Benetton Magazine

The first colourless Colors

Introducing the Benetton magazine with an issue dedicated to blind people around the world.…

Back Cover of Colors 72

There are 40 million blind people in the world. Colors devotes a black-and-white issue to them. The first colourless Colors, the first Colors you can read or listen to at home or while out and about. The magazine includes a free, four-language CD sound-tracked with gypsy music by the blind violinist Tcha Limberger. The audio version will also be supplied on a usb pen drive for the special issue directed at leading institutes and foundations for the blind.

Colors 72 explored the sightless side of the world and found out how it is to be part of a minority in a world order designed for the majority. A world without colour but rich in nuances, just as losing your sight doesn’t mean losing the meaning of things. For example, we discover that to Cecilia, a young world swimming champion, the water changes according to her mood and the rituals she performs before the race. And Michael, a corporate executive, describes how he and his co-workers survived the 11 September attacks by walking down the stairs from the 78th floor.

Rob Quest

Michael is still able to work, like Jackson, whose whole world is his bread and his family. Everyone calls him “premier”; he’s a South African baker and a proud husband. For the past five years his small bakery has provided jobs and food for the little village of Chabane. From South Africa to Ghana to learn the technique and secrets of the Ahator brothers, whose blindness didn’t stop them becoming expert fishermen. And then the war – the wars – of Iranian Javad and American James; Christel’s love, which even the Berlin Wall couldn’t defeat...

After many real-life stories, the Yellow Pages (Colors’ mini encyclopaedia on blindness) provide a wide range of information and news: scientific advances, pioneering treatments, the latest medical discoveries, international prevention campaigns.

With an introduction written by Sabriye Tenberken – founder of Braille Without Borders and co-director of the first school for the blind in Tibet – and photos taken by pupils from artist Tony Deifell’s school of photography for the blind, Colors 72–Without Colors will be on sale in Autumn 2007.

Tcha Limberger

Furthermore, as from this issue, Colors becomes even more international than before: in addition to its three bilingual editions – English with Italian, French or Spanish – there will be a Chinese edition (the fruit of an agreement with publishers China Intercontinental Press).

Let’s not forget the global medium, Internet. The website, too - www.colorsmagazine.com – is richer than ever and is now accessible to the blind and partially sighted.

Kwabla and Yaovi Ahator