URBANA, Ill. — Global Relations, a unit within Illinois International, is cosponsoring this year’s Meet Your Neighbors: Human Library Event from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Urbana Free Library.
The event will be held at the Urbana Free Library in the Busey-Mills and MacFarlane-Hood reading rooms. There’ll be arts and crafts and snacks will be provided. It is free and open to all ages.
Global Relations is cosponsoring the event with the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, The Urbana Free Library and the New American Welcome Center.
Inspired by The Human Library®, a movement which started in Denmark in 2000, the event will be held as part of the events featured during 2024 National Welcoming week. Human Library events aim to celebrate diversity in all aspects and create a safe space where people can have conversations and not feel judged about who they are. In particular, the “human books” will often represent a group in the society that is often subjected to prejudice, stigmatization or discrimination because of their lifestyle, diagnosis, belief, disability, social status, ethnic or country origin, etc.
Speaking about the event, Dr. Peggy Nzomo, specialist for International Library Initiatives and senior associate at the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, one of this year’s event organizers said that the event aims to introduce “internationalization at home” to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign community, a concept which celebrates the fact that we get to experience the world through our interactions with the many international students and immigrants who come to our community, right here at home.
Dr. Nzomo said the event is specifically designed to be family friendly and is aimed at fostering intercultural competency and global understanding as well as welcoming newcomers to the community while embracing diversity and fostering a sense of belonging. Ten countries will be featured: Algeria, Brazil, Congo, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Africa, Yemen and Mexico. Topics covered in the conversations include geographic location, cuisine, languages, and culture, all based on the volunteer’s knowledge and experience. This is only the second year the Mortenson Center is organizing this event.
We hope to see you there!