The first international meeting dedicted to the albino:

In collaboration with the College of Burgomasters and Deputy Burgomasters of the City of Brussels, the International Non-Profit-Making Organisation “Ecran Total” organizes:

THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL MEETING DEDICATED TO THE ALBINOS:

What is albinism?

In a nutshell, albinism is world-widespread a genetic anomaly, here in Belgium, in Europe, in Africa, everywhere. Yet, nowadays, being albinos is still a source of exclusion, mistreatment and massacres…

Children suffering from ocular or oraculocutaneous albinism are born partially-sighted.

Those suffering from oculocutaneous albinism, besides partial sight, have a very clear skin and hair colour, as the latters are depigmented. This absence of pigments is produced by the absence of melanin. Melanin being a molecule that protects the skin from solar radiations, a lack thereof provokes skin problems going as far as skin cancer, and this mostly in Africa where albinos have no access to solar protections.

The International Non-Profit-Making Organisation “Ecran Total” aims at raising awareness concerning the problematic related to albinos. In this regard, it organizes the first international meeting dedicated to albinism on Saturday April 30th 2011.

This day will be divided in two distinct poles: firstly, a colloquium and secondly a charity gala whose profits will go to Ecran Total.

The colloquium will take place from 4p.m. to 8 p.m. in the highly prestigious Gothic Hall of City of Brussels Townhall located on the Great Place 1000 Brussels.

Entrance is free after subscriptions to the Centre for Equal Opportunities.

The aim of the colloquium is, above all, to inform so that albinism and its components be known and acknowledged, so that they stop being a source of misunderstanding and misconceptions.

- Véronique Del Marmol, head of dermatological unit of Hôpital Erasme

- Françoise Meire, head of clinic at University Queen Fabiola Pediatric-Ophthalmic Genetics Children Hospital.

- Pascale Jeambrun, Ethnologist and French doctor

- Médard Djatou, Cameroonian anthropologist

- Franck Vogel, French photographer

Personalities of international repute, albinos themselves:

- Shaun Ross, American top-model

- Thierry Moungalla, Congolese Minister of posts, telecommunication and new technologies of communication

-Alexandre Kasongo, Attorney at the Bar of Brussels

Representatives of organisations:

- Genespoir, French organization

- Hope for albino, Cameroonian organization

- VEAC, Cameroonian organization

The charity gala will begin at 8.30 p.m. in the Hall des Brigittines, Petite rue des Brigittines 1000 Brussels.

The gala will be named “From Obscurity to Light”

We will all become partially sighted during a meal through lightning effects. The catering will be provided by the new and already famous resto-formation Hazewée. As to the musical atmosphere, you will have the pleasure to (re)discover two talented performers, Manuel a blind DJ and Sarina, partially sighted and second in the final of Belgian Eurovision 2011.

Entrance to the charity gala is only possible by subscribing to Ecran Total.

This day will be devoted to sharing, sharing of knowledge, sharing of holdings, of learning to live together in order to demystify albinism.

- Subscription to the colloquium held at Brussels Townhall:

Centre of Equal Opportunities: 02/279.21.11 ; org.egalitedeschanes@brucity.be

- Reservations for the charity gala held at the Brigittines:

Price: € 30

Aisbl Ecran Total : +32 497 55 06 34 ; +32 485 10 31 45, ecran-total@gmail.org

Account number: 68-8918174-21

Hamza FASSI-FIHRI

Ahmed EL KTIBI

Bertin MAMPAKA

Collège des Bourgmestre et Échevins de la Ville de Bruxelles

Céline FRÉMAULT

Brussels deputee , Godmother of the event.