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The Human Library - Unjudge Someone

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Cindy Walbridge

May 10, 2022

Denmark

Categories:

Learning, Humane, Education, Spiritual, Inspiration, Discrimination, Prejudice

The Human Library is a library of people (versus books) where you can reserve a person's time, meet with them in the library and have a conversation with them. Each person represents a group of people in society who have experienced prejudice and discrimination. Founded in Denmark in 2000, the Human Library creates a safe place for people of different backgrounds to learn from each other and gain empathy. To date, the concept has been explored in 80 countries worldwide.


By asking questions, seeking better understanding, correcting misconceptions about people, and challenging our prejudices, one may get a more enlightened experience of another person and the topics they represent. The Human Library states, "This is a place where difficult questions are expected, appreciated and answered." Human books are volunteers with personal experience on the topic, not outsiders studying the issue.


Here is an example of a human book listing:

AN ALCOHOLIC:

WHEN I WAS STILL DRINKING, I USED TO THINK THE WORLD WAS WRONG ABOUT ME. I WAS LIVING IN DENIAL AND HURTING NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT EVERYONE WHO CARED ABOUT ME."

Alcoholism or Alcohol Use Disorder is one of the greatest health challenges of our time. According to WHO, more than 3.3 million deaths every year result from the harmful use of alcohol.

STEREOTYPES & PREJUDICES:
Alcohol abuse is a self-inflicted problem. Why don't you just stop drinking?

FACT:
A wide range of effective global, regional and national policies and interventions are in place to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, with a promising trend over the past few decades.


The Human Library is also working with private sector companies, helping them with diversity and inclusion efforts. Sexism, prejudices, and stubborn stereotypes persist in workplaces globally. The Human Library is a tool that can help break down these barriers. Maybe not a complete answer but indeed a healthy start.


Explore the resource website and ask if this is something beneficial for your hometown. Talk to your library officials, local government, and citizen groups. A community can contact the Copenhagen office to learn how to set up a human library in your hometown.


Words from an Elvis Presley song,

Walk a mile in my shoes
Just walk a mile in my shoes
Before you abuse, criticize, and accuse
Then walk a mile in my shoes.

This is an opportunity to walk a mile in someone's shoes.

Photo by mentatdgt on Pexels.

Source:

Source:

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Catalog #:

0422.107.02.051022

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