Disaster Relief in the Information Age (Bam Paint Shop Project) Mojgan Momeni Science and Arts Foundation January

The sons of Adam are elements of one another Having been created of the same essence. When the calamity of time afflicts one element The other elements can not remain at rest. Saadi Iranian Poet 1300 A.D.

The recent tsunami KobeBam

The sons of Adam are always elements of one another -Miracle of the Information Age -New opportunities for human beings to reach out to each other. -We are all living in a global village -Solidarity among human beings is more approachable

City of Bam 190 Km. to the S.E. of the city of Kerman, in the midst of the vast, endless, grey deserts, lies the ever-green city of Bam, the Emerald of the desert.

Bam with its extensive palm groves and citrus gardens, used to be a city full of life.

At 5:26 AM on December 26,2003, an earthquake with magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale destroyed the city of Bam.

- The city is almost destroyed - About 40,000 people are killed - 30,000 injured - Up to 75,000 left homeless - 10,000 students left without school

- National and international governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGO) started the relief work -Temporary housing, field hospitals were provided -Students were called to register and start school in pre-fabricated class rooms

Messages of solidarity was sent by members of iEARN through the internet

The second message was from Mr. Kihara a colleague from Kobe

-SAF considered the above idea and - Prepared a proposal to establish a paint shop in Bam

Our first visit to Bam

-The idea of the paint shop was published on the web site - Donations started to pour from Japan, Canada and Taiwan

The opening of the paint shop

Ms. Yoko Takagi visited Bam paint shop in September,2004

Outcome: -The children largely welcomed the Paint Shop program -They were heart warmed by the world’s kind support - The black and white picture of life in Bam gradually absorbed color by the joy of life again

-The miracle of ICT and Internet emerges out of the ashes in Bam -iEARN helps to expand peace and friendship -Global Village comes to the rescue of tsunami victims