From 11 to 13 May 2022, the UNESCO Chair in Refugee Integration Through Languages and the Arts (RILA) is organising their 5th annual Spring School: The Arts of Integrating.

This three day event is a collection of workshops, performances, discussions and presentations to share efforts at furthering integration, rethink the current society, coin new ideas and co-create cultural practices. It is both a showcase and an incubator for creative and linguistic work around integration and community building.

This year the Spring School is linking conceptually with the Festival of Europe (FoE), and is one of a series of interconnected events which take place throughout the UK from May to September 2022 called The Summer of Europe. It is to be a celebration of culture, values and hope.

The UNESCO Chair is also partnering on The People's Global Summit, an initiative seeking to shape a Global Values Declaration for a new eco-social world that will be delivered to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in July 2022 and will create a catalyst for further global action.

In this year's Spring School, we draw out the concept of values a little further, by exploring the following questions:

  • Do we need shared values? How do we decide what these are? Where do we get them from?
  • How do values interact with identity or identities. How do identities interact with each other?
  • How do identities and/or values change in response to different or shifting relationships with people/places/objects?
  • In what way are our values shaped by the environment, by our and others’ cultures, by our experiences and understanding and by histories? And how do our values shape them in turn?
  • Can we employ shared values to bring people together? How do we do this?

Keynotes:

Contributors:

  • Rachel Burke (University of Newcastle, Australia)
  • Rachel Morley (clinical and community psychologist), Lucy Cathcart-Frödén (community development practitioner, researcher, musician)
  • Seif Eddine Jlassi (Fanni Raghman Anni)
  • Hyab Yohannes, Giovanna Fassetta and Maria Grazia Imperiale (all UofG)
  • Christian Hanser (University of Edinburgh)
  • Saskia de Wildt (Queen's University, Canada), Leonard Netser (Coral Harbour, Nunavut)
  • Ewa Szwabowicz, Alessio Di Pinto and Flore Fridén (Spray Peace)
  • Dr Yvonne Skipper (UofG), Daniel Boatwright (University of Strathclyde)
  • Dr Gameli Tordzro, Dr Sadie Ryan (both UofG)
  • Mirna Šolić (UofG), Alice König (University of St Andrews)
  • Pinar Aksu (UofG)
  • Mia Gubbay (community development officer), Francesca Zappia, Paria Goodarzi (both UNESCO RILA Affiliates)
  • Tawona Sitholé (UofG)
  • Christine Kammerer (musician and composer)
  • Paria Goodarzi (UNESCO RILA Affiliate), Mousa AlNana (artist)
  • Ashley Beckett, Gün Orgun (both City of Sanctuary)
  • Marzanna Antoniak (Poetry Patter)
  • Naa Densua Tordzro (MIDEQ)
  • Esme Smithson Swain, Lidewij van der Vaart, Jeremy Vial, Alaa Aldrobe (all Right2Education)
  • Les P’tits Déjs Solidaires
  • MIN Voices (Maryhill Integration Network)
  • Brittnee Leysen (UofG)
  • Joyous Choir (Maryhill Integration Network)

Evening programme:

  • GRAMNet Film Series Watch Party and discussion

First published: 6 May 2022

<< 9 May 2022


UNESCO RILA Spring School 2022: The Arts of Integrating