| The
Centre is open to instructors and students of all religious faiths,
and this kind of openness is fundamental for creating an environment
of tolerance and respect. Also,
the Centre is very sensitive on gender opportunities:
the participation of women in the training activities is welcomed
and encouraged.
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Nowadays
the Centre comprises three workshops for the carving of
olive wood, the making of ceramics, and the artistic working
of mother of pearl; a computer lab; two offices; a classroom
for drawing activities, two other rooms, and an exhibit
hall. The workshops are equipped with modern instruments,
machinery and tools which are necessary to produce all
sorts of handicrafts, from small statues to vases, from
nativity scenes to plates, decorations and accessories.
The
Centre offers two kinds of courses: professional
courses and summer courses. The first ones last
one year and are dedicated to people who want to approach
the craftsmanship
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| sector
in a professional way.The courses include intensive training
in the selected workshop, artistic drawing, and computer.
The last component of the curriculum has been recently introduced
in order to complete the formation of the students with
some information-technology knowledge which cannot be neglected
in the world of today. At the end of the year, the students
are awarded a certificate attesting the acquired skills.
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The
summer courses last two months and are
intended to provide the first, basic skills to those who
are interested in craftsmanship as an artistic hobby.
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The
content of the courses needs to be periodically upgraded,
so as to reflect the needs of a market which is not anymore
located in town, but it is more and more often made of
exports. As a matter of fact, the events
related to the second Intifada have severely reduced the
number of pilgrims and tourists visiting the city of Bethlehem.
The diminished market demand
for handicrafts has pushed many artisans out of business,
has discouraged many people from seeking a job in the
sector, and has put the survival of the ancient tradition
at stake.
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The
Artistic Centre is just at the beginning of its experience,
and it aims at becoming a reliable and efficient point
of reference for those who intend to find an
occupation in the sector. The Centre represents a unique
environment not only for the training of students, but
also for the upgrading of instructors.
One of the objectives of the Centre is to create qualified
personnel who may be able to work as teaching staff in
a sector which is lacking professional instructors.
In
the last few months the Centre has hosted some Italian
artists and artisans who have held specific seminars
to improve the quality of the production of the workshops.
Their contribution has been much appreciated since it
has introduced new models and ideas to the staff and to
the students.
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The
Artistic Centre is connected to the International
Museum of the Nativity, a unique initiative
for the city of Bethlehem which collects and displays
nativity scenes from all over the world. The Museum
– officially supported by UNESCO
- opened in December 1999, but due to the lack of
pilgrims it has reduced its activity in the following
years. Nowadays the Salesian community and VIS are
at work to include the Museum in the Bethlehem tours
arranged for tourists and pilgrims. |
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The
building of the Artistic Centre also hosts the West Bank office
of the Italian NGO VIS.
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| HISTORY
The
Centre began its training activities in the spring
of 2004, after a comprehensive restoration
of the building which hosts the workshops and the
offices. The intervention was carried out by the Italian
NGO VIS through a project co-financed by the Italian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In partnership with the
Salesians, VIS initiated the process of rehabilitating
a building belonging to the community, which at the
time was of no use. The refurbishment started in 2001,
and it required about two years,
since the works were complicated by the Second Intifada
which made it difficult to ship the equipment. In
April 2004 the Centre opened its first two workshops,
olive wood and ceramics, while the mother of pearl
workshop opened at the end of March 2005. |
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