The 1001 Drawings … Drawing ourselves closer to people living with intellectual disabilities action officially starts on September 3rd! Which gives us three months until December 3rd to produce and diffuse the 1001 drawings.

The French website is already finished : voixetcouleurs.org/1001dessins/deficience
The English website is on line too at : http://www.voicesandcolours.org/1001drawings/disabilities. The Spanish site is under construction.

By the way, are there volunteers to occasionnally lend a hand with the translation to Spanish and English?

We are at the first step, i.e. gathering the pictures. Here also we need volunteers to find pictures representative of all continents and on all subjects related to mental health. We remind you that the pictures are not published, only the tracing drawings will be!

A big thank you to Andréanne and Perrine of Jouets Arc-en-ciel and L'Arche Agapè for the first photo contribution to the 1001 drawings!

Here is a summary of the five stages of the project we are inviting you to join:

. Urgent:  Send Photographs

These photographs will be used to create model drawings that people can trace. (Every community that sends more than 20 photographs to 1001dessins@voixetcouleurs.org will have a packet of drawings named for it, increasing the community's visibility among participants.)

. When Schools Re-open:  Find Local Partners

For example: Schools, groups, organizations, businesses that are sympathetic to the cause; seniors' residences; and media outlets that can offer local coverage and increase the project's visibility in your area. We are currently working on a nine-page publicity document that can be used to present the project to potential partners and the media. It will be available to communities in pdf format - let us know that you would like a copy. Announcements that you can post on your web site or include in e-mail messages are available now.

. October-November: Hold 1001 Drawings Events

For example: Organize a 1001 Drawings event in a local school, or a half-day "draw-a-thon" at a community house. Other suggestions for activities, and more details on the process will be disseminated soon. One simple idea would be to send a broadcast e-mail to your mailing list, inviting each person to contribute one drawing (see the announcement at the bottom of the page).

. November-December: Local Display and Internet Publication of the Drawings

Participants' drawings will be published in a number of places. Choose drawings you would like to publish from among those that will be posted on the Voix et Couleurs web site. Add these to your own site or display them in the community's houses.

. December 3, 2008: Join in the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Communities that don't organize other activities might wish to hold a 1001 Drawings event on the International Day itself, or to hold an Open House to showcase the drawings created at an earlier event.

Latest news :

We received the first series of drawings, among which those of Karim, 8 years old, who realized the one above.

Persona Très Grata joined as a partner of 1001 drawings and already started to spread the word concerning the initiative in Europe.

Don't miss the lastest developments on this blog.

Next subject: How to send pictures without overloading your email account

This Action Without Borders is aimed at sensitizing the general public into welcoming and including people affected by intellectual disabilities. The challenge is simple: to gather more than 1001 drawings on this theme before the celebration of the International Day of Disabled Persons, December 3, 2008.

In Canada, L’Arche is the lead partner in this initiative. This is an important opportunity for each community of L’Arche to increase its visibility in its own region according to its membership. We'll gradually send all the tools required to orchestrate a mini communication campaign for the organization of this participatory event.

Call for photos

For the very short term, we urgently need photos illustrating the daily life of those welcomed by L’Arche. To put a positive note and a sense of holiday on this project, enjoy summer while taking outside pictures and send them to us. The photos will not be published. Only trace drawings created from the photos will be distributed. See example above

Please send your photos to the following address: 1001drawings@voicesandcolours.org
We pledge to treat your photos and the images of people in the photos with the greatest respect.

Stay online, we'll give you very soon all the details on the 1001 Drawings Action!