Place 1: Living Library Project
A living library follows the principle of a traditional library: books on various topics can be borrowed, read, and then returned at the end of the loan period. The difference here is that in the living library, the books are people sharing their stories with interested people.
Situation analysis
Otto von Guericke University is colorful and international. However, diversity can also lead to uncertainty, the unknown to misunderstanding or rejection. Especially in times of the Covid 19 pandemic, when students study alone from home, one rarely gets to know the "colorful" sides of the university, the exchange with others is missing. Although the university already has some contact points for groups (e.g. IKUS, OVGU Pride), there is a lack of opportunities for direct exchange with interested parties.
Goal
Everyone should benefit from a "living library", this includes students, faculty, staff, but also, in the context of an exchange, the "living books". The goal is to give everyone at the university the opportunity to inform themselves and share their experiences. Prejudices can thus be reduced and the opportunity given to ask questions.
Concept
The concept is about providing contact persons and experts for all interested people for educational purposes: The living library is thus suitable as an instrument to critically deal with prejudices and stereotypes and to counteract discrimination. In order to achieve this goal, close cooperation with various interest groups and cooperation partners is necessary, who can then provide contact persons.
Students
This concept was submitted by Kathrin Beate Kivanc and Farooq Hussain.
