Improving patterning for Small Scale Industries and Craftspeople

On 1st March, NGO SPES was glad that the socio-economic status of grassroots designers was going to benefit from a presentation by the US Ambassador, H.E. Mark Erwin, of modern textile high-tech tools and design books to the value of Rs. 15,000 (approx. US$ 600).

The SPES high-tech Design Unit team demonstrated some of the uses of a new US software for Patterning of textile garments, which will improve creativity and productivity.

Women’s Day Celebration 8 March 2000

Other interesting informatics developments also at national level was the Opening by the Honourable Mrs. Indira Sidaya (on right of photo), Minister of Women, Child Development and Family Welfare, of the Ministry’s new Montagne Longue rural Social Centre.

The official Guest of Honour for the Launching Ceremony of the Ministry’s IT Centre for Women H.E. Mrs. Vasundhara Raje, Minister for Small Scale Industries, and Agro and Rural Industries of India (on left of photo).

SPES High-tech Design team had the honour of playing an active part on that occasion and prepared a special programme for all age groups from conception, infancy to pre-primary, primary, secondary, vocational, tertiary levels and the computer demonstrations included also agro, cuisine, creative crafts skills, trade, websites and e-commerce.

Design 21 II Expo in Paris

On March 29th, the SPES chairman participated at the WCC 14th Assembly, held in Paris in the imposing UNESCO HOUSE at her private cost. The new WCC International President is Mrs Elena Averoff who is keen on the new high-tech approach. At SPES we are very jouful as we have been forerunners in CAD Computer Aided Design and actually launched our CAD and CAD/CAM Unit for diversified fields of Crafts in May 1989.

We cannot but help reminisce about our first attempts to encourage IT at WCC level. In fact NGO SPES introduced CAD methodologies at the WOODWORK WORKSHOP, in the year 1994, which we had helped to organize in Morocco. It was a two week enriching activity with Participants from several continents and several African countries, and it ran concurrently with the African Regional Assembly and the WCC Board meeting in Rabat.

Furthermore, SPES had also encouraged the move of the International WCC Secretariat to KYOTO, in 1996, in view of the kind Japanese offer of a modern office with informatics facilities in a town renowned for its fine crafts tradition. It is hoped that closer collaboration will develop with WIS/Kyoto in 2000.

At the same time the SPES representative benefited to have direct fruitful discussions with UNESCO officials of the various Units on EDUCATION FOR ALL – EFA, seeing that the NGO SPES multi-literacy training project integrates high-tech and creative craft skills for needy Youth: to be noted gthat SPES devised the multi-skills Training with an informatics support and that several countries have solicited SPES extended Training.

While in Paris for the WCC event in March, Helena Langlois visited the UNESCO / Felissimo DESIGN 21 “CHIC CHINOIS” EXPO held on 15 -31st March 2000 at the UNESCO House. This Expo comprised a collection of the selected works from young talented designers from all continents and displayed also the prized designer products.

The Decor of the Expo was very elegant and we were proud that one of the SPES grassroots pottery trainees three clay microwave dishes in the form of a 3-tiered Pagoda was part of the memorable Expo.

A photographic overview of some of the Design 21 exclusive designer works.