The Parachute Project
The Parachute Project was initiated by the Art Therapy in Schools Program as a contribution to the global effort called for by UNICEF to understand the impact of the pandemic on children and adolescents.
The initiative, open to all, invites communities to upcycle their masks through artistry. The masks represent and express the perspectives of marginalized and vulnerable youth. It was designed with guides for teachers, parents, and students to reflect on their experiences and discover unrealized gains amidst the pandemic's adversity. Each artist is photographed as part of a global mosaic.
Partnership with UNICEF
In September, Faculty Members Marygrace Berberian and Rohita Kilachand presented The Parachute Project at the Mental Health Prevention and Promotion in Schools and Learning Environments event organized by UNICEF, WHO, and UNESCO as part of the Transforming Education Summit held at the United Nations.
"The Transforming Education Summit is being convened in response to a global crisis in education – one of equity and inclusion, quality and relevance. Often slow and unseen, this crisis is having a devastating impact on the futures of children and youth worldwide. The Summit provides a unique opportunity to elevate education to the top of the global political agenda and to mobilize action, ambition, solidarity and solutions to recover pandemic-related learning losses and sow the seeds to transform education in a rapidly changing world."
The Art Therapy program praises the leadership of program alumna Patricia Landinez of UNICEF for forging this collaboration. The NYU Art Therapy in Schools Program was invited by UNICEF to showcase artwork from communities around the world as we honor individual expressions of the pandemic experience.