"If you judge a living library by its cover, you might miss your chance to hear a story that may change your life".
@Göktuğ - the participant of the international Training Course
The Living Library event took place in Vic on the 19 of April from 16 to 20 hours. It was organised with the support and for the experience of the participants of the Training Course "Expressions in Dialogue: Youth work supporting Inclusive Communities in Europe". The programme was dedicated to exploration and learning about Living Library methodology for social inclusion and dialogue.
Around 40 citizens from Remei neigbourhood of Vic visited the Living Library and read Human Books.
The event was hosted by the Public Library Pilarin Bayés, with support of the Comunalitat de Vic and Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission (financing the international Training Course, organised by the AHEAD).
Below there are the quotes from the participants of the international training course about the Living Library:
"A Living Library is not just a collection of books, it is a collection of lives, experiences, and learnings."
@Sayed
"An unforgettable experience that changed my perspective and the way I look at people everyday." @Majd
"They were, therefor I AM!!!" @Gani
"It is what inside a book that matters. You heard what I have done, not what I have been through."
@Zeynep
"For me, human book is just like a book, it describes a time filled with experiences. It means that people listen to each other with empathy." @Figen
“To hear and see, to be heard and seen” @Dilan
"It was an amazing experience sharing the story and getting connected to the readers and seeing their emotions during the interaction". @Nora
"Sometimes we focus too much on our own situation. Don't be scared to open yourself to the experience of a different person. We have more in common than our imagination suggests. I know I felt inspired and encouraged that real feelings and stories are right in front of me". @Cătălin
"A time to give a part of me to the other and in turn receive my reader's emotions. It was a way to exchange a piece of our souls and see the beauty, see the strength that each of us carries within. Thank you guys!" @Alesia
"If you judge a living library by its cover, you might miss your chance to hear a story ight change your life."
@Göktuğ
"Living Library in VIC was the great opportunity for me and readers of nice city to reduce prejudice across social, religious and ethnic division. And definitely the event reached its main purpose". @Madina
"Empowerful, touching, inspiring. How to put words into practice, human rights theories into emotions and people’lives". @Eva
"A Living Library is an act of bravery, in wanting to extend our view of the world exposing ourselves to discomfort and learn from mistakes and bravery of other people".
@Eusebio
"A living Library is an exceptional opportunity to experience one of the human stories that usually gets lost in the overall noise of our life". @Danny
"Living library was a unique experience where we all worked together and managed to create something beautiful sharing our stories, emotions and a little part of ourselves to help us come closer and become one". @Stella
"This Living Library was for me an experience of encounters between strangers who get to meet and be seen in our most intimate, vulnerable and authentic self. Feeling touched, connected, and mutually empowered: it was a gift that I both gave and received". @Adeline
The Living Library is a tool that seeks to challenge prejudice and discrimination. It works just like a normal library: visitors can browse the catalogue for the available titles, choose the Human Book they want to read, and borrow it for a limited period of time.
