‘Earth’ postcard © Ella Aboutboul

The projects presented in this section are largely the products of personal interests and initiatives, which resulted in rewarding and lasting collaborations. The spectrum is wide and includes women's campaigns, inter-cultural relations and holocaust education.

previous projects

• Shared Realities Poster Campaign
A collaboration with Photographer Lana Wong, which highlighted shared values for women worldwide. With the generous support of environmental campaigner Bernadette Vallely, the series was exhibited at the Beijing International Forum on Women in 1995 and was later recommissioned by UNEP (UN Environmental Campaign) as their own campaign for women and the environment. Samples of the poster campaign were acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum's print collection in 1998.

• Architecture of Memory conference workshop
Organised by Counterpoint, the cultural relations think-tank of the British Council. I was approached by Counterpoint to plan a conference segment which we named as Architecture of Memory. With the help of experts from the fields of environmental planning, emerging technology and film studies, workshops were designed to address generic questions such as: 'Are we the creators or the creatures of our memory?’ and ‘How can we transcend our cultural memory and belonging in order to see 'the other'?

I was joined by Ken Worpole, writer and environmentalist to co-host a workshop entitled Pilgrims of the Future, where participants imagined their own funerals and designed memorials for future generations.

• Acts for Change conference
Act for Change brings transformative learning in schools based on holocaust education. I was approached by Act for Change to help plan their first conference - Acts for Change - and facilitate group events as part of the day. A mixed community that included educators, social entrepreneurs and genocide survivors gathered to share moving life experiences and to outline future collaborations based on cultural diversity. The programme included table dialogues, open forums and workshops in subjects such as the future of education, story telling, social remembrance and technology for social transformation.

• Space Dialogue monthly forum
Space Dialogue is a creative container for group exploration where personal life stories reflect collective transformation. It is the product of a study project which was initiated with the support of the School for Social Entrepreneurs, called Space to Change. Past programmes included dialogues with peace-builders Jo Berry and Patrick Magee, as well as Michael Groce, ex-offender and social poet.

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testimonials and comments

“Ella is experienced in encouraging people to make the journey that crosses the boundary between the personal and the collective; she specialises in provoking change in people and organisations by engaging with individual creativity.” From an editorial on the conference Eye to Eye in Thresholds, the British Council’s international magazine (Issue 2, 2005).

“I commissioned Ella to design the first Act for Change conference knowing that she will hold us up to our highest aspirations while maintaining the ground beneath our feat. Working with Ella enabled me to to see my fire, my passion and how it translates in an organisation in the making. More importantly, I saw what is possible when passion meets passion.

The conference played a pivotal role in engaging people and drawing them into a creative process of defining who we are, what we do and what values Act for Change holds. I am thankful to Ella for holding me up to the highest possibilities.” Co-founder and Development Manager, Act for Change

“The space meetings really have had a huge effect on me and over time the realization of what they are just seems to come more apparent rather than fade away.” Participant feedback on Space Dialogue 2006 series