 |
Who we are„I am one man among seven billion others. For the past 40 years, I have been photographing our planet and its human diversity, and I have the feeling that humanity is not making any progress. We are still incapable of living together. Why? I didn’t look for an answer in statistics or analysis, but in man himself. Today, it is in eyes, in faces and in words that I see a forceful means of reflecting the human soul.“ Yann Arthus-Bertrand, renowned photographer and director, is driven by the question of what it really means to be human. A unique combination of testimonies and self-reflection, the documentary “Human” analyses the lives of people on our planet that have been torn apart by wars and conflicts and at the same time maintained by empathy and solidarity. For three years, Yann Arthus-Bertrand travelled the world to interview over 2000 people in 70 countries and to photograph their environments. The interviews are complemented by contributions from journalists and human rights activists. HUMAN is a powerful portrait of mankind that reflects on topics such as women, justice, tolerance, poverty, war and happiness from different perspectives and reveals the differences and similarities that lie in the unknown and ultimately in our own self. A film intended to be seen by the world. The GoodPlanet foundation, initiated by Arthus-Bertrand, is committed to making this film accessible to as many people as possible. It’s being screened in cinemas, schools, the Internet and even at the UN General Assembly. All three parts of the documentary are available for free and in full HD on the YOUTUBE channel. What makes us human beings? What defines humanity? How do we become who we are? How much of us is part of seven billion others? |
The heart is pretty much a universal symbol for and love affection – globally and unmistakeably. And even if there should a society where it’s not, it seems pretty great and almost ironic that this little symbol has become part of universal understanding. And as far as we know, there is no general symbol for war and hatred. After 15 years of development work, Catrina Occhio felt the need to do something more. She started a project called SeeMe, which supports the production and distribution of luxury products with fair and long-term working conditions as well as a genuine concept of charity. Aid is not the main focus, but much rather enabling the socially underprivileged to lead a free and self-determined life. Carina founded the jewelry label not only to offer consolation and support, but also to help especially women in North Africa and the Middle East to start a new life driven by courage and filled with new perspectives. Her message is quite simple: Replace violence with love! The heart symbol is the main element in all her creations. What might fade quickly or seem cheesy to some, becomes a powerful message based on its background. Working under fair conditions and using traditional methods, each woman puts part of her life (and personal history of suffering) into each piece of jewelry she creates while working under fair conditions and using traditional techniques. The heart symbol no longer merely stands for affection, it also claims that love is greater than hate, violence and revenge. That is something extremely powerful. The jewelry pieces themselves become symbols to be worn with pride. They come in all sorts of different sizes and variations. View the full collection 
