Books: Qwi Qwi the migratory bird book A story book in three languages, English, Arabic, and French; written by the young author, JM Deeb and illustrated by  Christine Boustani and conceptualized and produced by Kiki Bokassa in 2008, distributed by the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon.

Pollution can be a contributing factor towards illnesses, chronic diseases and nature catastrophes, therefore, the little author want to introduce to a readership audience between the ages 7-10, the concept of “Global Warming”. In addition to that, 90% of the sale of this book goes to treating a child at CCCL. Sold at the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon, Bliss Street, AUBMC Center, Hamra, Beirut. www.cccl.org.lb

Let me tell you a story is a tri-lingual storybook for children of all ages that was produced in Lebanon. It features 54 children’s stories, poems, and illustrations from authors as young as 4 years old and as old as 92. Artwork, consisting of drawings, paintings, and collages, formed the basis on which the book was built. The artwork was then matched to stories and poems written by children and adults from all over Lebanon and other countries as well. They have all united their talents and minds, shared personal experiences and thoughts, each in their own words and drawings, bringing to us a blend of innocence, laughter, and novelty.

Throughout the 112 colorful pages of this book, people of all ages and cultures shared their stories, experiences, and passions.The book was the idea of Marie-Ange BOKASSA (alias Kiki), an artist painter who worked with children at the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) for four months during which time they made the handicrafts and drawings that appear as illustrations in the book. While the majority of artwork is from patients at the CCCL, there were other contributions. Some children preferred to be authors/illustrators, while others simply concentrated on a story or poem that matched an existing artwork.The book also includes contributions from well-known personalities as well as other professionals from all walks of life. As the team from ‘Let me tell you a story’ puts it: “Publishing a collection of children’s stories, poems, and drawings has been a unique experience for all of us who have been involved in this project. Our participants are from different age groups, countries, and professional backgrounds including actors, recording artists, illustrators, music composers, architects, students, teachers, and known civic personalities. They shared personal experiences, passions, and intimate thoughts, each in their own words.”Sold at the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon, Bliss Street, AUBMC Center, Hamra, Beirut. www.cccl.org.lb and all major bookstores. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/ArticlePrint.aspx?id=2330&mode=print

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                                                                                                   Post 2006 War-Rehabilitation Activity

Dateci la pace, about the book/a propos du livre: This publication is the result of an educative and cultural project that the Non Governamental Organization Un Ponte per…realized this year inSouth Lebanon, in particular in the villages of Houla and Deir Kanoun el Nahar, thanks to the contribution of the Italian Cooperation. The project “Support for the Renovation of the Social, Educational and Cultural Services in the Areas Affected by the Conflict of 2006”, implemented in the year 2007-2008 in cooperation with the local organizations Aid Lebanon and ARCPA/Al Jana, gave the opportunity to children and young Lebanese people to rebuild and reflect on the dramatic war experience, through cultural and recreational activities.In particular, young people has been trained on artistic techniques, theater, music, informatics and languages. The artistic activities has been realized on weekly basis and managed by the local partner with the support of an artist, Kiki Bokassa, which provided to children artistic and educative tools to improve their creativity. Topics as peace, environment, art and dialogue has been proposed, to support the children in transforming the conflict and the experience of the war in peace education practices.The dramatic experience of the war is visible in the children drawings, which has been expressed in their stories, as a reality still present in their daily life.South Lebanonis an area still affected by tensions, war and the Israeli occupation of the past, as well as insecurity and instability.The July war of 2006 made worse that condition, improving in people the feelings of hostility and increasing their sense of insecurity and their daily life difficulties.The drawings and stories of the children, collected by the volunteers, reflect daily life stories, feelings of fear for a conflict directly experienced, but also hope for a future of peace, possible through experiences of solidarity, understanding and concrete support.

stories ITA Cronological History of Souther Lebanon (1982-2006)./ israelian invasion of South Lebanon. Beginning of the armed resistance guerrilla movement of Hezbollah./1993: isrealian bombing against Hezbollah/1996: fighting in the South Lebanon with bombing from Israel and armed attack from Hezbollah/ 2000: withdraw of the israelian troops from the land. Hezbollah increase his popularity in the area./2000-2006: periodical fighting along the border between Hezbollah and Israel/2006: war of July between Hezbollah and Israel that affected the South Lebanon  (see blue area on the map).

(AGI) – Rome, 29 Août –  Les ONG «Un Ponte per … Donnez-nous la paix», une collection d’histoires, de témoignages et de dessins sur la paix et la guerre, les enfants dans le sud du Liban. Le livre est «le résultat d’une ONG éducative et culturelle qui s’est développée ces dernières années dans le sud du pays des cèdres, en particulier dans les villages de Deir Kanoun el Houla et Nahar, avec la coopération et la contribution de la Coopération italienne. «Soutien à la restauration des services sociaux, éducatifs et culturels des zones les plus touchées par le conflit« Le projet (2007-2008, avec la collaboration avec des aides du Liban partenaires locaux et «Al Jana ‘) a permis à la petite libanaise, âge »comprise entre 5 et 12 ans, à reconstruire et à retravailler le drame de la guerre en 2006 à travers une série d’activités des activités culturelles et récréatives: design, le théâtre et la musique et l’informatique. Les activités ont été organisées dans des centres culturels sur une base hebdomadaire et ont été gérés par les partenaires locaux avec l’aide de l’artiste libanaise, Kiki Bokassa, qui a donné aux enfants les outils et enseignement de l’art de stimuler leur créativité ».

Les éducateurs ont proposé divers cours de formation sur les thèmes de la paix, l’environnement, l’art, de la coexistence, afin de stimuler les jeunes à transformer le conflit et les événements de la récente guerre entre Israël et le Hezbollah dans les chemins de l’éducation de la paix. Le sud du Liban et «une terre dévastée par des années de tension et de guerre, où il et« l’insécurité actuelle et une instabilité généralisées. Le conflit de 2006 a aggravé cette condition supplémentaire, ce qui expose encore plus “les gens avec des sentiments d’hostilité», mais aussi de la précarité absolue »et la difficulté» dans la vie quotidienne.  Les travaux rassemblés par les éducateurs des enfants racontent des histoires de la vie quotidienne, les sentiments de crainte d’une guerre connue, mais ils laissent aussi ouvrir de nombreuses portes d’espérer pour un avenir de paix, obtenus grâce à des expériences de solidarité », la compréhension mutuelle et de soutien en béton. «Donnez-nous la paix» peut être obtenu à partir du pont de …, www.unponteper.it; 06/44702906. (AGI)

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The adventure of Monty «Monty goes to the vet». Jad (played by JM Deeb), an 8 years old boy, has diabetes. He takes his dog Monty who has been feeling weak lately to the vet hospital for a check up. There, he learns that they both now share the same disease. Jad tells Monty about his condition, the importance of the treatment, the diet, and exercise to live a normal life with diabetes. The book is also available in French and Arabic. A bilingual multimedia CD-rom is included with each book. This book is sponsored by Medtronic Foundation, conceptualized and published by Kiki Bokassa. It is distributed to schools & sold in El Bourj bookstore. Proceeds will go to the treatment of the Chronic Care Center patients.

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Activities

Paint for Peace-Beirut Lebanon 2005

Paint for Peace workshop includes as well, the implementation of specific themes specially focussing on cultural exchange, dialogue and sometimes on environmental awareness (such as recylcing methodology). In fact, the project as well intendeds to promote non-violent transformations of conflicts and dialogue by using arts and supporting the transmission of evolution of the contemporary culture of fine and plastic arts .As for one other aspect the workshop covers is fundraising since the painting from one of the “Paint for Peace” workshops held in Beirut DT in 2005, was auctioned and sold for 13,000$ during a public fundraising in Abu Dhabi in 2007, held by the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon. Proceeds from this painting went to the children in need of treatment, an initiative taken by the children participants to help other children.

Crtd Pan Arab Ngo-Nationality Claims 2009.

 

Al Fanar Psychiatric Hospital Workshop 2011

 

Socio Cultural Experience  

August 2008 – March 2009 Public Relations Deputy – 6eme Jeux de la Francophonie | UNESCO | Lebanon.

March 2007- March 2008 Art Trainer & Educator – Un Ponte Per (Italian NGO) & Aid   Lebanon (local NGO). Introduce to children   & volunteers different forms of art | rehabilitate two cultural centers   located in the south of Lebanon (Deir Qanun & Houla) where sessions were   held  on weekly basis.

 Art Workshops /Social Activities

Feb 2011-Renovating Roumieh with Colors: a slogan that Roumieh young detainees have chosen as a result of the completed / as a coronation of the renovation workshop of the Juvenile Aisle courtyard; an activity in collaboration with Father Afif Osseiran Foundation and VAPA.

Sep 2010- Concept creation for Act For the Disappeared event, organized by a group of independent individuals in the ESCWA gardens using artistic activities to help spread possible solutions. Beirut, Lebanon.

Feb 2010 – Aug 2010-Concept creation for Autograff, part of the Cinemarena project “Views from within”: implemented by the Ministry of Social Affairs and supported by Italian Cooperation Agency in Lebanon under the ROSS Emergency Program.

May 2010 Concept creation of the 24/7 Campaign organized by a group of NGOs aimed at protecting the rights of migrant workers in Lebanon and more specifically the right to a day off per week, initiative supported by the Human Rights Watch, Beirut| Lebanon.

May 2010 Al Fanar Psychiatric Hospital | painting sessions to 250 Patients in a Psychiatric Hospital in Nabatieh, South Lebanon, supported by Italian Cooperation Agency in Lebanon under the ROSS Emergency Program.

March 2009-2012 Finger-painting workshop – Roof 68 and Studio68 | Achrafieh |   Beirut | Lebanon.

Summer 2008 A thematic art workshop held to support the children’s freedom of expression through art and culture in the   cultural centers of the areas mostly affected by national conflicts, executed   in Bent Jbeil under the patronage of UNICEF.

Summer 2008 Assisted children by   holding two intensive training sessions including a fashion design contest held at The Children’s Cancer Center of   Lebanon and the selected artwork was executed by renowned fashion design house “Maison Rabih Keyrouz”,   Lebanon.

Autumn 2007 Participation in START Artist-Educator Training Workshop   held in cooperation with Lebanon’s British Council, a British NGO program where practicing artists are asked to teach children refugees via   a 90 minute workshop. Preceding the activity, a catalogue including all works  was distributed at the annual Art Fair in Dubai. The workshop was hosted at Zico House, Beirut, Lebanon.

Spring 2007  British Embassy art workshop organized by Urban Art. My role   consisted in mentoring a group of 10, during their 1st   artwork practice. Recycling and mixed media were the themes I chose to   introduce, ideas were applied on canvas | DEK Country   Club, Beit Merry, Lebanon.

Winter 2000-Spring 2000-Summer 2000 Creator of a home workshop to assist children between the ages of 5-10 in developing their creative skills through the recycling   of old objects and used material | Ashrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon.

The Colors of my Identity 2008 Concept creator and executor of “The Colors of my Identity”, a social demonstration manifested by the production of a contemporary form for a cedar tree a sculpture and other forms of expression created to help children of Lebanese mothers (deprived of the Lebanese nationality), claim their rights held during Arab Child’s Day for CRTD NGO Beirut.

Paint for Peace 2005-2007 A Post War Thematic Art Workshop held in 2007 to support the children’s freedom of expression through art, first held in the cultural center of Bint Jbeil in South Lebanon, held under the patronage of UNICEF. In end 2005, Paint for Peace took part in a series of artistic demonstrations held in Beirut with the participation of 100 child whose main purpose was to claim Peace by producing a 4 meters.

The Ideal City 2008 Concept and Implementation of “The Ideal City”, a Waste Recycling Activity including a series of Workshops for Social Workers in Palestinian Camps, held in 6 different villages in South Lebanon, to help raise awareness on issues such as Recycling and Reusing. As a final outcome a public exhibition took place. A project by Cric (an Italian NGO) & the Cooperazione Italiana (Beirut).

Views from Within 2010 – 2012 The main purpose of this Workshop was to contribute in the Reintegration of Prisoners currently detained in Lebanese Prisons. VAPA was hosting Graffiti workshops in 12 Prisons followed by an exhibition of the Prisoners’ Artworks. Preceding this project I have implemented a 3 months phase Design Rehabilitation Plan for Young Inmates detained in Roumye Juvenile Prison (Mount Lebanon).

Volunteer experience  

Springs of 2006, 07, 08, 09,10 Lebanon’s Ministry of   Culture – story telling & drawing   activity in public libraries & schools located in different regions in   Lebanon held on the occasion of national reading week.

Spring 2006 God Mother of the “Club Afrique”, recently founded at   Saint Joseph University. Deployed a great effort to organize a festival   entitled: “ Festival Afrique” at the Human Sciences Campus which main goal   was to collect donations for an aid program elaborated by the UNICEF to help   the children of Africa, mainly those of the Ivory Coast.

Winter 2006 World Cancer Day Drawing Contest.  Collaboration for Workshop & Event Organization including the hosting of a workshop leading to the artwork’s execution. The Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL)

Summer 2004 Weekly assistance for   the children of the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) for the   production of the artwork appearing in the book “Let me tell you a story”.

Publications

PROJECT TITLE	DESCRIPTION	DONORS	PARTNERS
Let me tell you a story	Compilation of 54 illustrated children   stories & poems written by people of all ages	Byblos bank	CCCL
The adventures of Monty	A photographical educational short story on   diabetes	Accu Chek	The chronic care center (CCC)
Qwi Qwi the migratory bird	The promotion of tolerance, peace love and   awareness of global warming in a fun way	Audi bank	CCCL
Give us peace	Stories and drawing from the daily life of   children survivors of the July 2006 war	UPP-Italian Cooperation	UPP

 Art workshops 

PROJECT TITLE	DESCRIPTION	LOCATION	DURATION	DONORS	PARTNERS
Paint for Peace		Science Museum-Beirut	1 day	Groupe mediterrane bank	Science Museum
Paint for Peace Intl Environment Day		Ministry of Environment-Beirut	1 day	Government funds provided by MOE	Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon
Paint for Peace-Intl Environment Day		Houla cultural center-South Lebanon	14 days	UPP NGO	Houla Cultural Center
The Ideal City-Recycling Workshop		Srifa cultural center-South Lebanon	20 days	CRIC NGO	Srifa Municipality

Cultural activities

PROJECT TITLE	DESCRIPTION	LOCATION	DURATION	PARTNERS
National ReadingActivity	Illustrating, writing & story telling   workshops in public libraries & schools	South Area	2004	Ministry of Culture
		South & North Areas	2005	Ministry of Culture
		South & Chouf Areas	2006	Ministry of Culture
		South & Bkeaa Area	2007	Ministry of Culture-CCF
		Bekaa Area	2008	Ministry of Culture-CCF
UPP	Educator of fine arts & plastic arts for   children above 5	Houla & Deir Qanun Cultural Centers	March 2007-2000812 months	UPP
CRIC	Thematic educator (recycling) -NGO end year   project	Srifa,Bint Jbeil,Deebel, Bourj Chemali, Ayta   al Shaeeb	March 20081 month	CRIC