Academics, activists, artists and educators gathered at Humboldt University in Berlin between Monday 12 - Friday 16 February 2024, to discuss young people’s voices and freedom of expression as part of the Erasmus+ project, Seen and Heard: Young People’s Voices and Freedom of Expression.
The meeting focused on the nature and implications of creative protest with young people in Malta, Germany and Poland. Drawing on the expertise in Artography of Prof. Kate Coleman (University of Melbourne), Amnesty Poland’s work on human rights education, Charlie Cauchi and Uli Decker’s extensive profiles in filmmaking and installation art, and Ed Dingli’s talented use of poster art as protest, delegates explored ways of working alongside young people in speaking up against injustice.
Acknowledging the complexity of this endeavour, special attention was paid to developing a ‘methodology of care’ that allows each person participating in the project to be ‘with-nessed’. The concept of witnessing is important as it taps into changing notions of home and belonging. With so many young people across the world forced out of the homes they are born into, understanding what allows them to grow into active citizens with a healthy sense of what they can contribute is crucial.
The academics in the team, led by Dr Giuliana Fenech of the Department of English at the University of Malta, together with Prof. Justyna Deszcz-Tryhubczak (University of Wroclaw), Dr Farriba Schulz (Humboldt University), and Dr Mateusz Swietlicki (University of Wroclaw) together with lead consultant for Amnesty International Ms Nicky Parker, are determined, however, to avoid an adultist approach to protest initiatives and the meeting was focused on bringing young people to the forefront.
The first part of the project consists of a transnational study of young people’s understanding of human rights, particularly freedom of expression. Subsequently, a group of 12 to 14 year old children will be invited to join a mentoring programme that will hold space for them to work on a series of creative protests in various media. The impact of literature within this multimedia landscape will be evaluated and at the end of the project a book on human rights will be produced by the children, in collaboration with a team of artists. The project will also yield a documentary on the process, outlining a prototype for the full lifecycle of a social movement led by young people.
For further information, please contact Dr Giuliana Fenech by email or through this email.
