From the Pluriverse
Itinérance: Empowering craft women in the Mediterranean basin
Itinérance creates links, visibility, and economic power to artisan communities
by Zoe Gilbertson
Photos by Charlotte Robin, Caroline Perdrix, Chaumont–Zaerpour & Fiona Torre
Courtesy of Itinérance
A Q&A with Itinérance
Itinérance brings together craftswomen and changemakers in the Mediterranean basin. It runs projects, workshops, talks and exhibitions.
OC.M: In what ways are you a community and how do you serve its needs?
Itinérance: We are an NGO that brings together communities of artisans and changemakers in the Mediterranean. The creation of a responsible network around the craftswomen of the Mediterranean basin is the essence of our purpose: by the artisan's gesture of know-how, we give (back) a visibility, an economic and creative power to the communities of craftswomen of the mediterranean basin.
We have 3 types of actions:
A social mission: gather & support women artisans in the Mediterranean basin
A cultural mission: protect this intangible heritage and educate the public at large, students and professionals
A pedagogical mission: raise awareness and promote some know-how
"Craftswomen are authentic memory bearers. For millennia, exceptional know-how has been exchanged in the Mediterranean, from one shore to the other. Communities have nurtured this hand gesture from generation to generation."
OC.M: In what ways do you nurture creativity, cultures and customs relating to dress, clothing or bodily adornment within your community?
Itinérance: Craftswomen are authentic memory bearers. For millennia, exceptional know-how has been exchanged in the Mediterranean, from one shore to the other. Communities have nurtured this hand gesture from generation to generation. Yet, the diversity of traditional craftsmanship is in decline. Through our cultural mission, we promote intangible cultural heritage around the Mediterranean through exhibitions. This action contributes to their transmission and protection.
OC.M: In what ways do you share your knowledge, skills, creativity and/or resources with others?
Intinérance: Passing on & training young generations and companies are our pedagogical & second mission.
How do we train new generations for these creative challenges? By making the link between the traditional and the contemporary.
In this respect we design pedagogical content around the know-how and intangible cultural heritage and builds workshops for students and professionals of the industry.
OC.M: In what ways do you respect and care for other peoples, the significance of their cultural expression and rights to dignified livelihoods?
Inténerance: As mentioned above, through its cultural mission Itinérance annually highlights a community of artisans and contributes to protect and preserve their intangible heritage through the large public exposure.
We make the general public aware of this other way of doing and consuming through exhibitions in museums.
We also have a co-creation approach: that is to say on the one hand the craftswomen will learn new designs and on the other Itinérance will learn new gestures and skills. So there is a learning relationship on both sides.
OC.M: In what ways do you work with nature to protect and restore the living world?
Inténerance: The craftswomen of the Mediterranean basin are faced with major economic, social and environmental challenges.
Our purpose and mission intend to find an answer to this major social issue through the know-how of these women.
Its social mission is articulated around two actions: (i) integrate the craftswomen of the Mediterranean basin into a digital cartography and (ii) generate fair trade opportunities for them.
Part of its social action also includes some training to communities around sustainable principles. By addition to the social, geographical and creative indicators, we apply specific criteria for the sourcing of crafts regarding the environment and raw materials.
In short, our global purpose is dedicated to support the path of change in the fashion industry especially considering the gender equality and poverty's SDG's.
Website: itinerance.org
Location: Mediterranean
Network: Itinérance has partners in Morocco, France, Tunisia and Greece
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