The book, a joint effort stemming from the reflection process initiated by the GRAHN, presents 175 proposals addressing areas as varied as land and the environment, economic development and job creation, national infrastructures, the rebuilding of state and governance, public health and the population, solidarity and social development, the education system, heritage and culture, and urgent and long-term actions. Besides issuing recommendations to the country's current and future leaders, the book outlines some 20 rebuilding projects.

The book launch was also an opportunity for GRAHN to reveal its short-term action plan:

• Create a GRAHN-World development fund (Fonds d'investissement et de développement d'Haïti -- FIDHA G-M) that could officially begin operations by early spring 2011;
• Jointly with the Fondation Paul-Gérin-Lajoie, create a Québec alliance for reinforcing Haiti's education system (Alliance québécoise pour le renforcement de l'éducation en Haïti -- AQREH);
• In June 2011, in co-operation with other stakeholders, organize a national conference on reforming Haiti's education system;
• Provide technical support for opening a university in Port-de-Paix and Jacmel;
• Donate and distribute 300 computers to schools and universities destroyed by the earthquake, an initiative of GRAHN-France with support from Haiti's department of education and training (MENFP);
• Launch GRAHN-UQAM's "educational radio" project, financed by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, as part of the RENACER project to build a national network of resource centres to the benefit of the MENFP and Haiti's education system;
• Publish a journal of unimpeachable credibility to serve as a public communications tool. This publication would be intended as a natural extension of the GRAHN's work to underscore its positive influence and prolong its mission of reflection and action, as well as to accompany the country throughout its long process of reconstruction and rebirth.

The book, the combined effort of over 120 co-authors and contributors, is the work of GRAHN-World under the direction of founding member Samuel Pierre. GRAHN-World, an international citizens' watch organization, promotes an inclusive approach to articulating the framework for Haiti's reconstruction. Rather than merely repairing damaged physical infrastructures, the organization advocates sustained reflection in aid of generating structured, co-ordinated actions grounded in the rule of law, sharing, solidarity, education, respect for the environment and the common good.

"Throughout the history of our people, many citizens have addressed the challenges of our country from various perspectives, in order to analyze them and attempt to understand and solve them," said Samuel Pierre, the founding member of GRAHN-World who directed the contributions of over 120 authors and contributors to Construction d'une Haïti Nouvelle. Vision et contribution du GRAHN. "Numerous writers, novelists, and essayists have produced high-quality work in order to tackle various aspects of Haiti's problems according to their personal perspectives, their schools of thought, or those pertaining to their era."

Mr. Pierre continued: "However, outside the political circles, few works emerged from pooling the thoughts of a group of citizens that brings together people with various expertise and different sensitivities to globally address the issues which plague the country. In this sense, the GRAHN approach is a somewhat unique citizen initiative which investigates in a humble yet profound manner the entire set of problems that plague the country, according to a holistic approach that takes into account the relationships that link the issues."

Samuel Pierre, Eng., PhD, is a full professor at Polytechnique Montréal and holder of an industrial research chair. A Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec, he is also a Fellow of Engineering Institute of Canada and member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

Construction d'une Haïti Nouvelle. Vision et contribution du GRAHN
ISBN: 978-2-553-01553-3
Published in: November 2010
Number of pages: 646
Price: 70.00 $ CAD

GRAHN: http://www.haiti-grahn.org
Presses internationales Polytechnique: http://www.polymtl.ca/pub