The importance of arts and culture in post-disaster responses
Humanitarian crises around the world have highlighted the importance of multidimensional community led post disaster responses. This article explores the innovative strategy adopted in Mexico in the aftermath of the 2017 earthquakes, which included cultural interventions to help survivors cope with trauma. Reading mediators (Mediadores de Lectura) a network of trained volunteers provided reading, storytelling and other book related activities to children and their families. This network became a key psychosocial intervention and was later consolidated into a national policy. The experience of the Reading Mediators and its community driven approach to post disaster recovery demonstrates that arts and culture based practices can assist communities and build resilience.
Citation
Hirsu, L., Arizpe, E., & McAdam, J. E. (2020). Cultural interventions through children's literature and arts-based practices in times of disaster: A case study of reading mediators' response to the Mexican earthquakes (September 2017). International journal of disaster risk reduction, 51, 101797.