"Road to Recovery" Art Show in Des Moines

DES MOINES, WA, December 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) Relief 2.0, an organic movement of volunteers and organizations to promote efficient disaster response and sustainable disaster recovery will be running Relief 2.0 - Tohoku: Road to Recovery -- a photo and photography exhibit. Paintings, photos and handicrafts will be for sale at the show, and the proceeds empower the survivors to support themselves instead of relying on donations.

This exhibit on December 8th, will feature photos by Robin Low, co-founder of Relief 2.0, art work by Miller Ramirez and Isao Hasagawa, survivor of the Japan Tsunami. Photos are taken 10 days after the Tsunami and 1 year after to show the recovery of Japan. There will also be handicrafts and products made by survivors living in temporary shelters in Tohoku, the north east of Japan struck by the Tsunami.

"Tohoku: Road to the Future" was first opened in Fukuoka by Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus on July 19. After stopping in Japan and Singapore, the travelling exhibition will be making its way to other parts of Southeast Asia, Europe, North and South America and Africa.

"I want to change the public's perception on disaster recovery, from the traditional model of 'donor-recipient' to 'conscientious buyer-generator of wealth'." Mr Low said. "When the survivors who make a quality product are able to make a living to support themselves, they can get their dignity back instead of just relying on charity and donations. When these survivors earn money, they can buy their supplies locally, thus help in the restart their economy."

"We have always been supporting people in disasters," said Tim Riesenberger ER physician and health education who was in Japan after the 2011 Tsunami. "Empowering them to support themselves is the next logical step to sustainable disaster recovery."

This exhibition is the 9th show in the series and will travel to San Diego next. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Relief 2.0 is a nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce the displacement of local capacity and the exclusion of local actors in disaster response and recovery through the philosophy of "NEVER HELP: engage, enable, empower and connect." http://www.relief20.com
Markets of Hope is a global market for products and services from disaster areas and disadvantaged areas to promote recovery and sustainable human development with inclusion, dignity and income generation and opportunities.

Exhibition Details:
Relief 2.0: Tohoku - Road to the Future
Venue: Southcenter IDA Church
20400 1st Ave. S
Des Moines, WA 98198

Date and Time: Saturday, December. 8th (12:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
Presentation by Robin Low: 2:00pm and 3:30pm
Sales of products commence: 4:30pm

Relief 2.0 is a nonprofit organization that seeks to reduce the displacement of local capacity and the exclusion of local actors in disaster response and recovery through the philosophy of "NEVER HELP: engage, enable, empower and connect." http://www.relief20.com