WHY ART?

Confidence reached through creativity equals empowerment

Photo: Tish Lambert

FragilePeace is a nonprofit human rights organization based in the United States. Partnering with vulnerable communities, we use art, creative problem solving education, and global digital collaboration to find innovative, community driven solutions. Our efforts combine to reignite confidence and amplify self assurance, empower intuitive and collective leadership development, and advance personal and community economic growth.

Our belief in the innate creativity, imagination and ingenuity of the human mind is absolute.  These are the very qualities that created civilization.  Those skills have not been lost, though in vulnerable communities they are often overwhelmed by history and circumstance. Their reemergence is a matter of establishing the confidence and self-esteem of the individuals and communities, and providing them with the tools to counter stereotypes and advance their own agendas. Traditional, inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurship and personal economic development is a key outcome.

OUR GOALS

There are no lost generations, only ignored generations

Young adults and children in vulnerable and displaced communities, and societies under duress are in need of a program that instills a pride in cultural identity, personal confidence, and increased leadership capabilities. Additionally, it needs to be a program that provides ongoing mentorship to ensure guidance and support geared towards economic independence and sustainability.

Despite the growing understanding of the value of indigenous and cultural wisdom, which includes alternative educational systems and the value of heterogeneous peer group problem solving skills, we have yet to fully bridge the gap between understanding its value and importance, and adopting a system that integrates the best of both worlds. The source of community and national solutions must be intrinsic, and they must be focused on domestic sustainability.

If we combine the innate traditional wisdom and ingenuity of vulnerable populations, with programs that enhance their natural ability to imagine and design solutions we can find answers to some of the biggest humanitarian issues of our our time.

Fragile Peace Students from École Secondaire Saint-Laurent, Montreal, Canada.

One of the most pressing issues in these communities is job creation. There is wealth of business incubation and entrepreneurship resources available to the educated Western world, but easy access to their value is largely unattainable to the communities that we work with. The reasons include very little history of entrepreneurship and business development to fall back on, a lack of networks, mentors and financial access, and a history of discrimination and oppression.

We need to find ways to open the doors to entrepreneurship and business development that aligns with traditional values; and enable these communities to find a suitable path of developing economic growth. Unless we assist them in reaching their potential, they will continue to struggle to support themselves and their families.