An exhibition of the innovative approaches to disasters from Asian countries

"EARTH MANUAL PROJECT – This Could Save Your Life", is an exhibition collaboration between The Japan Foundation Asia Center and Parsons School of Design/The New School, in cooperation with Design and Creative Center Kobe (KIITO) / Plus Arts. On view from September 27, 2018 until December 12, 2018, the exhibition is being held at Parsons School of Design/The New School's Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, located at 2 West 13th Street, New York, New York.

The inaugural EMP exhibition was held in 2013 at the Design and Creative Center Kobe (KIITO) in Kobe-city, Hyogo, Japan. It has since traveled to several venues in the Philippines and Thailand; this New York exhibition marks its North American debut.

The EMP exhibition showcases some of the best practices for dealing with disasters at different stages, from preparedness education to response and relief efforts, with a particular focus on ones that use creative design ideas. Originating in Japan, this exhibition includes the HANDs! Project initiated by the Japan Foundation Asia Center, and examples of work from countries with frequent natural disasters such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Projects introduced in the exhibition utilize distinctly creative and innovative approaches to disaster issues.

About Exhibition

Earth Manual Project – This Could Save Your Life is an exhibition, collaborated between The Japan Foundation Asia Center and Parsons School of Design/The New School, in cooperation with Design and Creative Center Kobe (KIITO) / Plus Arts.

International transportation for this exhibition is generously supported by ANA (All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd ). This exhibition is made possible with the cooperation of the NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). Special support is provided by the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations. Special thanks to Japan Society, Inc.; AIG Japan; MUJI (Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.); and Procter & Gamble Japan.

A selection of the exhibits

• Emergency! Kaeru Caravan! (Japan) is an emergency drill program for families; this has become extremely popular in Japan for its engaging educational programming and game-like activities; it is conducted in tandem with a popular toy exchange event. Versions of the Caravan has traveled outside Japan and as of March 2018, they have been conducted in 19 different countries.
• How to Craft Safety videos (Japan) are produced by NHK World-Japan (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) are brief video clips that show how-to quickly fashion items that may be needed after a disaster, such as origami plates made of newspaper and beds made of cardboard boxes.
• HANDs! Project (Japan and other 8 Asian Countries) is an annual youth exchange initiative to learn and produce innovative disaster prevention programs and involves young professionals and students from 9 countries in Asia with 100 participants and 27 outcome projects since 2014, reaching out to 90,000+ people on the ground level. It has received numerous mainstream media coverage (TV, magazines, newspapers, online media) in ASEAN countries and Japan. Accomplishments can be viewed at : www.handsproject.asia/en.html
• Roo su Flood videos (Thailand) educate viewers on how to deal with what could happen before, during and after flooding using animation to draw and hold viewers' attention.
• Paper Partition System 4 (Japan) is a partition system made of fabric and paper tubes designed by architect Shigeru Ban for use in evacuation facilities to provide privacy and personal space for evacuees.
• Core House (Indonesia) is a minimal shelter unit that is designed to be built on and expanded at later points, providing disaster survivors freedom to use the unit to suit their needs.
• Lost Homes (Japan) is an architectural model showing a town before it was destroyed by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake in a tsunami. Details such as roof colors and names of residents were added by the survivors as part of a healing process.

EMP is covered by the "UN in Action" by United Nations.
"Disaster Reduction: It Could Save Your Life"

Related Programs

During the exhibition period, specialists from Indonesia, Thailand and Japan will have open lectures as follows;

This is the certified project of beyond 2020 program.