AP Quilt Outreach Since 2008

Washington, DC, February 26, 2020

After an impressive debut at the Nairobi summit on women and girls (ICPD25) The Woman’s World quilt arrived in the US, to be shown at the  UN Population Fund (UNFPA). First stop: the UNFPA office in Washington where the quilt was welcomed by Sarah Craven (left) and Rachel Moynihan. We look forward to UNFPA making good use of the quilt in its advocacy for women and girls!

Washington, DC, January 25, 2020

AP teamed up with Quilt for Change to offer 40 art quilts at the Textile Museum, as part of our Sister Artists project. The embroidered blocks were made by survivors of gender-based violence in Mali under the coordination of Sini Sanuman, an AP partner and turned into art quilts by 41 quilters from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Kenya. Ellen Fisher was one of ten Sister Artists who attended the Washington exhibition, along with 126 other visitors.

Nairobi, Kenya, November 12-14, 2019

AP presented 18 quilts at the UN Summit on women and girls (ICPD25) in Nairobi at the invitation of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). AP’s team of 37 included 24 Kenyan women and girls from the slum areas of Kibera and Kangemi who produced blocks for The Woman’s World Quilt (photo) during the conference. The Kenya Cow Quilt and The Zimbabwe Child Marriage Quilt were shown in public for the first time by CPIK and WAP, AP’s partners in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Geneva, Switzerland, September 17, 2019

Iain Guest from AP used the Bardiya Memorial Quilt during a presentation to the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances during the September session of the UN Human Rights Council. Iain asked the group to engage in Nepal on behalf of the network of family members of the disappeared (NEFAD), an AP partner.

Philadelphia PA, August 30, 2019

Prabal Thapa from AP’s partner NEFAD was invited to attend the first conference of the North American Sites of Conscience in Philadelphia. Prabal used the Bardiya Memorial Quilt to discuss transitional justice and memorialization in Nepal. 

Fredericksburg, VA, June 23, 2019

Bobbi Fitzsimmons, AP Board member, showed the Bardiya Memorial Quilt and the Tiger quilt (pictured) at a cultural event. Fredericksburg is twinned with Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

Burigaun, Bardiya District Nepal, April 25, 2019

Bobbi Fitzsimmons and members of the Bardiya cooperative, celebrate the completion of the Bardiya Memorial Quilt after two weeks of hard work.

Karlsruhe, Germany, Nov 9 – Dec 10, 2018

AP showed 16 quilts at the historic Stephanienburg Church in Karlsruhe, southern Germany in association with Amnesty International and The Society for Threatened Peoples. The exhibition culminated on December 9 with a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The exhibition was covered by the largest manufacturer of textile equipment in Germany. Rebecca Zink and Janosch Kratz from the Karlsruhe College of Design produced promotional material.

Washington DC, Nov 27, 2018

Karen Delaney from AP showed the second Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington. Attendees were government employees participating in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), including Housing Deputy Secretary Pamela Patenaude, seen here admiring the Quilt.

Rochdale, MA, October 14, 2018

Peg Sullivan, a nurse and quilter, has made several wall hangings from squares that were embroidered by survivors of sexual violence in Mali. Her hangings were shown at an exhibition of advocacy quilts held at the Christ Episcopal Church. Iain Guest from AP addressed the meeting.

Newport RI, October 10, 2018

Iain Guest from AP gave a lecture on AP’s work with survivors of sexual violence in the DR Congo and Mali, at Newport’s historic Redwood Library. Iain used quilts from the DR Congo and Mali to illustrate his lecture.

Washington DC, October 6, 2018

Iain Guest from AP addressed the 2018 Gala dinner of FAUSA, which brings together alumnae of the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO). July Treanor introduced Iain. The event auctioned off the fourth Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt, see here. The quilt was produced from embroidery made by women refugees in Jordan with funding from AP and assembled by FAUSA members Leslie Nelson and Julia Warner. It sold for $3,310. Proceeds will go to the Collateral Repair Project, a partner of FAWCO and AP in Jordan.

Houston TX, July 12, 2018

The First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt was exhibited at a showing of ‘Cries From Syria,’ a powerful film about the war. The event was held at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston and featured a panel of refugees. The quilt was shown by Therese Hartwell from FAWCO/FAUSA, an advocate for the rights of women and refugees.

Houston TX, June 27, 2018

The First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt was exhibited on the occasion of World Refugee Day at an event aimed at drawing attention to the vulnerability of refugees and the problem of human trafficking in Houston. The event was sponsored by the Houston Group of the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO),  the Zonta Club of Houston and A 2nd Cup, a social enterprise coffee shop that addresses human trafficking issues.

Wilmington NC, May 28, 2018

Bobbi Fitzsimmons assembled the Third Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at her home in Wilmington. She showed the quilt for the first time to her guild, Quilters by the Sea, on Memorial Day.

Wilmington NC, May 28, 2018

AP gave a presentation on advocacy quilting to Quilters by the Sea, a popular guild in Wilmington. Bobbi Fitzsimmons, a leading member of the guild, assembled the Third Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt, which was shown for the first time in public.

New Brunswick NJ, April 21, 2018

Karen Delaney from AP used the Second Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt to illustrate her presentation at the 2018 Douglass Global Summit, held at Rutgers University, on the theme of Forced Migration, Gender and Global Allies.

Washington DC, April 20, 2018

Marianne and Karen from AP attended Hummus to Help, an event hosted by No Lost Generation at American University. They used the Second Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt to describe AP’s work for refugees and the work of the Collateral Repair Project, AP’s partner in Jordan. The quilt squares were made by refugees at CRP.

Amman, April 12, 2018

Women at the Hope Workshop (Collateral Repair Project) in Amman Jordan display the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt, which was made in the US from squares they had embroidered the previous year. Therese Hartwell took the quilt through Europe before ending her trip at CRP. She later emailed us on the event: “The excitement from HW members, both those who had embroidered squares and those who had not, filled the room, and a few tears even flowed.  Women excitedly pointed out the squares they had made. The members were thrilled to know that their work was being shown around the United States and Europe and had been very well received.” See below for more on Therese’s journey.

Toulouse, April 2018

Therese Hartwell at a dinner of the FAWCO Club Women’s International Network in Toulouse, France. Toulouse was one of several stops in a European tour at which Therese promoted the work of the Collateral Repair Project (CRP) in Jordan. She used the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt to illustrate CRP’s work with refugee women. See below for more on Therese’s European tour!

Vienna, April 2018

Therese Hartwell (center in white scarf) showed the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at the American Women’s Association of Vienna, an affiliate of FAWCO.

Dusseldorf, April, 2018

Therese Hartwell from FAWCO exhibited the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at the American Women’s Club in Dusseldorf, an affiliate of FAWCO.

College Park MD, March 30, 2018

AP showed the Vietnam Disability Quilt at Humans of Conflict, a conference at the University of Maryland organized by Elifnaz Caliskan (right), a former AP intern and student at the University. Karen Delaney (left) shared stories of AP beneficiaries affected by war in The Middle East and Vietnam.

Washington DC, March 27, 2018

AP showed the Second Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at a networking event organized by the No Lost Generation chapter at American University. The event was organized by Brianna Goetsche, a former AP intern.

Amsterdam, March 25, 2018

Therese Hartwell from FAWCO showed the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at the American Women’s Association in Amsterdam, an affiliate of FAWCO.

The Hague, March 24, 2018

Carol Lalani, a member of FAWCO’s alumni association (FAUSA), purchased the Hope Wall Hanging for $1,150 at the FAWCO Foundation Gala on March 24. The squares were embroidered by refugee women at CRP in Jordan and assembled into a hanging by Julia Warner, a FAWCO member in Dusseldorf. The opening bid was $500. The money went to CRP’s project, Hope Beyond Displacement, in Jordan. Carol donated her hanging to be re-auctioned by FAUSA/FAWCO and raise more money for CRP.  This is the first time an AP partner has made and sold an advocacy quilt.

The Hague, March 24, 2018

Julia Warner, a member of FAWCO’s American Women’s Club of Düsseldorf assembled six embroidered squares from CRP into a wall hanging that was auctioned at the FAWCO Foundation gala on March 24. Suzanne Wheeler, the president of the FAWCO Foundation, is seen here holding the hanging, named Hope. The theme of the gala was the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, which explains the costumes!

The Hague, March 24, 2018

The annual gala dinner of the FAWCO Foundation took place in the Hague on March 24. Amanda Lane, director of CRP, attended and is shown here (left) with Tricia Sauer, Tricia Sauer, the FAWCO Target Project Chair. The quilt is made from squares embroidered by refugees at CRP.

Europe, March 2018

Therese Hartwell a leader in The Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas (FAWCO) and Board member of the Collateral Repair Project in Amman, Jordan, nominated Hope Beyond Displacement, a CRP project, as the beneficiary of a two-year fundraising effort by FAWCO. Therese visited FAWCO affiliates in Europe in late March and early April and used the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt to describe CRP’s work.

Washington DC, March 14, 2018

Iain Guest from AP presented a wall hanging, made by survivors of sexual violence in Mali, to HE Aurelia Frick, the Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein. The Foreign Ministry has funded the work of Sini Sanuman, AP’s partner in Mali, since 2016. The women who worked on this hanging asked that it be given to the Minister as a statement of their gratitude.

Houston, December 2, 2017

Therese Hartwell exhibited the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at a series of events held at libraries in Houston. The events allowed Houston residents to learn more about refugees and immigrants in their community.

Washington DC, November 18, 2017

AP showcased the Second Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at the No Lost Generation Winter Gala at American University. The event focused on refugee issues and advocacy. Seen here from AP: Kirsten Drew, Karen Delaney, and Elifnaz Caliskan.

Houston, November 9, 2017

The First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt was shown at a Workshop sponsored by PAIR (Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees) at the University of Houston to raise awareness on refugee issues. Therese Hartwell (left) explains.

Houston, November 7 2017

Therese Hartwell showed the Second Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at the Interfaith Ministries Annual luncheon in Houston.

Houston, October 24, 2017

Therese Hartwell showed the First Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt at the annual dinner of the UN Association of Houston. Therese is on the Board of the Collateral Repair Project in Jordan, where squares for the quilt were made.

Fullerton CA, October 16, 2017

The Second Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt was shown at a gala hosted by the United Nations Association of Orange County and the California State University (Fullerton) to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the United Nations.

Kansas City, October 14, 2017

Therese Hartwell showed the first Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt in Kansas City at the annual meeting of the Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas Alumni USA (FAUSA).  FAUSA brings together alumni from FAWCO, an international association of more than 15,000 professional women in 38 countries. Therese is a board member of the Collateral Repair Project in Jordan where the squares for the quilt were made in 2016 with help from Allyson Hawkins, an AP Peace Fellow.  Therese later reported that the quilts “made a strong impression.”

Washington DC, June 11, 2017

AP showed the two Middle Eastern Refugee Quilts at the UNA-USA Leadership Summit at the National Educational Association in Washington DC. The quilts featured at an event called Adopt a Future Open House and helped to inform more than 300 attendees about refugee issues. Talia Hoch (photo), an AP intern, and Karen Delaney, AP Fellowship Coordinator, attended and shared the stories behind the quilts.

Bamako, Mali, June 27, 2017

Iain Guest from AP presented a wall hanging to His Excellency Tiena Coulibaly, the Malian Minister of Defense. The squares for the hanging were made by survivors of sexual violence from the conflict in northern Mali who received support and training from Sini Sanuman, AP’s partner.

New York, May 10, 2017

AP showed the second Malian camel quilt to His Excellency Issa Konfourou, Mali’s ambassador to the United Nations. The ambassador is from central Mali and was familiar with many of the village scenes depicted in the quilt, which was entirely made by survivors of sexual violence at Sini Sanuman’s center in Bamako, Mali. Read more about this program.

Newark DE, May 3, 2017

The two Middle Eastern Refugee Quilts were shown at a community mobilizing event organized by the chapters of Amnesty International and No Lost Generation at the University of Delaware. Shestin Thomson, president of the AI chapter, is shown center introducing the quilts.

Washington DC, April 26, 2017

The two Middle Eastern Refugee Quilts were shown by the Georgetown University Arab students group and the GU chapter of No Lost Generation. Angelique Palomar (photo) and Iain Guest from AP used images from the quilts to tell the refugee’s story from exile to resettlement.

Portsmouth RI, April 22-23, 2017

The two Middle Eastern Refugee Quilts took pride of place at an exhibition of over 150 quilts produced by the Quilters by the Sea guild in Portsmouth, Rhode Island over the past two years. Several quilters from the guild assembled the two quilts and were on hand to explain what they had learned from the experience. Click here to meet the quilters.

Washington DC, April 1, 2017

AP exhibited the two Middle Eastern Refugee Quilts at the inaugural gala of No Lost Generation, the student movement that supports refugees. The event was held at The School of International Service, American University in Washington, DC and benefited the Adopt-A-Future campaign to support education in Kenyan refugee camps. More than 200 guests attended. Keynote speaker Ambassador Mark C. Storella praised the quilts as successful examples of storytelling and advocacy. Photo: Karen Delaney from AP with Mr. Omar Masaltha from the embassy of Jordan (left).

New York, March 27-31, 2017

The first Middle Eastern Refugee Quilt was displayed prominently in New York at the Syria Awareness Week, a week-long event at Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs that looked back on six years of bloody war in Syria. Among the activities – a photo exhibit, speakers and documentary film.

Arlington VA, March 18, 2017

The two Middle Eastern refugee quilts were shown at a one-day event aimed at encouraging community engagement on behalf of refugees and migration. The event – Raise Your Voice Advocacy Workshop and Volunteer Fair – took place at St George’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia. Three hundred experts and advocates heard from community leaders, religious leaders and policy experts who included the Imam of Georgetown University and Anne Richard, President Obama’s assistant secretary of state for refugees and migration.

New Orleans, March 8, 2017

The fourth Congolese Ahadi quilt featured at an event to celebrate International Women’s Day (March 8) at the University of Loyala, New Orleans. Dr Nikki Eggers headed a panel discussion: “Sewing Community: Ahadi Quilts, NGOs, and the Politics of Textiles in Africa.”

College Park MD, February 23, 2017

The two Middle Eastern Refugee Quilts were exhibited at University of Maryland’s Hillel’s fifth annual Global Justice Shabbat dinner on February 23. The event focused on the Syrian refugee crisis. UMD Hillel catered to more than 200 guests and featured a keynote speaker, Mark Gopin, the director of the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University.

Washington DC, February 21, 2017

The two Middle Eastern Refugee quilts were displayed in public for the first time at an event at Georgetown University aimed at helping students to understand what it means to be a refugee. The event – I am a Refugee – was jointly sponsored by two student bodies, the Africa Forum and MENA Forum, and the Georgetown Women in International Affairs. The panel featured Rose Twagirumukiza, a former refugee from the Rwandan Genocide and 2016 AP Peace Fellow (right); and Qutaiba Idlbi, a refugee from Syria and co-founder of People Demand (left).

Arlington VA, April 12, 2016

The Congolese Ahadi quilts were among several quilts shown at George Mason University during a conference on women and war. Karin Orr and Iain Guest from AP gave presentations.

Newport RI, March 17, 2016

Lisa Olaynack, a teacher at the Thompson Middle School in Newport Rhode Island, organized a showing of three advocacy quilts on the theme of children for her students, who come from more than 15 different nationalities. Here students discuss the Maasai Girls Quilt, which depicts the dreams of students at the KCE girls’ boarding school in Enoosayen, Kenya.

Newport RI, March 10, 2016

AP exhibited 19 quilts at Ochre Court, the elegant  Salve Regina University, Newport, Rhode Island. Students from the Pell Center at the University served as docents and introduced the quilts. The docents included Alexis Jankowski, left, seen here with Bobbi Fitzsimmons, an expert quilter who assembled two of the quilts on display and traveled from north Carolina for the event. The event was widely covered in the local Newport press. For more, click on the separate tab above.

Pforzheim, December 22, 2015

Several AP quilts, including the Belize Quilt (pictured) were shown at the Ludwig Erhard School in Pforzheim, Germany, as part of the school’s Christmas event. The event was organized by students, seen here. One of the themes was protecting the environment.

Washington DC, December 9, 2015

The two Alafia Mali (Peace in Mali) quilts were shown at a Georgetown University event that was jointly sponsored by the GU Conflict Resolution Program, the GU African Studies Program, AP and the Washington-based Mali Affinity Group. The panel was headlined by His Excellency Tiena Coulibaly, the Malian ambassador in Washington, third from the left. AP was represented by Giorgia Nicatore (far left) who served as the AP Peace Fellow in 2015, and Iain Guest (fifth from the left). Also shown: Professor Chic Dambach, chair of the Mali Affinity Group, and Vivian Lowery Derryck, former Assistant Administrator at USAID.

Washington DC, October 21, 2015

The first Ahadi quilt was shown at the US Postal Service in Washington DC, at an event to promote the Combined Federal Campaign which allows government employees to donate to charities. Emma Miller, right, from AP was on hand to describe AP’s work in the DRC and elsewhere.

Pforzheim, October 13, 2015

The church in Pforzheim, Germany, exhibited several advocacy quilts, including the Dosta! (Enough!) quilt, which was made by Roma women in Strasbourg under a partnership between AP and the Council of Europe. The event was written up in the Pforhzeimer Zeitung newspaper.

Rockville MD, September 12, 2015

The Artists and Makers Studio showed 12 AP advocacy quilts at an event that was co-sponsored by AP, Solar Sisters, and Quilts for Change. Over 700 visitors attended  the opening and reception and several past Peace Fellows who have helped to make quilts made presentations. They included TJ Bradley, shown here discussing the fifth Peruvian Nunca Mas (“Never Again”) quilt. TJ served as a Fellow in Peru and helped 40 villagers produce embroidered squares in memory of missing relatives. The Voice of America filmed the event. Click on the separate tab for more.

Long Beach Island NJ, August 7, 2015

New quilts from Peru and Mali were shown in public for the first time at the Long Beach Island Foundation, New Jersey. The Foundation displayed 21 advocacy quilts over a period of three weeks. Katie Petitt from AP addressed the opening event (photo) and Iain Guest from AP spoke at a reception on August 14. Iain was joined by Merry May, one of three quilters from New Jersey who assembled the Peruvian quilts. The LBIF event was widely covered by the local media.

Lowell MA, March 18, 2015

AP teamed up with Quilts for Change to show 15 advocacy quilts at the prestigious New England Quilt Museum in Lowell Massachusetts. Alison Wilbur from Quilts for Change (left) and Iain Guest from AP introduced the exhibition. Click on the separate tab for more information.

Washington DC, August 7, 2015

Sarah Craven, director of the Washington office of the UN Population Fund, was one of the speakers at a quilt exhibition organized by the Westmoreland Church in Washington DC. Sarah is shown here in front of the Gulu Disability Quilt, which was made by persons with a disability in northern Uganda. For more on this exhibition click on the separate tab above.

Galloway NJ, September 11, 2014

AP director Iain Guest gave an illustrated lecture on quilting as a tool of remembrance at Stockton College New Jersey, on the occasion of the 13th anniversary of 9/11. Several quilts are also displayed for the benefit of students.

Washington DC, July 22, 2014

The second Mahilako Swastha (Women’s Health) quilt from Nepal was exhibited at the annual annual scientific meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS) in Washington, DC. The squares were painted on to cloth in Nepal by women who underwent surgery for uterine prolapse, one of the Association’s concerns. Several hundred specialists attended the meeting and were able to see the ravages of prolapse from the perspective of those most affected. The quilt is shown here with AUGS staff.

Falls Church VA, May 3, 2014

The River Gypsy Quilt was shown for the first time in public at the Church of the Samaritans. The squares were embroidered by artists from the gypsy community in Sunargaon, Bangladesh, and assembled by quilters from the Sister’s Choice Quilting Guild, in Falls Church Virginia. From the left: Leslie Jo Waters, Cathy Eckbreth, Gail Wentzell, Beth Suddaby, Amy V Loar and Debra Shetier. Peace Fellow Chris Pinderhughes (front left) brought the squares back from Bangladesh. Peace Fellow Matt Becker (front right) launched AP’s work with river gypsies in 2012.

Bethesda MD, May 3, 2014

The Sixth Love Blanket from Nepal was shown at a meeting of the Girl Up Club at the Walt Whitman High School, in Bethesda MD. The event was organized by Anna McGuire, 14, who has raised funds for AP’s work in the DRC and Morocco. AP Director Iain Guest used the quilt to talk about the plight of young girls, also called kamlaris, who are forced into domestic slavery in Nepal. AP was invited to submit a proposal from a family foundation following the event.

Windsor Ontario, March 27, 2014

The Gulu Disability Quilt headed north to Canada, to be shared with two friends who have generously supported AP’s work on disability in northern Uganda. Dane Macri, right, served as AP Peace Fellow with the Gulu Disabled Persons Union (GDPU) in 2012 and raised funds for an accessible toilet at the Gulu bus park. Glen, left, funded a follow-up toilet in a Gulu school in 2015. The quilt was made and assembled in 2010 by GDPU members and shows scenes of disability caused by the LRA rebellion. Peace Fellow Christine Carlson supported the project.

Washington DC, March 25, 2014

The Butonde (Nature) Quilt was displayed in Washington, during a visit by Benedicta Nanyonga, the founder and director of the Kinawataka Women Initiatives (KIWOI) in Uganda. KIWOI made the quilt from 10,000 recycled straws in 2011, with help from Peace Fellow Scarlett Chidgey. Benedicta visited Washington to receive an award, and AP took advantage of her presence to introduce her to the Plastic Pollution Coalition and organize a panel discussion at Georgetown University.  Benedicta is shown with a Ugandan environmentalist who was also honored at the Washington event.

College Park MD, March 27, 2014

The Vietnam Disability Quilt was exhibited at the University of Maryland during an event on disability and inclusion organized by graduate student Rebecca Scherpelz, who served as a Peace Fellow in Uganda in 2011. Iain Guest, from AP, spoke about AP’s work on disability at one of the panels alongside officials from the US State Department.

Washington DC, November 16, 2013

The Textile Museum exhibited twelve quilts at the last event held in its elegant gallery in Kalorama, Washington. The museum has since moved to George Washington University. For more information click on the separate tab.

Marseilles, October 31, 2013

The Prizren Quilt was one of five Roma advocacy quilts exhibited at the Italian Institute of Culture in Marseilles, to celebrate Roma culture in Europe. The quilt was assembled in Prizren, Kosovo, by Beti from the Roma advocacy group Open Door.

Washington DC, September 23, 2013

The first Ahadi (“Promise”) quilt from the DRC was on display when AP received a visit from Her Excellency Aurelia Frick, the Foreign Minister of Liechtenstein, center. Also pictured, from the left, are Mr Martin Frick, from the Ministry; Her Excellency Claudia Fritsche, the Ambassador of Liechtenstein in Washington; and Ms Sabdra Ruppen, from the Ministry. Karin Orr and Iain Guest from AP briefed the delegation on AP’s work in the DRC, which was funded by the Foreign Ministry of Liechtenstein.

Union NJ, January to September 2013

The Human Rights Gallery at Kean University, New Jersey, exhibited 23 advocacy quilts for eight months in 2013. Iain Guest from AP opened the exhibition and was one of three speakers at the University’s annual Human Rights meeting. For more information click on the separate tab above.

Washington DC, September 27, 2012

The Mahilako Swastha (“Women’s Health”) Quilts from Nepal were exhibited at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC at an event organized by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). Dr. Lauri Romanzi, left, one of the lead speakers. The meeting was called to explore links between fistula and uterine prolapse, which is the subject of the two quilts.

Long Island NY, September 2012

The Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Long Island exhibited the Gracanica Roma Quilt and the Bosfam Srebrenica Diaspora Quilt in Long Island, New York.

Sarajevo, June 28-30, 2012

The weavers of BOSFAM, who have partnered with AP since 1999, exhibited several of their Srebrenica Memorial Quilts in Sarajevo, Bosnia. They included the women’s quilt, pictured here, which commemorates women who were murdered in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. Watch the video here.

Charlottesville VA, April 19, 2013

Several Ahadi quilts from the DRC were shown at the University of Virginia by the UVA chapter of Take Back the Night, the student organization that campaigns against sexual violence on campus. Iain Guest from AP gave an address.

Washington DC, March 15, 2012

Marceline Kongolo, founder of SOSFED in the DRC, showed the first Ahadi quilt at the office of Senator Barbara Boxer during her visit to the United States. Marceline and Ariana are seen here with Iain Guest from AP.

New York, March 8, 2012

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) partnered with AP and Quilt for Change to present the first large-scale exhibition of advocacy quilts around the theme of women, war and violence. The exhibition was held at the UN headquarters and attracted over 80,000 visitors. Click on the separate tab above for more information and photos.

Washington DC, December 19, 2011

AP exhibited the three Mahalako Swastha (women’s health) Quilts from Nepal, and the Butonde (Nature) Quilt from Uganda in Washington, DC for the first time. The Mahilako Swastha quilts tell the story of uterine prolapse. Its panels were painted in August 2010 by survivors of prolapse under the direction of the Women’s Reproductive Rights Program (WRRP), with help from Peace Fellow Kate Bollinger, right. Sharon Rhoton (left) and Nancy Evans helped to assemble the panels into two large quilts in the United states.

Lowell MA, December 10, 2011

AP presented the Congolese Ahadi quilts at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell on Human Rights Day. The event was organized by the UML Students Against Sexual Violence in the Congo and led by undergraduate Bianca DiPersio, seen on the right in this photo. The students also made a small quilt, which was signed by visitors at the event. The event raised $1,000 for SOSFED in the DRC which was matched by the University.

Hartford CT, November 3, 2011

The Srebrenica Diaspora Quilt was shown at Rugs of Remembrance, an exhibit of Bosnian diaspora weaving at the Institute for Community Research in Hartford, Connecticut. The diaspora quilt commemorates 25 massacre victims, and was made by the weavers of BOSFAM for family members living in the US. Several Bosnians living in Hartford attended the exhibit and gave a demonstration of traditional Bosnian weaving (left).

Granada, Spain, October 24-25, 2011

AP exhibited four Roma quilts (from France, Czech Republic and Kosovo) at the 3rd International Conference of Roma Women in Granada, Spain, organized by the Council of Europe. The four quilts were made in 2011 by Roma communities, with support from AP Peace Fellows. Watch our project video here.

Washington DC, October 2011

The three Love Blankets and Tharu Liberation Quilt from Nepal were displayed in Washington DC during two events featuring Dilli Chaudhary (left), the founder of AP’s partner BASE. Also pictured: Peace Fellows Chantal Uwizera (far left) and Karie Cross, who served as Peace Fellows at BASE and coordinated the Love Blanket quilting project.  One hundred eighty three Tharu children in nine different villages helped to paintpanels for the Love Blankets in 2010 and 2011. The panels tell the stories of children who were forced into slave labor at very young ages.

Sarajevo, July 5-13, 2011

BOSFAM Weavers for Hope displayed the Srebrenica Memorial Quilts at a gallery in Tuzla, Bosnia to commemorate the 16th Anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre and demand justice.

Strasbourg, June 2011

Beginning in April 2011, eight women from the Roma community in Strasbourg France worked together to produce panels for the Dosta! (Enough!) Quilt. The quilt was displayed in Venice at the Biennale and presented to Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, seen on the right.

Washington DC, April 20, 2011

The six Ahadi Quilts from DRC were shown for the first time together and in public at Georgetown University. One hundred twenty survivors of sexual violence in the eastern DRC embroidered a panel for the quilts in the summer of 2010. The panels were assembled by quilters in the US. Ahadi is Swahili for “promise.”

Berlin, March 23, 2011

The second Ahadi Quilt from DRC was exhibited in Berlin at the 10th anniversary of Zivik, which supported AP’s work in the DRC, in Berlin. The quilt was one of six made by survivors of sexual violence in the eastern DRC in the summer of 2010. Each panel was embroidered by a survivor and tells her story. The quilts were assembled by quilters in the US. Watch the project video here.

Geneva, February 2011

The first Ahadi Quilt from DRC was shown at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva as part of a larger exhibition on women, war and violence mounted by Quilts for Change. Iain Guest from AP attended the Council and briefed visitors on the quilt.

The Hague, October 26, 2009

The Mothers of Srebrenica, a high-profile advocacy group, took one of the Srebrenica Memorial Quilts to the Hague for the opening of the trial of Radovan Karadzic, one of the masterminds of the infamous 1995 Srebrenica massacre. This photo appeared in the media all over the world, helping to draw attention to the needs of survivors and dramatise their demand for justice.

Santa Fe, NM, December 10, 2008

The Rio Negro Memorial Textile were shown for the first time in the United States in Santa Fe by Heidi McKinnon, who oversaw the making of the quilt in Guatemala while serving as a Peace Fellow at ADIVIMA. The quilt was made in August 2008 by 15 weavers in the village of Pacux, Rabinal, in the province of Baja Verapaz. It commemorates 477 family members who died during massacres perpetrated by government-supported militia in the area of Río Negro between 1981 and 1982.

Washington DC, July 14 & 17, 2008

The Advocacy Project hosted an exhibition in Washington, DC to commemorate the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. The event, held at AP’s gallery, features the Srebrenica Memorial Quilt which was woven by women from BOSFAM, AP’s partner in Bosnia. The women all lost relatives in the massacre. Their names are woven into the quilt. Watch the event video here.

St Louis MO, July 11, 2007

The Srebrenica Memorial Quilt traveled to St Louis, MO, on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, to be exhibited at the Bosnian mosque. St Louis is home to some 30,000 former residents of Srebrenica, most of them refugees. The quilt was the first to be woven by widows from the Bosnian group BOSFAM and carries the names of relatives who died in the massacre.

The first major display of advocacy quilts opened at the United Nations in New York on March 8, 2012 – International Women’s Day. Entitled “Women are the Fabric,” the exhibition was jointly sponsored by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), AP and Quilt for Change an organization that engages American quilters.

AP donated eleven quilts to the exhibition: The Srebrenica Diaspora Quilt; the Rio Negro Textile; two Ahadi quilts from the DRC; two from Nepal; two Roma quilts (France and Kosovo); the Butonde straw quilt from Uganda; and the two Maasai quilts. Quilt for Change loaned several artistic quilts from its members around the theme of women and security.

The exhibition was set up in the main UN Hall and launched at a reception by four distinguished speakers: Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA): Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Deputy US Ambassador to the UN; Margot Wallstrom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict; and Marceline Kongolo, 24, the founder of AP’s Congolese partner, SOS Femmes en Danger (SOSFED). Our thanks to the United Nations Foundation for covering the cost of the reception.

Isabel Osorio Chen (right), stands next to the square she wove for the Rio Negro textile. Heidi McKinnon (center) coordinated the quilt-making as a Peace Fellow.

Two of the quilts on display were embroidered in the Congo by survivors of sexual violence at  an SOSFED center and Marceline paid them tribute in her speech: “I work with extraordinary  women,” she said. “They have been subjected to sexual attacks that are cruel and serious. But they have had the courage to testify to their pain by designing the shocking images that you see before you tonight.” Click here for a video of Marceline’s speech.

As well as being the first major display of advocacy quilts, the UN exhibition also drew many AP friends who had helped to make the quilts. They included Isabel Osorio Chen, a survivor of  the terrible massacres at Rio Negro, Guatemela, in the early 1980s and a member of the weaving  group that made squares for the Rio Negro Textile. Isabel’s trip was arranged by the UN office in  Guatemala City.

Also present were several former Peace Fellows who had worked on quilt projects: Kate Bollinger (Nepal): Charlotte Bourdillon (Kenya); Heidi McKinnon (Guatemala); Beth Wofford (Czech Republic); and Scarlett Chidgey (Uganda).

Several American quilters who had assembled the quilts on display were also able to attend:  Cathy Springer from Indianapolis (Rehema Widows Quilt); Bobbi Fitsimmons from North  Carolina (Gracanica Roma Quilt); Onalie Gagliano from New Jersey (Maasai Girls Quilt);  Nancy Evans and Susan Schreurs from the Faithful Circle Quilting Guild in Columbia, Maryland  (Ahadi Promise Quilts). For some, this was their first direct meeting with AP. It gave us an opportunity to thank them in person.

Then there were the friends who made the exhibition possible by their support for AP: Mary Ellen Bittner, from the Zonta Women’s Club of Washington; Sarah Craven, head of the Washington office of the UNFPA; and Louis Lerouz, a devoted follower of Marceline’s work in the Congo who made the trip down from Canada. Tragically, Louis died soon afterwards from illness.

Photographer Brian Gohacki covered the exhibition for AP, and the UN also commissioned a photographer, Whitney Kidder. Their excellent photos are available on a special Flickr page. AP  also produced greeting cards which sold at the UN gift shop.

Peace Fellow Scarlett Chidgey (center) helped women from a Ugandan slum to collect 10,000 straws and weave them into the Butonde (Nature) quilt – a big attraction at the UN exhibition.

Over 150 guests attended the reception and by the time the exhibition closed in April it had been viewed by 80,000 visitors. They included the curator of the human rights gallery at Kean University, Neil Tetkowski, who issued an invitation to hold the exhibition at the university in 2013. Many visitors left simple but moving comments in the visitor’s book. “Your quilts are amazing. Women really are the fabric,” wrote Brooke. Another visitor commented: “Your strength and message touched my soul.” The book covered several pages of comments, in many different languages, and provided an exclamation mark on the event.

Our special thanks to Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque and Christian Delsol from UNFPA (pictured  below); to Jan Arnesen the UN curator and her talented team; to Whitney Kidder and Brian Gohacki, photographers; and to the AP team (Iain, Karin, Erica, Laura, Jennica, Beth, and Charlotte) which are pictured at the top of this page. All worked hard to make the exhibition the  success it was.

Marceline Kongolo, 26, the founder and director of SOS Femmes en Danger (SOSFED), attended the exhibition at the invitation of AP and gave the keynote address in front of an audience that included Margot Wallstrom, the UN Special Representative on Armed Sexual Violence, Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, Director of UNFPA, and the deputy US Ambassador to the UN. It was Marceline’s first visit to the US.

As a Peace Fellow in Kenya, Charlotte Bourdillon (left) helped to produce the squares for the Maasai Girls Quilt, shown here. Onalie Gagliano (center) assembled the quilt at her home in New Jersey.

Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque and Christian Delsol from UNFPA, organized the exhibit.

Sarah Craven, from the UNFPA Washington office, with Dick Wilbur and Alison Wilbur, the founder of Quilt for Change and a co-sponsor of the UN exhibition.

Marceline Kongolo, left, relaxes at the exhibition.

Read about this show in the New York Times

Kean University in New Jersey provided the venue for the second major exhibition of advocacy quilts. The groundwork had been laid at the UN exhibition in March 2012. Neil Tetkowski, director of the Kean galleries, viewed the display and felt that the quilts would find a receptive audience at Kean. AP and Kean worked together in the Fall of 2012, and the 24 quilts went on display on January 1, 2013. The exhibition was extended through the summer and closed in September.

The Kean exhibition was significantly different from the UN display. In the first place, AP was the sole provider of quilts. Second, Kean offered the use of the university’s human rights gallery – an elegant, roomy and self-contained space. Third, the human rights setting allowed AP to feature all of the quilts, instead of being limited to the them of women. Finally, showing the quilts at a university ensured plenty of input and interest from students.

The initial discussions took place in the offices of Dr. Dawood Farahi, the Kean University President, in October. Iain Guest and Karin Orr from AP used the Rehema Widows Quilt to explain the concept (photo above). President Farahi was enthusiastic, and asked his assistant Professor Henry Kaplowitz and Neil Tetkowski to take over the project.

Laura Jones from AP tells the story behind the Chintan Wastepickers Quilt.

By the end of 2012, almost twenty AP partners had produced quilts. This ensured a rich and varied selection. AP chose 24 quilts, including several new quilts that became available in the second half of 2012. These included a second Mayan quilt from Belize; two Roma quilts from Lithuania and France; the Child Protection Quilt from Uganda, made by families of lost children; the Vietnam Disability Quilt; the Moroccan Amizigh Quilt; and two new Love Blankets from Nepal.

All of the quilts were arranged around the walls or on central stands except for the Vietnam Disability Quilt, which was hung at the window to attract light during the day and reflect the museum lights at night (photo). AP also produced new posters on all of the quilts on display.

As at the UN, the opening reception was attended by several AP friends who had made the exhibition possible. They included Susan Louis, a quilter from New Jersey, who had just finished assembling the sixth Love Blanket; Laura Jones and her mother; and Fred and Joan Bliss, long-time supporters of AP who lived in the area. AP’s Iain Guest, Karin Orr and Laura Jones served as guides and explained the story behind each quilt (photo).

There was most interest in the Srebrenica Diaspora Quilt. Several professors were also on hand, including Dr Joe Amarino, an art specialist who marveled at the quality of the Congolese (Ahadi) quilts. He found it remarkable that women without education or prior knowledge even of sewing were capable of such artistry (photo).

The Kean community embraced the exhibition with enthusiasm. The Kean Exchange, an online publication, ran a profile and followed up with a long and interesting blog from a student about quilts as advocacy. The Kean Current, a campus newspaper ran a long article. Kean students proved indispensable during and after the opening. Janine Rivera, a graduate student, accompanied AP during the presentations and then trained a team of student docents who served as guides over the weeks that followed. Their friendship and support was infectious. The New York Times and Quilt Life both ran detailed stories, thus ensuring that the exhibition – and advocacy quilting in general – reached far beyond the Kean campus.

Our special thanks to: Dr Dawood Farahi, Professor Hank Kaplowitz, Neil Tetkowski, and Janine Rivera.

 Close-up: Professor Joe Amarino praises the artistry of the Congolese quilts.

The Vietnam Disability Quilt was assembled by Nancy Evans and Teresa Orr to be seen against light.

In late 2013, AP was invited to display quilts at the Textile Museum in Washington. The museum has the oldest and largest collection of textiles in America, and has long been renowned for its elegant setting on Massachusetts Avenue. But in 2013, it received an offer it could not refuse – a new location at George Washington University. Director Lee Talbot asked AP to make several quilts available for a 3-week display in November, as a way to close out many years of successful exhibitions at the old location. This was an honor and a further indication that advocacy quilting has credibility within the quilting community.

The Textile Museum is something of a shrine for American quilters. Given this, and the elegance of the setting, we selected eight quilts for quality and the involvement of US-based quilters, rather than stories. The chosen quilts were from the DRC; Kenya (the Rehema Widows Quilt);Morocco; Nepal (one of the Mahilako Swastha quilts); Belize (the Orchids Quilt); Vietnam (the Vietnam Disability Quilt); Kosovo (the Gracanica Roma Quilt); and Bangladesh (the Women’s Microcredit Quilt).

Susan Schreurs, Alka Mital, and Nancy Evans from the Faithful Circle Quilt Guild with Laura Jones from AP. Alka and Nancy helped assembled the Women’s Health Quilt from Nepal, shown right. Susan worked on the Ahadi quilt, which was also exhibited.

The event was first and foremost an opportunity to thank friends and expand APs growing network. It opened with a reception at the Museum, and a presentation by AP, which attracted 130 visitors. They included three former Peace Fellows who had helped make the squares – Benan Grams and Mohammed Alshubrumi (who served in Morocco), and Kate Bollinger (Nepal). Several members from the Zonta Women’s Club of Washington, which has supported AP’s program of quilting since 2007, also attended (photo). Sarah Craven from the UNFPA, another long-time friend of AP’s quilt program, was also present.

We were also pleased to see several quilters from the Washington area who had worked on the quilts on display – Susan Schreurs, Nancy Evans and Alka Mital from the Faithful Circle Guide in Columbia (photo); and Beth Suddaby from the Sisters Choice Guild in Arlington, who was assembling a new quilt from Bangladesh at the time. Several experienced quilters who serve as docents at the Museum attended a briefing by AP before the event. One of them Helen Blumen, an experienced quilter from Chevy Chase, volunteered to help AP with future exhibitions.

As a Peace Fellow, Kate Bollinger organized the painting of squares for the Women’s Health Quilt in Nepal. She is shown here with members of the Zonta Club of Washington.

The Vietnam Disability Quilt at the exhibition entrance.

Mohamed Alshubrumi and Benan Grams served as Peace Fellows at the Ain Leuh weavers cooperative in Morocco in 2013. Cooperative members wove squares for the Moroccan Amizigh Quilt.

Karin Orr, from AP, discusses the Ahadi (Promise) quilts with visitors to the Westmoreland exhibition

Two weeks after the Noyes exhibition concluded, AP’s quilts went on display at the Westmoreland church in northwest Washington. The church occupies a prominent position on Massachusetts Avenue and has a reputation for promoting social justice. (Another group at the church was selling olive oil from Palestine when the quilt exhibition was being assembled.) Reverend Timothy Tutt encourages his large and enthusiastic congregation to get involved, and the church provided a splendid venue for the quilts, which were hung on corridors and the spacious lower level (photo).

Sarah Craven, who heads the UNFPA office in Washington and attends the church, made the initial connection. Marge Harvey, from the Church’s arts committee, then worked with AP to hang the quilts. Marge proved to be tireless and endlessly encouraging. She persuaded her colleagues to produce a large banner, which was placed outside the church to attract drivers.

Westmoreland church gave the exhibition fine publicity.

Iain Guest from AP introduced the exhibition with some brief remarks during the service on September 28. Iain and Karin Orr, from AP, then gave a longer presentation after the service. The quilts themselves were ranged along the walls of the upper corridor and in the large meeting hall on the ground floor. Marge manned a table and sold greeting cards.

Sixteen AP partner organizations, from 12 countries, contributed quilts to the Noyes exhibition. The following quilts were displayed: The Srebrenica Diaspora Memorial Quilt (Bosnia); the Rio Negro Memorial Textile (Guatemala); the Fifth Ahadi (Promise) Quilt (DRC); the River Gypsy Quilt (Bangladesh); the Vietnam Disability Quilt; the Moroccan Amazigh Quilt; the Maasai Girls Quilt (Kenya); the Rehema Widows’ Quilt (Kenya); the Women’s Microcredit Quilt (Bangladesh); the Belize Orchid Quilt; the Belize Forest Quilt; the Butonde Quilt (Uganda); the Sixth Love Blanket (Nepal); the Romano Trajo (Roma Life) Quilt (Lithuania); the Second and Third Mahilako Swastha (Women’s Health) quilts from Nepal; the Chintan Wastepickers’ Quilt (India); and the Gulu Disablity Quilt from Uganda.

Over two hundred women and children from the Global South made squares for these quilts, and around fifty American quilters, from 8 guilds, worked on assembling the quilts. Our thanks to them all, and a special thanks to Marge Harvey from the Westmoreland congregation, for helping to make the exhibition a great success.

Sarah Craven, a member of the Westmoreland congregation, in front of the Gulu Disability Quilt.

The hands for Henna Pride were painted by artists from the transgender and gay community in western India. The quilt was shown publicly for the first time at the Lowell exhibition.

In the spring of 2015, AP exhibited ten quilts at the New England Quilt Museum, in Lowell. Lowell is a former textile town that now serves as a center for refugee resettlement in the northeast. While the mills themselves have long closed and been transformed into elegant office buildings, Lowell retains a strong link to its past as a textile center through the quilt museum, which is well known in the US and internationally. AP was particularly pleased to show quilts at the museum given that several AP quilts have been assembled by Barbara Barber and Allison Wilbur from New England.

Allison’s own organization, Quilt for Change, joined AP as a co-sponsor of the exhibition. This was the second time the two groups had joined forces to show quilts, and the Lowell exhibition again underscored their different but complementary approaches. AP helps marginalized groups in the Global South to tell their story through embroidery of weaving and asks American quilters to assemble the quilts. Quilt for Change asks American quilters to make and donate quilts on a development issue. Several of Alison’s quilts were on the theme of solar energy.

This was the first public showing of Henna Pride, from India. This spectacular quilt is made up of hands painted with henna that are overlaid on a dark blue background that grows lighter towards the edges. The hands are reaching up, as if seeking to escape from the dark. The hands were painted in the state of Gujarat, India, by gay and transgender artists under the auspices of the Vikalp Women’s Group. Vikalp, an AP partner, advocates for the rights of tribal women and members of the LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) community. Peace Fellow Gisele Bolton helped the artists and brought the squares back to the US, where they were assembled by John Anderson and Nancy Evans.

Allison Wilbur, from Quilt for Change, and Iain Guest from AP at the opening of the Lowell exhibition.

Experts from the museum were full of praise for Henna Pride. Pamela Weeks, curator at the Museum observed: “This is a wonderful example of an art that is typical of the region from whence it comes and yet is transformed by an American quilter. It starts with a dark center representing the darkness of being alone, of persecution, and then it gets brighter. What I have learned in my years as a curator is that every quilt has a story to tell – whether it’s a mid-19th century New England family through a signature quilt or transgender people from India. Quilts are objects of comfort that can be used to tell stories. These are beautiful quilts that tell difficult stories.”

Nora Burchfield, Executive Director of the Museum, agreed. “It’s a difficult story to tell in a way that’s accessible. People respond to quilts. They pull you in and they are non-threatening, but at the same time you are telling a story that is very sad. It’s an impressive exhibition.”

Ten AP partners from 8 countries provided the following quilts for the Lowell exhibition: Henna Pride (India); the River Gypsy Quilt (Bangladesh); the Rehema Widows’ Quilt (Kenya); the Women’s Microcredit Quilt (Bangladesh); the Belize Forest Quilt; the Fifth Ahadi (Promise) Quilt (DRC); the Romano Trajo (Roma Life) Quilt (Lithuania); the Second Mahilako Swastha (Women’s Health) Quilt (Nepal); the Chintan Wastepickers’ Quilt (India); and the Gracanica Roma Quilt (Kosovo).

Elegant setting: The exhibition was held at Ochre Court, overlooking the ocean

Salve Regina University used 19 advocacy quilts to make a powerful plea for compassion and mercy at an elegant exhibition in March.

The exhibition, “A Global Call for Mercy – Vulnerable Communities Speak Out Through Quilts,” was held at Ochre Court, a spectacular university building that overlooks the ocean, between March 8 and March 16. The show attracted scores of students, staff, Newport residents and quilters from the region.

The exhibition was organized by students in the Nuala Pell Leadership Program at Salve Regina and arranged around the themes of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, a year-long campaign for social justice launched by Pope Francis. The themes were nonviolence; women; earth and the environment; immigration; racism; and children. Salve Regina was founded by the Catholic Sisters of Mercy and is deeply committed to the Jubilee mission.

Alexis Jankowski, left, a student docent and team leader, with Bobbi Fitzsimmons, who assembled two quilts in the exhibition from Kosovo and Uganda.

This was the first exhibition of advocacy quilts organized by students, and in keeping with the academic purpose each of the Salve Regina students acted as a docent for one of the themes. The students visited AP in Washington and took inspiration from their message. “Many of the images are graphic, but these are personal statements and a plea to be heard,” said Kay Scanlan, a sophomore at Salve Regina and student leader who spoke at the reception.

Alexis Jankowski, another team leader, served as the docent for the women’s quilts and said she had learned a lot from the quilts and from explaining their message: “Newport does have that reputation about being about money, but there really are a lot of genuine, caring and interested people (here). It taught me a lot about the Newport community and the communities we were representing.” Alexis and the other docents are profiled on the next tab to this page and feature in this video produced by Salve Regina on the event.

Kathryn Clancy, a student from the Nuala Pell program, described quilts on the theme of children.

More than 150 individuals from the Global South, almost all of them women and children, contributed embroidered squares for the 19 quilts on display. This was the first public showing for the Mali Camel Quilt, which was embroidered by women from northern Mali while they were recovering from war rape at a center in Bamako run by Sini Sanuman, an AP partner. The squares were assembled by Merry May, from the South Shore Stitchers Guild in Marmora, New Jersey.

Most of the quilts on display were put together in the US by American quilters and three attended the March 10 reception. Bobbi Fitzsimmons, who worked on the Gracanica quilt from Kosovo and the Child Protection Quilt – which was made by families that lost children to child sacrifice – drove from North Carolina for the event.

The Mali Camel Quilt was exhibited for the first time at Salve Regina

Two quilters from Rhode Island also attended. Allison Wilbur, a long-time partner of AP and founder of Quilt for Change, led the quilting of the Chintan Wastepickers’ Quilt. Ruth Sears, president of Quilters by the Sea, a guild in Portsmouth RI, also worked on the Chintan quilt and praised the exhibition. “I’m very impressed. It’s amazing to see all the work and the fantastic things that have been depicted here. But it’s (also) kind of sad to hear the stories.”

Following the reception, Kathryn Clancy, another of the Salve Regina docents, exhibited several quilts on the theme of children at the Thompson Middle School in Newport town, accompanied by Iain Guest from AP. The students, aged from 11 to 12, reflected the diversity of America and came from countries as diverse as Bulgaria, India, Yemen and Ethiopia.

Students at the Thompson Middle School in Newport admire the Maasai Girls’ Quilt

The students seemed particularly impressed by the Maasai Girls’ Quilt, which expresses the dreams of Maasai schoolgirls, and the Chintan Wastepickers’ quilt, which was painted onto scraps of recycled clothing by children who were rescued from garbage in Delhi. Following the presentation, Lisa Olaynack, their teacher, launched a competition for the best product made from recycling.

Salve Regina posted this video on the exhibition after the event. AP also showed three videos of quilts being made at the reception – the Ahadi quilts from the DRC; the River Gypsy quilt from Bangladesh; and the Nunca Mas quilts from Peru. All are available on the AP Youtube site.