The North East of Brazil is famous for its outstanding natural beauty. It is a very poor cousin of the Southern areas in which many people survive by their artisan skills alone.
We met with the main government department providing training and support to the artisans to see if we could help them in their drive to commercialise artisans better.
A meeting that was scheduled to take up to an hour lasted almost three. A hallmark of most meetings we are having on Dreamaid.
Again the reception was brilliant. It is now a common occurrence that meetings start as official business meetings and end up in often tear filled embraces and 'beijos' - kisses - as we bid farewell and vow to improve things together.
A forthcoming conference of the national leaders of the 27 states of Brazil will focus on commercialising artisans. We have offered to present Dreamaid at this or any similar venue in future. Clearly we are a long way ahead of the NGO's and government bodies in using Web 2.0 technology to commercialise artisans but we really need their support and access to the artisans in order to effect a major breakthrough.
We are under no illusion as to the size of task ahead but to have started at all is a major step forward. We cannot fix everyone's problems but if we can start to help some people we will have made a valuable contribution to some people's lives.
Dreaming of a brighter future :)
Peter McAteer
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2 comments:
Joao Pessoa must be one of those cities that stands head and shoulders above others when it comes to achievements. Sadly, it looks like you missed out on our fair city and also on the efforts of the local government to help the locals. We have some of the biggest and best Artersanarto fairs in Brasil (December 2009 till January 2010) and many of the surrounding cities in the interior (countryside) host similar fayres throughout the year.
In Tambau alone there are three permanent fayres one of them in a huge three storey building with some works which make your eyes water.
Just north of Recife there is the beautiful town of Olinda with its fayres on the top of the hill looking over to Recife.
Whats my point? Its that old chest nut "the poor old north east but we are richer here in more ways than you could ever imagine.
Harry, I didn't mention Olinda but that is in fact where we stayed for about five days. I loved the area.
I really appreciate your comments and I totally agree that the North East needs a lot of support and recognition.
We are starting to work with organisations in the area to reach out to people there to allow them to have online art fairs every day... It is not easy as you will be aware but we are at least making headway :)
We went to an old prison which is now a permanent art fair and there I commissioned an impressionist artist to make a painting of a couple I was best man to last year. It was Casa da cultura.
I met with leaders of SEBRAE who are doing great work to assist the artists but we have a long journey as I am sure you will recognise.
I hope to spend a lot more time in the area and perhaps you can help put out the word locally to get more artisans online with us?
Best wishes and thank you for your comments...
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