he beauty of a hand woven carpet is inextricably linked to the people who make it. Yet today approximately 300,000 children weave the rugs that adorn North American and European homes. RugMark offers hope to these children. For over a decade RugMark's child-labor-free certification has made a meaningful difference in South Asian carpet weaving communities while transforming the industry that impacts them.
Faces of Freedom offers a look into the heart of that transformation. This traveling photo exhibition, part of RugMark's Most Beautiful Rug Campaign to end child labor, takes you behind the looms and inside the carpet factories of South Asia. The images, captured by photo documentarian, filmmaker and human rights educator U. Roberto Romano, are displayed in their entirety on this website.
The printed photographs, displayed in venues across North America through the end of 2009, will connect you to the positive, real-life difference made by RugMark and the companies that participate in its independent certification program. RugMark Foundation USA and its exhibition co-sponsor, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, hope that Faces of Freedom inspires you to take action.
Events Calendar
| Date | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| July 30, 2009 - August 30, 2009 | Odegard Inc's Dallas Showroom | Dallas, TX |
| September 23, 2009 - October 30, 2009 | UNICEF House | New York, NY |
| October 15, 2009 - March 15, 2010 | Miami International Airport | Miami, FL |
Recent Events
The Children's Theatre Company, the largest children's theater in North America, hosted Faces of Freedom throughout the running of the play Iqbal, the real-life story of a Pakistani carpet slave boy.
More…
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You can help RugMark end child labor and provide educational opportunities for children by making a tax-deductible donation today.
RugMark USA is a tax-exempt non-profit organization under Section 501(c)3 of the U.S. tax code.
Buy a Rug
An imported rug that was made using child labor is ugly no matter what. So look for the RugMark child-labor-free certification label. It's a mark of integrity and beauty.
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Help RugMark evaluate the effectiveness of the consumer awareness campaign. You might be eligible to win a rug certified child-labor-free by RugMark.
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Collections
- Carpet Manufacturing and Inspection
- Child Labor
- Rescue, Rehabilitation and Education
About the Photographer
U. Roberto Romano
Award-winning human rights educator, filmmaker and photographer U. Roberto Romano began his activism on the issue of child labor in 1995…
Read more…About RugMark
RugMark
is an international nonprofit organization working to end exploitative child labor in the handmade carpet industry and offer educational opportunities to children in India and Nepal. The RugMark label is your best assurance that no illegal child labor was used in the making of a carpet or rugSince 1994 RugMark has helped to reduce the number of child carpet weavers in South Asia from one million to 300,000. Now more children are going to school and living with hope for the future. This is the single most beautiful thing about an imported rug.
About UNICEF
For more than 60 years, UNICEF has been the world's leading international children's organization, working in over 150 countries to address the ongoing problems that contribute to child mortality. UNICEF provides lifesaving nutrition, clean water, education, protection and emergency response saving more young lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. While millions of children die every year of preventable causes like dehydration, upper respiratory infections and measles, UNICEF, with the support of partnering organizations and donors alike, has the global experience, resources and reach to give children the best hope of survival.
Acknowledgments
RugMark thanks Tibet Collection, Divine Chocolate, Meg Whitlock, and Duggal Visual Solutions for contributions to Faces of Freedom.
