UNESCO RILA Sofa Cafés
Our Sofa Cafés were a series of discussions around topics that touch on integration through languages and the arts. These informal discussions were held on Zoom between October 2020 and September 2021, with audience members being encouraged to join in and ask their own questions to the panelists.
Sofa Café #1: Indigenous peoples and languages
Professor Alison Phipps with Piki Diamond (Auckland University of Technology), Fiona Dunn (University of Glasgow), Beverley Costa (Pasalo Project) and Tawona Sitholé (University of Glasgow).
Sofa Café #2:Women in peace-making, crafts and cooking
Professor Alison Phipps with Deborah May (Küche), Naa Densua Tordzro (University of Glasgow), Giovanna Fassetta (University of Glasgow) and Nazmi Al-Masri (Islamic University of Gaza).
Sofa Café #3: Access to education for students from refugee backgrounds
Professor Alison Phipps with Melanie Baak (University of South Australia), Rachel Burke (University of Newcastle, Australia), Sara Kindon (Victoria University Wellington), Sally Baker (University of New South Wales), Veronica Crosbie (University of Sanctuary Ireland), Gün Orgun (City of Sanctuary)
Sofa Café #4 - The role of hospitality in community building
Professor Alison Phipps with Cheryl Cockburn-Wootten (Waikato University), Salma Zulfiqar (ARTconnects for Solidarity and UNESCO RILA Affiliate Artist) and Rema Sherifi (Maryhill Integration Network) discuss the role of hospitality in community building.
Sofa Café #5 - Health and Hospitality
Professor Alison Phipps with Selina Hales (Refuweegee), Mohamed Omar (Mental Health Foundation) and Vivienne Anderson (University of Otago) discuss the link between health and hospitality.
Sofa Café #6 - CUSP N+ Women in Conflict Transformation
Professor Alison Phipps in conversation with members of the CUSP network, Chipo Basopo (CHIPAWO), Zaza Muchemwa (LITFest Harare) and Mary B. Setrana (Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana, Legon) to talk about women in conflict transformation.
Sofa Café #7 - Displaced Mothers
Professor Alison Phipps in conversation with Fatumo Osman (Dalarna University and Ladnaan podcast), Corinne Ottroh (UNESCO RILA Ambassador), Hannah Gibbons (Refuweegee) and Olivia Ndoti (Community Infosource).
Sofa Café #8 - Gender and Integration
Professor Alison Phipps in conversation with Erdem Avşar (UNESCO RILA Affiliate Artist), Bella Matambanadzo (writer and gender and feminist activist) and PJ Samuels.
Full details of all cafés can be found on our past events Eventbrite page