It is with great pleasure that we announce to
our dear friends that the Friends of the Disabled Association (FDA) was granted
in September 2007 a certificate of affiliation to the Very Special Arts
Organization (VSA) for one year period.
VSA arts is an international nonprofit
organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a
society where people with disability learn through, participate in and enjoy the
arts.
VSA arts is an affiliate of the John F.Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts.
As a VSA arts international affiliate, FDA
will aim, throughout this year, at conducting programs in two priority areas:
1. Educational programs
2. Public
awareness and outreach
In the Educational area, a new special art
program has been incorporated as of October 2007, into the educational
curriculum for all our classes at I dad Center. This program includes the
following:
“ Art – Attack “ classes where
new and original drawing and painting techniques are taught to all students (
twice a week)
Creative pottery painting
classes for students aged 13 years and above (twice a week).
Mosaic-assembly classes
specially designed for Autistic students.
Rhythm – and – dance classes
to all students (twice a week).
Creative dramatic
expression/Theater classes (once a week) for all students.
In the Public
Awareness area, Idad Center has prepared a tentative calendar of events and
artistic manifestations for the consumption of the wider community.
These include:
Organization of an Art and
Disability Seminar on the importance of arts in special education. This seminar
will be held in collaboration with local and international artists. Tentative
date: Spring 2008.
Design and Printing of VSA
arts Lebanon greeting cards (November 2007)
Participation in local Arts
Exhibitions (art crafts and handicrafts) to promote public awareness as to the
creative talents of people with special needs (Christmas 2008 and Spring 2008).
Organization of a public Piano
Recital by a pianist with special needs.
Participation in Folk Dance
Festival at the American University of Beirut (Spring 2008).
Organization of a Public
Drawing and Painting Exhibition for people with special needs in collaboration
with other associations and NGO’s for special needs students.
Theatrical Performance at the
UNESCO Palace by Idad students with special needs (June 2008).
Publication of a semestrial
Newsletter by Idad students with special needs (January 2008 and June 2008).
Dear friends, we will be very glad to
collaborate with you in any artistic event! Please keep checking our Web-site
for an up-date on our activities.
