Montreal, February 27, 2009 - Mr. Patrick Coulombel [Amiens, France] and Mr. Bernard McNamara [Quebec, Canada], French and Canadian presidents and co-founders of Emergency Architects respectively, will meet from March 9-12 with local professionals and students for the first day of training in Quebec on humanitarian architecture [developing a framework for intervention]. This day of training, to be held on March 11 in Montreal at the Gouverneur Hotel Place Dupuis, includes an important meeting with environmentalist, oceanographer and journalist, Jean Lemire [Antarctic Mission], who will discuss his views on climatic changes and their impact. To register for this lunch-conference [ticket price: $100 plus tax], to become a member or to make a donation to Emergency Architects, please visit www.architectes-urgence.ca

Cont’d

January 16, 2010, between 12.15AM and 2.15PM
Entrevue avec Gilles Bernier, ancien ambassadeur canadien en Haïti de 1997 à 2001 et Jean-Paul Boudreau, d’Architectes de l'urgence du Canada. Michel Lacombe, Ouvert le samedi, Les meilleurs moments, 1ère partie, Radio de Radio-Canada.

Together, we can make a difference in the great climatic, political and economic changes which we live on our planet. We want to act in two different ways. Preventing when it is still possible, by putting together sustainable building techniques that respect the environment and its people and by acting in a concrete ways to repair and reconstruct essential buildings affected by human or environmental crises.
Thanks to our new partners for their conviction and engagement.
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Gaza
As the Israeli bombings on the Gaza Strip seemed to be diminishing, Emergency Architects Foundation decided to intervene on behalf of the victimized populations of Operation Cast Lead. To date, more than 1300 people have died and more than 5500 people have been injured. The destruction has been devastation, leaving many families homeless.

Having gained experience in 2007 with Lebanese refugee camps in Nahr al-Bared, Emergency Architects met in the field with two professional architecture associations, Palestinian and Israeli, to develop a plan of action to provide assistance to the victims.

Expert architects and engineers have just left for Israel to begin a mission to evaluate the extent of the devastation and to help restore the safety of the people as soon as the passage towards Gaza is open to humanitarians.

The objective of this collaboration is to propose immediate assistance to provide safe and secure living conditions for the conflict victims.

A call for donations to raise 500 000 Euros was launched with a proposition focused on securing damaged buildings and providing aid to residents to rehabilitate their homes, to kick-start a reconstruction program.

Chad
Emergency Architects Foundation has been present in the Eastern region of Chad since 2007, in particular in Guereda, where 6 classrooms are currently being constructed in the refugee camps of Konoungo.

New programs for 2009 are in the process of being confirmed and the Region of Île de France has decided to support the efforts of the foundation by financing the development of educational infrastructure in Chad. This will allow teams in place to continue to act on behalf of the refugees living in camps in Eastern Chad, with a focus on the education of the youth. The notion of a mobile school is currently being studied.

Current partners in Chad : HCR, IRC, Region of Île de France, Somfy, UNICEF .

Indonesia
Emergency Architects Foundation has been present in Indonesia since December 2004 when the coast was ravaged by a tsunami.

The foundation has been working for four years north of the island of Sumatra in Sigli. In 2008, it continued its efforts with a new program on the small island of Weh, where aid is still very much needed despite the numerous funds allocated to reconstruction efforts in Indonesia.

2 new pre-schools have just been inaugurated.
22 houses are under construction.

Current partners in Indonesia: Patrick Bourrat Association « so that school can continue », the Australian Red Cross, Abbé Pierre Foundation, Rainbow Bridge Foundation, Secours Catholique français.

Peru
Following the earthquake that hit the Ica region in July 2007, Emergency Architects put in place a program to provide assistance to the victims.

30 homes have been built, following local tradition and construction methods. Today, Emergency Architects has launched the reconstruction of 3 schools, to be financed by funds from the French embassy, which will allow more than 400 children to attend school regularly. A new phase of 50 homes is being planned with the support of the Abbé Pierre Foundation and the International Federation of the Red Cross.

Finally, a study for a construction project for a home to welcome children who are at-risk on weekdays is being developed in partnership with a congregation of nuns as part of the social aspect of the children.

Current Partners in Peru: Region of Île de France, Abbé Pierre Foundation, International Federation of the Red Cross.

Salomon Islands
The school in Ngari, a village located on the Solomon Islands, was inaugurated in December 2008. This is the first school built since the tsunami that devastated the islands on May 1, 2007.

A team of Emergency Architects was immediately formed and met in the field to implement an evaluation mission. Following the catastrophe, Emergency Architects, supported by Emergency Architects of Australia, developed two specific plans: an education plan and a brochure illustrating elementary construction techniques with simple, easy to follow images.

143 schools still need to be refurbished or rebuilt.

This school was built thanks to the support of the “Agence Française de Développement”.


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