Composing Multiculturalism by Associação Spin

C o m p o s i n g Composing Multiculturalism Multiculturalism Lisbon, June 2015

Composing Multiculturalism In June 2015 Associação Spin promoted “Composing Multiculturalism”, an international training course supported by the “Erasmus+ Youth in Action” programme. The program gathered, 24 youth workers and youngsters from 9 countries around Europe for 10 days in Lisbon. Having so many different cultures coexisting together is one of Europe’s main riches. However, it’s not always perceived like this. The events of the first two decades of the twenty-first century have showed us that it’s crucial to respect others and to understand each other’s culture and ways of interpreting reality. Europe was built by many countries and cultures together, so it’s critical not to forget the importance of multiculturalism and all its benefits. In an economically and socially challenging moment, like the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath, it is important that the coexistence of these cultures and ways of thinking is perceived as positive, treasured and promoted, enabling each culture to provide its best characteristics to the development of Europe and the World. Based on the belief that photography is a powerful medium, able to transmit messages, change minds and attitudes, the course intended to provide participants from Czech Republic, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain with the possibility to use photography as an instrument to communicate and foster multiculturalism. Participants learned how to use Photography as a tool to transmit a specific

C o m pMulticulturalism osing Composing Multiculturalism

message, especially a message that promotes the benefits of multiculturalism, reinforcing people’s awareness of other cultures, promoting intercultural dialogue, eliminating prejudice and fostering an inclusive society. By the end of the training course, participants were asked to reflect on multiculturalism and translate it to photographic projects. This book, along with a website and a photo exhibition in Lisbon, is the showcase of the participants’ individual projects.

This project was funded by the European Union

http://cmtc.a-spin.pt

Name: Agnija Kazusa Country: Latvia Motivation: I (...) want to take part in this training course to exchange ideas and learn of possible ways of spreading multiculturalism in a natural way embracing each and every form of diversity. I was very excited to see that photography will be used as a method to communicate and foster multiculturalism. I think it is a very good instrument to use: in order to embrace the difference, we must see them at first and feel happy about them.

Pastel de Nata It was an early morning in October 2010 when my Japanese friend and I arrived in Shanghai for the World Expo. There, we met another Japa-

I saw those cute, round, crème pastries, sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Seeing them in small bakeries all over Lisbon was like

nese girl, a friend of my friend, who received us with a box of yellowish

reassuring to myself again and again, that they come from Portugal. But

pastries. “Please have,” she invited us standing with an open box. We took

even then I could not abandon the Chinese relation that my story had. If

one each and immediately surrendered to the creamy, sweet and delicious

not the pastry, the presence of China in Lisbon was obvious on streets, in

taste of the pastry that she called an egg tart.

food and culture. This is how I met Van, a Chinese man living in Portugal

After that first time, I returned to China several times and ate many more egg tarts. I found them mostly in the southern parts of China. Moreover, I thought I should somehow bring this miracle home and

for more than twenty years. Over a cup of coffee, he told me that Pastel de Nata has come to China recently. “No more than 10-15 years ago,” he specified. “It actually spread from Hong Kong where an English man opened a

introduce it to my family as Chinese traditional pastry. It was hard to

small Pastel de Nata bakery. He got the idea from Macau, the first Euro-

make it happen though. The distance between China and Europe was too

pean colony in China by the Portuguese.”

long to bring the egg tart home fresh. Having completed my mission in Chi-

No doubt, the Portuguese are proud of their pastry. Manteigaria bakery

na, I returned to Europe to do an internship at the European Commission

in Lisbon offers not only to buy, but also see the making of Pastel de Nata.

in Brussels. While observing and learning how Europe is governed, I also

They say that Chinese egg tart is more eggy whereas in Portugal, they use

learnt who actually “governs” the delicious pastry that I tasted in China.

lemon juice and cinnamon to fade away the taste of egg. Meanwhile, The

There was a Portuguese lady working in my unit. One day, she brought to

World Needs Nata bakery on the other corner believes, that “Nata was

the office egg tarts and introduced them as Portuguese traditional pastries.

born to take the most delicious sweet taste from Lisbon to the four corners

“Oh, you also have them,” I boldly intervened, convinced that those must

of the planet”. That is how I will finally bring Pastel de Nata home. Fresh

be Chinese egg tarts. “No, they are Portuguese,” she argued. That’s how I

from the oven, packed in a box of six, it will need to survive only a few

learnt the truth.

hours on a plane to Riga, where I will introduce it as a pastry that comes

A few years later, I went to Portugal. My heart jumped each time when

from Portugal.

Name: Pastel de Nata Date of Birth: Before 18th century Country of Birth: Portugal Parents: Catholic monks at the Jer贸nimos Monastery Places visited: Angola, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, France, Goa, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Macau, Mainland China, Malacca, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, the United States, and others

I first tasted it in China.

Van from China (on the left) says that Pastel de Nata spread in China from Hong Kong, where it was brought from Macau, a Portuguese former colony.

In Portugal, they use lemon juice and cinnamon to fade away the taste of egg, whereas Chinese egg tart is more eggy.

Fresh from the oven, packed in a box of six, it is easy to bring Pastel de Nata home.

Name: Aneta Blachewicz Country: Poland Motivation: I’d like to connect the two areas which I studied both by myself and at the University separately.

“Never Better” In 2011, Jonathan Ornstein coined the provocative slogan “Never Better”. The purpose was to make people aware that the Jewish community living in our country is not the past, or a separate entity, but that the Jews are an inseparable part of the polish society and a strong community in Krakow. The words “Never Better” were deliberately disorienting counterpoint to the slogan “Never Again”, associated with the memory of the Holocaust and the fight against prejudice against Jews. Words “Never Better”, however, have not indicative of the amount of things or functioning institutions such as the JCC, which greatly revolutionized and integrated Krakow Jews, but mainly on the conditions in which the Jewish community coexists with people of other ethnic and national pedigrees and functions in contemporary realities. Moreover, according to Jonathan Ornstein, there were no more optimistic times for being a Jew in Krakow as they are nowadays. This slogan has inspired me to ask women associated with the Jewish community, or persons who have Semitic ancestors of how to define the concept of happiness. The result is a dozen of works that bring to their personal definition of happiness. Do the words “Never Better” and authentically also will remain in the coming decades? Find it out with these photos with shared stories and definition of happiness and let’s hope so...

I think that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy. This is despite the Holocaust, which I survived with my mother. It seems to me that I used my life well. I enjoy my family.

feel that we have a future. I enjoy the people. Moreover, since I survived the Holocaust, I talk to groups about my experiences. Furthermore, I take

I have a place to live beside my home, and this is the place - the JCC, where

an active part in the religious life. I share my knowledge and I am needed.

all generations meet. This place, the quality of life ... I was missing it ear-

And this is much more important than many things.

lier. I have nearly 80 years. Here, in the JCC, we meet, and when I hear these enthusiastic voices of younger members of the Jewish community, I

Man, therefore, to have and to feel happiness, it must be needed, respected. I feel that every moment is meaningful.

For me, happiness is a sense of inner peace. When I do not feel fear of the next day and what surrounds me, when in my heart there is no uncertainties, I’m happy.

I do not know if it’s better now than in the past because I live in the here and now, not back then. It’s very difficult for me to compare. It is well because I have ideas, the joy of their realization, and they help me to build up on common shares tightening ties and relationships with others. A lot of my positive energy is put into it, to teach, interest, show and give. It is somehow like “never better” because still Krakow as a city, and as a place for Jews, requires a lot of work and a lot of effort. Such work and such efforts seem to me beneficial to humans. My happiness is also the fact that I can be a witness of the changes taking place nowadays and to attend to them.

I refer to the words “Never better” critically. The times for the Jewish community are not the best in the light of current Israeli policies, both internal and external. Jews do not want war with a Palestine, but it reflects and effects on the entire Jewish community around the world. The modern Jewish nationalism is on the one hand anti anti-Semitism, and on the other kind of fake folklore for show, theatricals. We enjoy this show of folklore for the show nicely, because it’s some kind of a counter-attack to rooted and still existing anti-Semitism. I understand bringing the flag as sympathy and solidarity. But Israel’s current policy boils down to the fact that, for example, eighteen year olds feel remorse because they wonder whether rattle off compulsory military service and having peace or to desert and face potential difficulties until the end of their lives. They are forced to make decisions contrary to their attitudes. It deprives them of their freedom of choice.

I believe that the happiness is something you have to fight for, especially here in Poland, where i.e. the right to a contract of employment is respected sufficiently. Personally, I am a member of the Anarchist Federation and the Workers Initiative.

Name: Eduardo Gonçalves Country: Portugal Motivation: A new experience in a beautiful city like lisbon with so much cultural diversity and beautiful places to shoot.

In June 2015, I joined the project Composing multiculturalism, my first experience of the sort. This progress led me to meeting new people from different cultures. In light of these experiences and the fact of having to develop a project of my own, I looked at my own culture differently, in this case for my sub culture, the world of skateboarding. These images are the reflection of my view of this lifestyle and the different ways it is perceived in the different places where he spent the last two months.

Name: Eggert Arason Country: Iceland

Feet Stephen Hawking once said “Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.“ The universe is big and to make sense of it one can try and narrow it down to something smaller. In this project we look at feet, and try to make sense of what we see and how to find their place in the universe.

Name: Ilona Karamon Country: Poland Motivation: I would like to gain the knowleadge on how to take a good photo, learn about the technical things connected with camera functions etc. I would like to meet new people and learn more about multiculturalism. The topic of cultures was always one of the most interesting for me. Combining these things with great people and an amazing place I hope to have a lot of fun.

The Faces of Lisbon In my project I would like to present the variety of Lisbon. The term

just feel this specific atmosphere.For me personally Lisbon is the city of

of variety includes the culture reflected in the architecture of buildings,

discrepancy. Joy is mixed with sadness, beauty with ugliness and peace

monuments, streets, districts, food, and some customs which I was able to

with noise -and I would like to present it in my project.

see. Through the photos I want to tell my personal story about the oldest capital in Europe, which is considered to be the city of multiculturalism. Lisbon combines the rich history and tradition with modernity. Walking in Bairro Alto or Alafama district we can hear the Fado music or spend long hours eating sardines and dancing during the St. Antonio festival. However the Baixa or Chiado district have a wide offer of shops, coffee house, restaurants and entertainments for tourists. In Belém district it is worth to see the Monument to the Discoveries, go to the Navy Museum, Monastery of the Jerónimos or try the famous cookies called Pasteis de Belém. Lisbon is the city of different faces. It is rich in history and full of people from the whole world – All different races. Many tourists come here to try delicious food, swim in the ocean or

Name: Jana Skálová Country: Czech Republic

Other Culture This project is a documentary series of photos about people who come from a particular culture, but who are also interested in a different culture. These people are in the same age category and currently living in Prague, Czech republic. If you live in a free country you can decide how your life would be like. What you want to do, what traditions, habits and customs do you want to have. Lot of people prefer traditions and habits of different cultures.

There are five young people showed in this project: ••

Miroslav, 25, graphic designer, interested in Nepal culture

••

Marta, 26, artist, interested in Japan culture

••

Nikola, 25, fashion designer, interested in Psytrance subculture

••

Sandra, 26, PR editor, interested in Czech culture

••

Paola, 24, model, interested in many cultures

Name: Lucia Hurajová Country: Slovakia Motivation: I think the first step towards multiculturalism is to raise awareness to helping people realize the differences, to respect and value it and finally to avoid stereotyping. Photography captures emotions that can further trigger the emotions of those who’ll look at it and possibly leading to change. Through photography I would like to express the idea that difference does not mean wrong and that there is a lot in it to learn about.

“Sport, used properly, challenges prejudices, heals divisions and champions tolerance.” — Kofi Annan, 2010

Colourful Sport At its simplest, of course, sport and physical activity improve mental

all get on and work together in harmony. So is the case of Slovak football

and physical well-being and resistance to disease. But the positive benefits

club AS Trencín, which is unusually culturally diverse when compared

of sport go much further than its physical and mental impact for the in-

to the rest of the Slovak teams. Such was brought together with the Dutch

dividual. It is vital, too, for the health and strength of our societies. Sport,

owner of mixed Chinese descent in 2007 and it proved to be very effective.

especially team sports, holds a strong promise for understanding within cultures and across cultures. While bringing people from diverse cultures together towards a common goal, sport promotes tolerance, cooperation and respect for others – values that are much needed to approach a more inclusive society. Indeed, sport has become a world language, a common denominator that breaks down more and more barriers. Nevertheless, it is sadly not yet the case that racism, xenophobia or related intolerance has been rooted out of sport. However, you’ll hardly find a team sport that actively encourages the propagation of multiculturalism as much as football. That game is a positive vehicle for constantly furthering understanding and enabling the kind of cultural coexistence we should all long to see in wider society. What football shows is that it doesn’t matter which country you, or your parents or grandparents are from, everyone’s the same and players can

(Some of the players were asked how they perceive it to be part of the multicultural team.)

Gino (Dutch-Curaçao)

Milan (Serbian)

I really think it’s an advantage to have foreign players in the team. Because in

The point of good harmony in the multicultural team (society) depends of good

every country they have a different style of football. And by this way you can

relationships between the players (people).Therefore it doesn’t matter from

learn from everybody.

which country or religion you are, it is important that you are really good person so you can easily become part of the collective.

Ibrahim (Nigerian)

Daniel (Slovak)

For me playing in Europe is a very good education, because it has provided me

I think it is great how cultures are increasingly mixing and interacting now-

with pthe ossibility to meet so many people from all over the world and with

adays. It makes people more open-minded and tolerant. Yet, it is a bit more

different characters. Always I try to understand everyone and live in harmo-

complicated in sports as foreign players are sometimes more â&#x20AC;&#x153;valuedâ&#x20AC;? and

ny with everybody. It is what makes me feel social and how to understand a

therefore represent an unwanted competition that can eventually result in

lot of things in life.

tensions. I personally perceive multiculturalism very positively and sport is a good example where the common interest promotes harmony.

Jairo (Brazilian)

Stanko (Slovak)

In every aspect, I always try to take advantage of the differences between

I don’t know what to say. It is so natural to me to have “black” players in a team,

people, which is not difficult. Being among people of different cultural back-

I do not make any difference. If they are not arrogant towards the others, then

grounds makes you open your mind about other’s culture and realize how big

they are highly welcomed. So it is about the personality above all.

the world is. It also turns you into a better person by teaching you daily how to accept and respect the singularities of human beings.

Name: Magdalena Baranowska Country: Poland

The Flavours of Many Cultures Poland is a country which is relatively culturally homogeneous. It is

Through this project, I would like to show these two elements. On the

very hard, even in large cities, to see if you can get to know foreign cul-

one hand, the influence of other cultures on the culinary map of Krakow

tures. To know for example. We can observe Japanese culture tourists, go to

and on the other elements of street food in Krakow.

a museum or go to a Japanese restaurant and eat the famous sushi. With all of these elements it is easier to feel the culture of another country through tasting dishes, served in many restaurants which serve foreigners, which from year to year is increasing. And so in recent years, countless places are serving Arabic cuisine, Japanese, Georgian, Chinese, French, Italian. In addition, visiting different countries, we can see that every country has its own distinctive product, often sold on the street. For example, the Hungarians have knocks, turks - kebab and Poles - Krakow bagels or oscypki (sheep cheese). This is an element that often uniquely identifies the culture of the country.

Name: María Ezquerro Country: Spain Motivation: It mixes two things that I’m interested in: the topic of interculturality and to improve my skills in photography. Learn how to manage photography related to multiculturalism. Learn about how the host organization is working in this field. Improve my skills in photography. Seeing other perspectives.

The End of Ramadan It’s a great issue, when people from different countries and religions mingle and share time and experiences together. In this case, the purpose was to celebrate the End of Ramadan in an open area in city of Logroño where Muslim people invited all the citizens to join them in this important event. The weather was perfect and many people came throughout the evening. Two things stood out during the celebration: People were cheerful and enjoying it and there was a harmonious atmosphere. Also, interactions and cultural diversity were taking place in the square. By coincidence, in this space is the Cathedral of the town, which was an interesting contrast related to the religious diversity. All these feelings and scenes are what I’ve tried to show in my photos, through the portrait of people especially women, and some instances that were significant for me. I wanted to show women as the protagonists of my pictures, on one hand because usually it’s difficult to be allowed to take picture of them (in the case of Muslim women), so this project was a great excuse to do it, and on the other, to empower and provide visibility to them.

Name: Marica Crotti Country: Italy

Name: Mikelis Jakunovs Country: Latvia

Name: Ondrej Kobza Country: Czech Republic

People in European Cities and Towns

Name: Rocio Corona Country: Spain

Names: Sintija Bernava and João Joaquim Countries: Latvia and Portugal Motivations: As I work with very complicated youths, I would like to gain new creative approaches for my future work with the youths, to motivate them and to raise their personal development and potential. New creative methods and approaches what could help to make my work more interesting for youths with fewer opportunities.

Scream for Freedom According to the World Health Organisation measures poverty is

about 663 million people moved above the absolute poverty level. Never-

associated with the undermining of a range of key human attributes,

theless, given the current economic model, built on GDP it would take 100

including health. The poor are exposed to greater personal and environ-

years to bring the world’s poorest up to the standard poverty line of $1.25

mental health risks, are less well nourished, have less information and

a day.

are less able to access health care; they thus have a higher risk of illness and disability. Conversely, illness can reduce household savings, lower

Extreme poverty is a global challenge; it is observed in all parts of the world, including developed economies.

learning ability, reduce productivity, and lead to a diminished quality of

UNICEF estimates half the world’s children live in poverty.

life, thereby perpetuating or even increasing poverty.

Poverty is a global phenomenon.

Poverty is often defined in absolute terms of low income , but in reality,

The main aim of this photography project is to show the true face of

the consequences of poverty exist on a relative scale. The poorest of the

poverty in 21st century and to remind that poverty affects not only low

poor, around the world, have the worst health. Within countries, the

income countries.

evidence shows that in general the lower an individual’s socioeconomic position the worse their health. There is a social gradient in health that runs from top to bottom of the socioeconomic spectrum. To minimize poverty is a major goal and issue for many international organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank etc. According the data of the World Bank around 1.29 billion people were living in absolute poverty in 2008. Of these, about 400 million people in absolute poverty lived in India and 173 million people in China. Between 1990 and 2010,

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless.

Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.

The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to fight against this extreme

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the pow-

Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expen-

er to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life.

sive it is to be poor.

Hope is necessary in every condition. The miseries of poverty, sickness

Poverty is the worst form of violence.

and captivity would, without this comfort, be insupportable.

Richness in the world is a result of other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poverty

Poverty is the absence of all human rights. The frustrations, hostility and anger generated by abject poverty cannot sustain peace in any society.

Helping people boost themselves out of poverty is the best way to make a

Hundreds of millions of human beings on our planet increasingly suffer

lasting positive difference in a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life.

from unemployment, poverty, hunger, and the destruction of their families.

A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast

As poverty has been reduced in terms of mere survival, it has become more

of poverty and wealth.v

profound in terms of our way of life.

Names: Sólveig Gautadóttir Country: Iceland Motivation: I have a huge interest in photography and the message the camera can send. Experiencing different cultures and getting to know people from all over Europe with different perspectives on life.

Final Destination: Ipad, chocolate and images of the past. The basis of my project was to get to know people by the things they bring to their final destination (homes for the elderly), their treasures. Among the things I saw were; Ipad, chocolate, homemade tapestries and images of the past. The old people I photographed were all over 85 years old – the oldest was 94. They had one thing in common – their most treasured things were pictures of their beloved ones – memories.

Name: Sonia Tisu Country: Romania Motivation: I would like to learn more about photography in a multicultural environment. I would also like to share ideas and experiences with other people in this field and make connections with them.

Name: Veronika Strelcova Country: Slovakia Motivation: It’s great content. I am looking for the opportunity to make positive changes that are beneficial, not only for individuals but for society as a whole. I think connection of composition and multiculturalism is a very inspiring idea that can lead us to powerful outcomes when used correctly.

Bananas and the Box We are, who we are. They dress us up. They dress us up every single day in the roles they design for us to match their game. And we play. Once, we were born absolutely free, unattached, and vulnerable. Seeing each other by each other’s eyes, looking from the outside, never being able to reach inward to the world. Afraid of been unveiled. Furies of fear. Hiding inner depths inside. Establishing, emphasizing, extending the gap between us. The endogenic enemy. Between us and them. Between me and you. Between myself. We are just bananas. Bananas and nothing more. But nothing less. We wear our skin as one wears clothes. We play our daily roles according to how one had once staged the drama that goes on now automatically. Driven by our little fears and nourished aggressions. We were just bananas. When humankind was born. We grow in diversity, we grow in colours. Great, proud, powerful. Nothing less than bananas. Slight glimpses of light, ageing, place, bodies, do not make us who we are. The outside eyes, do not make us who we are. We are, who we are. Naked, simple, bare. Diversity is

in ideas, our dreams, personal stories and experiences. We are just bananas. Nothing more, but nothing less. There is no us. There is no them. Get out of box. Be the same as when we were born. Strip. Let yourself live outside of the box. Let yourself see with your true eyes. Can you?

Composing

M u l t i cMulticulturalism ulturalism Composing Project Design and implementation

Associação Spin Trainers

Aneta Dawidziuk Maria Wróblewska José Lima Valter Costa Book design by

With the support of:

This project was funded by the European Union