We are back with our next conference!
Due to the ongoing circumstances, this one (like last one) will also be held entirely online.
On the 30th September to the 1st October, UNITED, in cooperation with the Oslo municipality, will be hosting a conference, covering the topics of youth, women, refugees and minorities, NGOs, and intersectionality.
As life slowly regains its course, and we all grapple with this unprecedented health crisis, one wonders: what mark has it left in people’s minds, in the bodies of societies?
It may be too early to draw any conclusions, but one thing we can definitely identify is the sheer mismatch between power and discrimination that this pandemic has highlighted. This crisis has amplified an already problematic social reality: it has reflected the concept of vulnerability, that is, the sensitivity of an individual to a risk, and his ability to adapt to it. All individuals are vulnerable, but those who do not have the resources to adjust are not only even more vulnerable but would also be held responsible for their failure.
We have seen, for example, a surge of hatred against a list of minority groups. People of Asian descent, Roma, refugees were accused of spreading the virus throughout Europe. In addition to the stigma, hate speech, and physical violence that such minority groups suffered, they also faced discrimination in access to fundamental health rights. It is clear that we are not all equal in the face of risks.
It is along this line of thinking that UNITED For Intercultural Action and Oslo Municipality designed the second conference of 2020, scheduled for September 30 – October 01, to be held online.
This conference will be organized in two parts: the first workshop will be dedicated to collect the field experience of what has happened, the second will look at good practices, what we can do and learn and how to prevent further problems. After the 2nd workshop we will compile a list of recommendations or implementable strategy we would like to disseminate after. For the most complete reflection possible on the implications of COVID, we decided to set up several working groups on different vulnerable populations: women, refugees, youth, minorities, NGOs.
Register your interest by filling out the form here!
A detailed agenda can be found below: