HARTÏ - THE HISTORY

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HARTÏ came to life via a collaborative team project for submission in the Geneva Challenge 2017 in Switzerland. The three team members are master's students in international relations and political science and have diverse specializations in various areas. 

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THE GOAL

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Leverage innovation || Boost creativity || Create sustainable employment

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The cultural and creative industries offer tremendous potential in terms of long-term, sustainable employment. These industries are highly internationalized and serve as global connectors among seemingly disparate countries, crafts, and cultures: Van Gogh’s paintings can be found in New York, Native American pottery is exhibited in Paris, and African masks hang in museums in Beijing.

 

However, despite rich cultural histories and immense potential for a creative-based employment, certain countries around the world, including Haiti, are woefully behind vis-à-vis all other regions. Creative and cultural industries employed 4.7 million people in North America, 7.7 in Europe, 12.7 million in Asia-Pacific, and 2.4 million in Africa and the Middle East, versus 1.2 million in Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

The  growing global art market provides an opportunity to spur job growth in Haiti, a country wracked by vulnerability and instability. The best method to leverage innovation, boost creativity, and create sustained employment is via HARTÏ.

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HARTI is a vehicle for collective bargaining, consumer feedback, and cultural celebration. Among developing countries, economies have begun to benefit from added efficiency in production and labour quality (Cowen: 2011). As a factor of production that can be developed outside of a traditional economic framework, focusing development on labour—specifically with communications and trade efficiency at the individual level, encourages a direct connection between the entrepreneurially inclined but unemployed labour force, and the international market for creative capital.

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The HARTÏ model does not require formalized institutional support—such as new regulatory systems or enhanced public capacity. Its easy implementation and comparably low vulnerability to exogenous conditions make HARTÏ attractive. The platform also capitalizes on advantageous pre-existing conditions, such as a robust informal economy, a decentralized market, a culture-rich and creative capital, and an adaptable workforce that stands ready to meet the demands of international opportunity. Members of the informal workforce can realize additional capital gains if they are able to benefit from the quality and increased value of their product over time without losing money to the cost of formalization.

 

Supporting creative capital throughout Haiti’s urban and rural populations creates a labour force adaptable to cyclical unemployment.

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