FEP talks - Freedom of Expression for Peace
FEP talks is inspired by TED
talks and the human library.
Our speakers are storytellers of events they have either experienced themselves or witnessed others within the themes of conflict and peace. These are stories rarely told in mainstream media and their aim is to raise awareness, undo stereotypes and question radical opinions made of others by understanding their side of the story.
Diverse in backgrounds, the speakers are selected from their unique journeys that they or others have endured and not necessarily from their accomplishments. These range from migration to different conflicts encompassing family, political, war and social spheres in their home countries or countries of residence.
What is FEP?
FEP organizes conferences
which will have storytellers
who will share their unique
life experience to an audience,
be it social, scientific or
economical.
After the talks, the audience has the opportunity to engage with the stories told in an enriching discussion. The goal of this project is to raise social awareness of the diversity and personal challenges that exist in our societies and the world in various spheres such as race, sexuality, homelessness and (un)employment.
Why?
Stories help us better contextualize human experiences and encourage empathy towards “the other” which is often so unfamiliar and estranged to us. Moreover, humanizing stories help others to connect to those telling them and create the opportunity to be acquainted with the other realities that exist.
What happens after the event?
These talks are filmed to share publicly. By so doing, we hope to reach a wider audience around the world through social media where videos will be posted.
How is it organized?
We intend to hold FEP events once every three months in various locations.
Each event will be held in one language. The language will be specified along with the speakers on the announcements.
Each storyteller will be nominated in due course prior to the event. Their story nomination will be in accordance with culturally ethical content.
The storytellers’ titles will be presented before the event for people to nominate and reserve in advance.
Our 2nd goal with this project:
We also hope to be able to bring
people of diverse race, ethnicity,
and religious backgrounds
together through this endeavor,
in order to increase intercultural
interaction in our International
city of Brussels.
Why become a storyteller?
The importance of any individual story is underestimated. What might feel so normative to oneself may be peculiar to another. Often, we are oblivious to other realities within our own normativity, but when we step out of our comfort zone to engage with others, this encourages us to empathize more with strangers who experience life differently from us. It helps loosen the boundaries made to enforce segregation among people and encourages us to unite as humans, regardless of our distinctions.
