Freedom Sessions

PROJECT CLOSED

Objectives

E

Bring communities of The Hague together

E

Encourage intergroup interaction between migrant, and 'traditional' communities in The Hague

E

Stimulate the appreciation of different perspectives and experiences

E

Support local initiatives and communities

The Freedom Sessions – Making Change

Cultural integration and community building by meeting and sharing

The Freedom Sessions are a series of events where people from different cultural groups are invited to meet and talk, and share in an experience.

By collaborating and engaging with local people and initiatives, we seek to stimulate safe and reliable spaces where migrant and non-migrant communities can come together in a fun and constructive way.

Segregation in The Hague

Despite its international status, The Hague remains a segregated city with migrant communities often struggling to integrate into Dutch society. The city suffers a lack of ‘physical spaces’ and opportunities for migrant and ‘Dutch’ communities to come together to interact, and establish and build positive relations with each other.

Segregation in housing, schooling, institutions, and social networks, and the resulting lack of real opportunities can lead to frustration, disappointment, cynicism, and even depression in migrant groups.

The estrangement from ‘traditional’ Dutch networks reinforces the process of ‘othering’ and a lack of understanding between cultures and communities that live next to each other. Mechanisms of segregation are a major factor in the cultivation of prejudices and discrimination between cultural groups in The Hague, in particular between migrant groups and ‘traditional’ Dutch communities.

Intergroup Interaction

It has been shown in numerous scientific studies that increased levels of contact and engagement between different groups of people helps to alleviate prejudices between these groups. ‘Meta-analytic results clearly indicate that intergroup contact typically reduces intergroup prejudice’ (ref.1).

This project aims to bring people together from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds in The Hague, specifically, but not exclusively, migrant and ‘traditional’ Dutch communities, and to facilitate positive intergroup contact and interaction.

1. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281453353_Does_Intergroup_Contact_Reduce_ Prejudice_Recent_Meta-Analytic_Findings – Quote: p.766

The focus of these sessions is to emphasize the commonalities between these communities, while providing a trusting platform for their exploration and appreciation.

Multicultural Meeting Points

The Bierkade (De Gracht) in The Hague servers as a friendly multicultural meeting point. Throught the sharing of a common theme, we wish to create new meeting points that invite different groups to interact.