org/ “A Sea of Words” contest webpagehttp://www.iemed.org/seaofwords/en/index.h tml “A Sea of Words” official youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/ASeaofWords Luciana Grosu Brindusa, is a youth volunteer of Art4Development.Net and a Romanian student from Bucharest who speaks and writes fluently in French, English and Spanish. She learnt about journalism while collaborating in local publications, as well as editing, writing and supervising articles for the online newsletter of UNICEF’s Voices of Youth. magnets, and meditative arts and global healing workshops. During this day, visitors were able to view the Project 3 exhibit, as well as see the permanent exhibits in the Museum, such as the suffrage banners, political cartoons, and information about the woman's suffrage and equal rights movement in the United States. Among the Project 3: Empowered by Artistry collaborators were the TreasurePostcards Project of Arts for Global Development; La Femme: the Feminine; and Girls Gotta Run, Inc. The Treasure Postcards Project, organized by Arts for Global Development, Inc. consists of contributions from visual artists across the globe, expressing social and economic issues with postcard-sized artworks. The educational and informative medium creates awareness on vital developmental issues, provokes thoughts, inspires, and helps raise funds for charitable causes. Project 3 - Empowered by Artistry The Sewall-Belmont House and Museum--the headquarters of the historic National Woman's Party and the Washington home of its founder and Equal Rights Amendment author, Alice Paul- partnered during the Summer of 2008 in a new collaboration of arts organizations dedicated to social justice issues and to making a difference for women both locally and globally, through individual creativity and fine arts. This collaboration, titled as Project 3: Empowered by Artistry, included a 3-month exhibition--starting in mid-June 2008--and an Open House on September 13th, hosting numerous arts workshops and hands-on activities and introducing visitors to various types of arts, including collage, t-shirt design, postcards to exchange across the globe, Art4Development.Net TreasurePostcards at Project 3 Exhibit First launched in 2006, the aim was to emphasize the role of arts in the economic development field and highlight the significance of protecting humankind's major cultural heritage sites and artistic creations. Over 100 artwork images of 45 artists from 26 countries were received and selected works were exhibited in Washington, D.C., focusing on issues such as artistic individuality, education, poverty, gender, HIV/AIDS, environment, peace, or humanity in conjunction with cultural identity and preservation. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 14 In 2008, the project was launched again, this time with donated works of female artists emphasizing girls and women’s issues, including health concerns, socio-economic challenges, civil rights, and more. Over 80 artists from around the world have donated works that have raised funds for two women’s shelters addressing issues around domestic violence and helping women who have become victims of such cruelty. The beneficiary from the sales proceeds of the TreasurePostcards exhibit at the Sewall-Belmont House is the Brighter Tomorrow for Africa Foundation [www.brighterafrica.org], which works to help women, girls, and children in Sierra Leone. Girls Gotta Run, Inc., located in Washington, D.C., focuses on issues surrounding Ethiopian girls. Ethiopian girls' enrollment in school is among the lowest in the world. Women and girls in Ethiopia are more likely to die in childbirth or due to early marriage than reach sixth grade. Ethiopia has the highest rate of vaginal fistulas, a tearing of the vagina during childbirth that requires painful reconstructive surgery, often unavailable in many parts of the world. Ethiopia has one of the largest caseloads of HIV/AIDS, forcing many girls to quit school to care for sick or widowed relatives. Parents, desperate for dowry payments, sometimes sell girls as young as 12 into marriage. La Femme: the Feminine is part of the Making Herstory Exhibition Series, produced by Authentic Art Consulting and the ThickArt Collaborative, who have brought together a group of talented local women artists to comment on the softness and power of women. The artwork submitted for this exhibition reflects women's strength through a feminine lens. The work that is included represents the diversity of women, with no regard to the artists' resumes, demographic backgrounds, or mediums used. In fact, some of the artists have limited exhibition experience. This section also includes submissions from established artists in the area, which provides a nice mix of work for viewing pleasure. There is hope, however, for girls in Ethiopia today. Seven of the 10 top-earning athletes in Ethiopia are women, so many girls and their parents have begun to see running professionally as a viable career option. Girls who train are more likely to stay in school. Girls who stay in school are better able to improve their own lives and the lives of their families. The Girls Gotta Run Foundation raises money to provide athletic shoes, training clothes, food and coaches’ fees for Ethiopian girls to support their participation in sports and help them continue their formal education. Money is raised through the sale of art, memberships, and merchandise, as well as through direct donations and sponsored runs. To learn more about Project 3: Empowered by Artistry initiative visit: http://patriciaeortman.com/girlsgottarun/project3/ index.html Girls Gotta Run, Inc., Executive Director P. Ortman, and M. Parrish, ThickArt Collaborative at Project 3 Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 15 · an artist REMY MUSINDI, Kenya I was born in the Kakamega district of the western province of Kenya in 1965. I am the middle child in a family of eight children. My parents named me Seth Musindi, but I am better known as Remy, which adds up as my trade name. The artistic talent in me was exposed at a tender school-going age when I would make car toys out of wood and clay better than my peers. I would say that my talent wasn’t inherited from any family member because we had no one with a talent of this nature. I had not come across any member of my community who was talented in this field either. I just found myself paying a lot of attention to handy work and always strived to perfect anything I created to its realistic form. At my upper primary school level, my class teacher discovered a portrait of the first president of Kenya, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, which I had drawn. He was amazed at the creativity input in this piece, and moreso because this type of subject was not offered in schools at that level. My father whom until this time never knew that such talent existed in his son was informed by the headmaster as he visited the school. Art was not one of the subjects that a parent would encourage their children to pursue, because it was considered as child’s play. Although nothing was done by my parents or teachers to encourage or inspire me at this level, I always used my free time in practicing by copying superstar pictures from magazines. It wasn’t until a few weeks after joining the form-four class, which is the final exams class for ‘O’ levels, that my eldest sister advised me to attempt fine art in addition to the other subjects. Art4Development.Net This was a hard decision to make since I didn’t have a tutor to guide me. Despite the odds, my determination and self motivation assured me of success if I tried. I sat in an exam class as a single private candidate with very little knowledge of tackling art questions. Not only did I pass very well and qualified to join ‘A’ levels, but I also scored over 60% in fine art. At ‘A’ levels, my private candidature as an art student continued. I had to work hard and research more into the art subject and equip myself this time to be able to handle an advanced paper which required more knowledge. I obtained a distinction in fine art this time round, and that confirmed to me that I was born to be an artist. I studied graphic design and communication skills at college and graduated with a diploma. I freelanced as a graphic designer for a while before settling down to fulltime painting. My long experience as a painter with skills in communication concepts has granted me opportunities to work with NGOs, the private sector, and the government at large. I have been selected to represent the country abroad in several art shows and biennales. This has no doubt expanded my focus as a Kenyan visual artist and given me new energy and inspiration. Having been involved in many artists’ organizations and committees in Kenya, I have an ambition to use my talent for the betterment of mankind through community development initiatives. I have drawn several community murals around Kenya, exhibited my works widely in Nairobi, Uganda, Tanzania, USA, Italy, and Bangladesh. I am the founder of Educultural Artists Kenya ECAK, a visual artists’ organization whose initial objective was to empower Kenyan visual artists to exploit their potentiality to the maximum. I am married with four children. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 16 organizations have worked overtime to demand for women’s rights in a man’s world. The Endangered Species “The endangered species” is a piece that intentionally indicts the world for mistreating women and children. Women bear men too, take care of and love them dearly till they mature. This piece depicts a mother with her two children, all lost in deep thoughts. The look of desperation in their eyes tells that their thoughts are not happy. Around them, there are more of their kind and in the same situation. This title could fit very well with wildlife but I use it here to artistically imply that such treatment can only mean women and children are not considered human. Artwork Statement: ‘The endangered species’ In Kenya as in many other African countries, women and children are the most affected by social, economic, and political upheavals. According to the Bible, women were created by God to help man achieve higher goals and succeed in life. Such person should be cherished and respected, to say the least. However, women are still considered as property and are disempowered in many of our societies. In most of our African cultures and customs, women have no rights whatsoever, and are there only to be seen and not heard. They have not been included in any community or family decisions, even if it involved their own family. Their duties have centered around the kitchen, as well as bearing and taking care of young children. Women have been expected not to question any man but obey and serve their husbands all the times. Disobedient women were disciplined by whips and payment of fines, which included livestock. Men, therefore, have ended up taking all important positions in the community and making decisions that favored them in most cases. Actually, it is not only in Africa that men have dominated many major positions, but the world over. Some religions and human rights Art4Development.Net Women Pumping David Kerr, UK I awake at 5.0 A.M. to the clatter of women filling buckets and pots from the communal well. As they each take turns to pump, one athlete, tucking her wrap tight around her breasts, exerts on the lever, huge force with a fluid snake ripple from shoulder to knee, spurting gushes of purity. When, in thirty years wells are mechanized (and they each belong to private hands) will she, an ageing hero, with dying spasms, defeat the electric pump, and be immortalized in epic song? Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 17 Take Action by Nico Phooko, South Africa Predators David Kerr, UK Our radio announces that lions have eaten nine villagers, who (like us, with no trees left on the dusty hills) full of fear, had at night, torn down part of a Game Park fence to use as thatching frames or wall posts. Perhaps the Pajero people with wise books and cameras can next devise a project to teach the lions not to eat us, emaciated ghosts, but the plump ones who, behind shiny tables and blank blotters, engineer our poverty. Art4Development.Net David Kerr, born in UK, has lived most of his life in Africa (working at Universities in Malawi, Zambia, and, at present, Botswana). He is a practitioner of theatre and media for transformation and human rights, about which he has written widely. His collection of verse, Tangled Tongues, was published by Flambard in 2003. Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 18 · an organization Tabaka Artisan Centre Youth Group Samson Getubo, Kenya Tabaka Artisan Centre is a not-for-profit organization working to mobilize young people to implement community-based projects to fight HIV/AIDS and other problems in Tabaka, Kisii, Nyanza, Kenya. In addition to bringing young people together for voluntary, communitybased initiatives, the organization fosters income generation among youth and the broader community through production of handicrafts. Community participation and engagement are hallmarks of the Centre's work. Drawing on the involvement of local schools, churches, community groups, and local leaders, the organization arranges home visits to community members and sets up local meetings. The aim of these interpersonal interactions is to discuss, and develop strategies to address, problems such as HIV/AIDS, that have been increasing in the community. Young people are a particular focus of the Centre's communication-based work. The organization acts as the local lead agency in organizing a global youth service day designed to foster collaboration among young people who seek to develop voluntary, community-based campaigns/projects to address HIV/AIDS, abuse, and disasters. Creating opportunities for youth to discuss their needs and share their opinions about what's going on in the community is a key focus. The Centre also provides social support for young community members. Involving youth in creative/artistic work is part of an effort to address poverty. The central handicraft produced by youth associated with Art4Development.Net the Centre is soapstone carvings, which are then sold to generate income. The Centre focuses its efforts on young people because many of them are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other of the community's problems. However, they are in a good position to address these problems Collecting Soapstone because they have the time and energy to do so. The Centre's Coordinator - an artist - works on a volunteer basis. We need assistance to find markets and develop ICTs skills, and any funds or other opportunities are most welcome. Arts and handcrafts from soapstone created by Tabaka Artisans For more information contact: Samson Getubo Coordinator, Tabaka Artisan Centre P.O. Box 381-40200, Kisii Kisumu, Nyanza, Kenya Tel.: +254-726400152 [email protected] www.tabakarts.org Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 19 Doorstep C. Mali Phonpadith, Laos/USA Yesterday I stood quietly upon the doorstep of your distant heart wondering whether to knock and say “hello” or blow a kiss and turn to take the other road Timing- our days and nights together Did the clock just tick inside your head? My dreams, they painted a beautiful portrait; pictures of moments to come – laughter to share and tears yet to cherish All the while, your desires were outside our window I was too blind or perhaps too afraid to see your face turning; your hands extending toward the door After my sweet kisses, I trusted your smiles and closed my eyes; my hands always upon your heart as I drifted peacefully to sleep. How many hours did you lie awake; watching me breathe and wishing you could love me in return? Praying you have found a home in me – Hoping this complex and lonely heart could fill up from my love Hoping… hoping you would not need to walk away this time. Tonight – I stand quietly upon the doorstep of your peaceful heart; feeling satisfied that my love lead you here Do you feel my silent kiss goodbye? Has the weight lifted as I walk from your doorstep to turn my own corner this time? Mali Phonpadith, writer/poet, is the co-founder of Reflections Within, LLC. She has been writing poetry, short essays, and short stories for over 20 years and is internationally published with various publications. She has over 400 pieces of written work and was nominated as “Best Poet of the Year” by the International Society of Poets in 2007. She is actively involved with community service. She is the co-founder of the Young Professional Leadership Group, a member of the International Society of Poets, the National Association for Women Business Owners, the Lao Heritage Foundation, the Capital Express Network, the National Association for Insurance and Financial Advisors, Arts of Falls Church, Board of Advisors for Inspirion, Inc. and an active volunteer with Teatro de la Luna. Art4Development.Net African Spirit by Carol Sorhaindo, UK Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 20 Ancestral Spirits Carol Sorhaindo, UK “In these days of modern, clinical, technological living, these artworks aim to inspire and evoke a sense of calm reflection. We are drawn away from a rich heritage, connection with ourselves and our Natural Environment. By working mainly with recycled natural materials, in this case wooden veneers and slabs, I aim to remind us of our natural spirit and the need to reconnect with this in our every day pressured daily lives. “ Ancestors 8 Carol Sorhaindo works in a range of traditional materials combined with recycled and natural objects to explore African and Caribbean culture and natural imagery. Texture, color and the themes of ‘Mother Nature’ form the main focus of her work. The main inspiration is drawn from her childhood experiences of life in Dominica in the Caribbean. www.carolsorhaindo.com art’ishake subscription: If you are interested in receiving the art’ishake e-publication please email us ([email protected]) the following details: Name + Last Name: Company / Organization: Address: (City, State, ZIP code, Country) Phone: Email: We will be in touch with you shortly… Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 21 · Some news from Art4Development.Net and Friends …Arts for Global Development, Inc (Art4Development.Net) continues its efforts to promote the awareness of interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach to cater for the educational and social needs of individuals from around the world… On May 27th 2008 Art4Development.Net founder Nil S. Navaie joined Dr. Abimbola Idowu, Health Educator from the African American Health Program of Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and two students from the Goucher College at the Global Health Council Annual Conference to conduct an arts-infused workshop titled “Using the Dr. Abimbola Idowu Arts for Health Education and Communication: The Experience of the Peace Tiles Project and HIV/AIDS“. Global Health Council (globalhealth.org) is the world’s largest membership alliance dedicated to saving lives by improving health Students from Goucher College throughout the world. The Council serves and represents public health organizations and professionals working in more than140 countries. During this workshop, conference participants were able to learn to use collage as a tool for health communication. This included expressive, educational, therapeutic, and research-oriented approaches that engage young people in the creation of peer-to-peer health messages. These messages can be then combined into large-scale murals for public education and advocacy. Specifically, participants were able to enhance their skills in: Designing an arts-based learning activity Use of collage and mixed media as Art4Development.Net techniques for self-expression and story telling Use youth-produced artwork to produce public murals and other health communication strategies Peace Tiles at Global Health Council Conference The workshop was concluded with a discussion around ways this process might apply to local contexts and a tile exchange. Workshop participants consisted of health advocates, academics, researchers, health specialists, and nonprofit experts in health and human development fields. One of the workshop participants, Hasina Kharbhih from India, wrote later in her blog: “This (workshop) has visualized that similar methodology is being used in India, also at Impulse NGO Network and in other Commonwealth countries. The use of these innovative ideas would reach out to the community and bring about a larger participation, so that the target population can be covered. In countries like India which have a culture of traditional music, theatre and puppetry can be used as a medium to attract community response. Besides music young people can be reached through radio and films.” Ms.Kharbhih, a social entrepreneur, is a Founder, President, and presently Team Leader of Impulse NGO Network, a social organization working on issues of child trafficking, HIV and Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 22 AIDS intervention, and livelihood initiatives for rural Northeast India. support The Global Peace Tiles project is a fun way to involve people everywhere in arts-based learning and sharing. To date, more than 3,000 people - from 7 to 70 - in over a dozen countries have produced thousands of works of art that have been combined into vibrant murals. Produced in structured workshops, these tiles have been used in many ways - to respond to urgent issues like HIV/AIDS (advocacy), to explore aspects of community (self-expression), to learn more about a topic like children in conflict (education), to build connections among groups of people (exchange), and to work through trauma (therapy). To learn more about Peace Tiles visit www.peacetiles.net On September 13th, 2008 up to 70 individuals including 40 Girl Scouts attended an all day arts event at the Sewall Belmont House and Museum, the headquarters of the historic National Woman's Party and the Washington home of its founder and Equal Rights Amendment author Alice Paul. The event was part of the Project 3: Empowered by Artistry Open House initiative. Project 3 consists of a collaboration of three arts organizations dedicated to social justice issues, making a difference, both locally and globally, through individual creativity and fine arts. Arts for Global Development, one of the educational arts organizations of Project 3 facilitated the TreasurePostcards™ workshop to teach kids making artworks in the size of 4 x 6 inches. The purpose of the workshop was to help girls explore the creative process of making TreasurePostcards, depict thoughts and emotions, and generate works that emphasize personal dimension to local and global issues. These artworks encourage others to share their experiences, send a message of hope and inspiration to underprivileged children –to let them know that they are not alone. “This hands-on arts workshop is one of the first steps to initiate Art4Development.Net dialogue between girls in the U.S. and Sierra Leone and we hope that there will be more sister to sister support for the Sierra Leonean children in urgent need” said Nil Sismanyazici-Navaie, founder of Art4Development.Net. The vivid inspirational postcards created by the girls scouts, ages between 5 and 17, will be shared with girls in Sierra Leone in the coming months. “Remember to always smile! You’re a strong woman who has an incredible life to lead” wrote Natalia, one of the girl scouts as a message behind her card. A Brighter Tomorrow for Africa Foundation, a charitable foundation established under the 501(c)(3) section of the US tax code, improves the lives of women and children in the West Coast country of Sierra Leone through financial support of small, communitybased organizations. These organizations provide food, clothing, medical services, counseling and education to children; raise the potential of Sierra Leone women through education and skills training and combat corruption through information and public education. Founder of A Brighter Tomorrow for Africa, Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 23 Sarah Armstrong, said, "Sierra Leone is rated the poorest country in the world by the United Nations. It is in desperate need of help; and working on the grassroots level to provide nutrition and education to the people of this nation can really make a difference. It is wonderful to see girls of such a young age wanting to do this through A Brighter Tomorrow for Africa." The TreasurePostcards project recently moved to Baltimore in conjunction with the RED exhibit led by the ThickArt Collaborative. The artworks will be on display until the end of January 2009. Details of the exhibit can be found at: http://www.art4development.net/tpp.html ____________________________________ Learn more about the projects, join Art4Development.Net, and engage in making the ‘arts’ and ‘net’ work at our website: www.art4development.net “…voices of creative individuals and organizations in helping to cater for the social and economic needs of people and communities…” To receive a copy of CreativeChange WorldWide publication, please contact Arts For Global Development at [email protected]. Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 24 Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 25 · notes Public Art and the Planning Process Seminar Part of a Training Series to place public art within the context of national, regional and local planning and other policies 10th International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management (AIMAC 2009) Location: Birmingham, UK Date: June 28 – 01 July 2009 Date: January 27, 2009 For more information please contact [email protected] For more information please visit http://www.ixiainfo.com/opportunities_events/index.htm All Together Now: Building Strong Communities Through Arts and Education Partnerships Location: New Orleans, USA Date: February 12-13, 2009 For further details please visit http://www.aep-arts.org Location: Dallas, Texas, USA 10th International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management (AIMAC 2009) Location: Dallas, Texas, USA Date: June 28 – 01 July 2009 For more information please contact [email protected] MIDEM 2009 - Featuring the world's music market The Durban International Film Festival Location: Cannes, France Date: July 22- August 02, 2009 Date: January, 17-18 2009 For more information please visit For more information please visit http:// www.midem.com “Art as a Catalyst for Caring and Sharing" 3rd Annual World Community Arts Day Location: Worldwide Date: February 17, 2009 For more information please visit http://www.communiversity.org.uk/worldcommu nityartsday.htm Location: Durban, S. Africa http://www.cca.ukzn.ac.za/ Are you organizing an arts, social change and development event? Get in touch with us and we’ll share your announcement. Do you know any funding resources (fellowships, awards, grant/donor and partnership opportunities)? Let us hear from you and we’ll post the details for those interested readers seeking support! ::email:: [email protected] Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 26 Help Give the Gift of Music! Donate new or your used instruments to help create The Friends of Orphans Brass Band Please visit our web site for more information on how you can help change the lives of these children! Go to www.art4development.net and click on the UgandART link. Arts for Global Development and Friends of Orphans have teamed up to help create a Brass Band as a way to help unite war torn communities and rehabilitate former child soldiers and war orphans in Northern Uganda. © Photographs by William Meeker. The images are from the IDP Camps in Pader District of northern Uganda and are solely for documentary purposes. They are not intended for commercial use. The children were not photographed to endorse Arts for Global Development or Friends of Orphans. The images should not be used for any other purpose without written consent. UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] UgandART www.art4development.net [email protected] art’ishake | Issue No 9 | Fall/Winter 2008 Arts for Global Development, Inc. [Art4Development.Net] is an international nonprofit voluntary initiative with a purpose of furthering interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, multi-sectoral, and creative approach in social change and development. Art4Development.Net aims to facilitate creative sector and stakeholders of development together empower socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and communities worldwide; particularly children, youth, and women. The initiative works for promoting this awareness, forming a worldwide network by making the best use of ICTs, and furthering any form of art in tackling the challenges in the development field and transforming societies into more socially conscious, tolerant, responsible, and creatively active groups of people. Art4Development.Net Fall/Winter 2008 | art’ishake | 28 Art4Development.Net has no religious, political or governmental affiliation.