FIRST CONFERENCE 2016
Photo: David Bowen
Summary of Åslaug Timenes Bell
The power of culture in a changing society was the highly topical headline for Førdekonferansen 2016. Strongly personal, professionally interesting and committed contributions characterized the conference day, and opened up for highly diverse approaches to the topic. The overall tone of the exchange of words was nevertheless common: For a changing society, culture, both in material and immaterial form, is undoubtedly an important force. The challenges lie in how private individuals, organizations and political institutions manage to use their cultural spaces as meeting places for inclusion, growth and the exchange of impulses.
Førde -mayor Olve Grotle welcomed the eighty conference participants, noting that societal change is on the agenda at both local and global levels. His own experiences from local municipal reform work indicate that there are strong forces against societal change. Grotle pointed out that change is often thought of as something radical, but in some situations, on the other hand, keeping things as they are can be understood as at least as radical. Grotle encouraged using the conference to seek a change of perspective, tolerance and knowledge – if we do not always agree, we must still make an effort to try to understand each other.
“ - in some situations, however, preserving things as they are can be understood as at least as radical. ”
Kristin Hille Valla, Chairman of the Board of Directors Førdefestivalen , encouraged participants and facilitators to think creatively and critically about the conference's theme. With such a topical topic at the center, it can be demanding to raise one's gaze and gain distance from what is being discussed. In order for conversations about the topic to be constructive, it is therefore important to create a common understanding of words and content. Valla highlighted the word diversity as an example of an important, but difficult concept to agree on the content of. The concept of diversity is central and valuable to use, both in this discussion and in society at large, but problematic if it is given different meanings. In this context, the chairman wanted to use diversity to describe the positive variation in existence; an ideal to strive for.
Photo: David Bowen
Spinal cord reflexes
In the first conference presentation, Fargespill founder Ole Hamre provided laughter and singing along, but also wonder and reflection with his spine-tingling reflections. Hamre took as his starting point that all forms of art are expressions, and thus language. Art is an imprecise, ambiguous language, the opposite of mathematics, which is a precise language. Humans need these two extremes, because it is at the intersection between reason and emotion, experience and analysis, precision and reflection, that we develop. If we miss this opportunity to cross paths, we thus miss the ability to develop. Therefore, we need an equal focus on the precise and the imprecise, art and mathematics.
Hamre referred to studies in Norwegian schools, which show a strong downgrading of the place of art subjects in schools. Since all priorities are made based on utility calculations, the downgrading of art subjects may come from the fact that we have not managed to connect art and culture to concrete societal benefits, to money and health. We have not managed to make art and culture important. Art and culture actors thus have major vision-setting and innovative thinking challenges, and correspondingly great opportunities. The key lies in innovation – a concept that, according to Hamre, the technocrats have unfairly been allowed to claim. It does not have to be that way. Art has abundant possibilities for innovation. Because art always seeks opportunities, and is in its essence a resource.
“ The key to Fargespill’s success lies in the fact that it is not a social project, but an art project. ”
With this appeal as a backdrop, Hamre pointed to the Fargespill project and its social consequences. He is convinced that the key to Fargespill's success lies in the fact that it is not a social project, but an art project. For the participants, this is a fundamental difference. In art, one asks what a person has, while social projects often ask what they lack. Through Fargespill, the participants can contribute what they have, their resources. The basic idea is that if you are seen as a resource, then you become a resource. This is precisely where the connection between art and utility lies.
Photo: Heidi Hattestein
To Norway as a refugee – how to crack the code?
Hamzeh Alsheiko, a research assistant at the Department of Sociology at the University of Bergen and a Syrian refugee to Norway on a two-year residency, showed how culture can both hinder and promote integration. Alsheiko argues that integration processes have three main challenges: Language, culture and knowledge. These three are closely linked and must be solved in parallel. It is important to remember that the challenges apply to both minority and majority populations.
“ The key is to dare to get involved. By actively participating in volunteer work, sports, music and other forms of cultural interaction, we can turn what initially separates people from each other into what binds us together. ”
The media is a powerful force both in building up prejudices among the majority, through one-sided portrayals of immigrant stereotypes. Alsheiko's own experience was that Norwegian society initially seems like a strong, impenetrable wall. His best tip for breaking the wall was to study cultural characteristics and engage in cultural activities. He himself had gotten inside the wall by accepting coffee cups and dinner invitations, engaging in various types of volunteer work, and spending countless hours at the library, reading and discussing.
The key is to dare to get involved. By actively participating in volunteer work, sports, music, and other forms of cultural interaction, we can turn what initially separates people from each other into what binds us together.
photo: heidi hattestein
Integration challenges in a liberal society
Mahmoud Farahmand, spokesperson for the organization LIM (Equality, Integration, Diversity), followed up with his reflections on integration challenges in a liberal society. He also argued that culture is key in migration issues. Real integration and inclusion require both understanding and knowledge of the culture one lives in, along with active participation in cultural activities. Farahmand emphasized that this does not only apply to immigrant groups, but to all citizens of society. He pointed to the fact that a victim image is often created of minorities and refugees, and argued that this victim mentality creates apathy.
Active, independent participation is both the goal and the means for successful integration. Farahmand therefore highlighted the previous speaker's point that language, culture and knowledge are three important, overlapping areas in all integration work. Learning a language is learning culture, which in turn is acquiring knowledge. As a newcomer to a country, language is a big barrier, but culture is an even bigger one. Especially if the difference is large between a conservative cultural background and encountering a liberal culture, such as the Norwegian one. Therefore, getting involved in society is important both to familiarize yourself with the culture in practice, and to gain a foothold in society.
“ Learning a language is learning culture, which in turn is acquiring knowledge. As a newcomer to a country, language is a big barrier, but culture is an even bigger one. ”
An effective way to promote integration in Norway is to use networks that already exist in the organized voluntary sector in our society. Through joint activities, one can promote Norwegian core values, such as gender equality, equity and diversity. These values are important cornerstones of our liberal society, and are by far the only ones one needs to understand and acknowledge in order to be fully integrated and participating.
Photo: David Bowen
Open up!
Norwegian-British Dominic Vilson, information manager at Nordic Black Theatre , showed how culture can open both doors and minds in practice. He spoke about his very politically active background from London, and the strong need he had to provide cultural education when he came to Norway. Since 1992, he has worked to build up the Oslo-based institution Nordic Black Theatre, an alternative to the established, “black-only” theatre tradition in Norway. Vilson spoke passionately about the path from idea, via rehearsals and surprising response, to today’s solid, impactful theatre institution, operating, among other things, a theatre school, café, concerts and performances for both children and adults. His experiences showed that there are many interested and curious people everywhere, who are looking for opportunities to participate in cultural activities. The challenges lie in creating meaningful low-threshold offers to reach a broad audience and new groups in society, also of different ethnicities. If one manages to reach and bring together people of different origins, art becomes completely transcultural, borderless.
Flora Municipality – with integration on the agenda
For several years, Flora municipality has been used as an example of successful settlement and integration in practice, especially in its handling of minor asylum seekers. Councilor Terje Heggheim was present, as one of the few representatives from the political system, to talk about the municipality's success factors in integration work. Heggheim highlighted cross-political agreement, long-term strategies and secure financing as three keys to the municipal integration work. He nevertheless warned against taking the challenges associated with integration lightly. In Flora municipality, the "system" has been given a good rating, but the residents have a job to do to accommodate and look after the new residents.
“ It must be acknowledged that the major world conflicts we often hear about as big numbers are actually about tragic individual destinies and torn families. ”
In line with both Hamre and Farahmand's presentations, Heggheim urged not to give refugees and minorities an undeserved and pacifying victim role, but to treat both minors and adult asylum seekers respectfully and humanely. In conclusion, Heggheim appealed to the assembly with personal reflections on the individuals who make up the asylum seeker statistics. It must be acknowledged that the major world conflicts we often hear about as big numbers are in fact about tragic individual destinies and torn families. With this background, Heggheim concluded with great seriousness: "In an ideal world, we would not need to accept unaccompanied minor asylum seekers in Flora municipality."
Diversity as a force for innovation
The business community's representative among the speakers was Hallgeir Isdahl, Executive Vice President CSR at Sparebanken Vest, with the theme of diversity as a force for innovation. Isdahl followed up on the call from the opening session by Chairwoman Kristin Hille Valla to examine the concepts of innovation and diversity more closely. Innovation can be understood as a multidimensional concept, but also, in the simplest sense, innovation that creates value.
“ – diversity in itself does not necessarily lead to success – but increased diversity can generate increased innovation through strategic management. ”
The concept of diversity, in turn, is a flexible expression for variation and variety. When it comes to the possibilities of using diversity as an innovative force, Isdahl pointed out that variation and development are not necessarily linked – diversity in itself does not necessarily lead to success – but increased diversity can generate increased innovation through strategic management. The reason is that people with different backgrounds will attack situations in different ways, and a composite group can thus create good solutions. In a homogeneous environment, decisions will often be made faster, but heterogeneous groups can over time become both more effective and flexible.
In conclusion, Isdahl again strongly warns against believing that diversity in itself brings success, and especially against focusing on diversity and innovation as a basis for utility in a time of increasing refugee problems. These issues must be addressed on a humanistic basis, not based on utility and accounting.
Culture as a platform for integration
State Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Himanshu Gulati, gave his last regular speech at the conference. Gulati showed how the cultural sector is a key to all types of integration and inclusion, by contributing to meeting places. People who move to Norway do not move to Norway, but to a local community in Norway, in the same way that one changes local communities when moving within a country. The way immigrants are received determines whether they become active or passive residents.
“ Volunteering and established cultural offerings provide invaluable arenas for active involvement in a local community. ”
Volunteering and established cultural offerings provide invaluable arenas for active involvement in a local community. Gulati referred to the government's new integration report, where this is precisely a key point; the solutions for integration are largely found in the arenas that already exist. Volunteering and cultural life are therefore fundamentally important. It is important to remember that the most important integration work does not take place through large events, but through maintaining small, important meeting places in everyday life.
Workshops and plenary discussion
New in the 2016 edition of Førdekonferansen was a longer workshop part with group discussions. The discussion sequence and the final plenary discussion were led by chaos pilot, social entrepreneur and entrepreneur Silje Grastveit. The main question for the discussion was how can we mobilize the power of culture? The conference participants were challenged to develop ideas and concrete proposals for culture-related measures that one's own, the local community and/or the wider community can take to promote integration and inclusion, create a sense of ownership and belonging in society.
The results of the group discussions were not presented together, but the ideas were collected, and some of the suggestions were taken up during the final plenary discussion. (The ideas are collected and presented in separate written documentation.)
The plenary discussion was attended by the facilitators Hallgeir Isdahl, Himanshu Gulati and Ole Hamre, in addition to Agnes Vevle Tvinnereim from the Sustainable Living project in Landås. Sustainable Living has now been established in several local communities in Norwegian cities. The project is often described as an attitude-forming and inclusion-promoting initiative where the goal is to involve entire neighborhoods in finding good, “green” solutions for the community.
Through the project, widely different people meet across all boundaries, united by belonging to the same neighborhood and working for common benefit and joy. Tvinnereim's descriptions of simple but effective measures inspired the audience. The subsequent plenary discussion included questions for the presenters, related to issues around diversity, culture and integration/inclusion. Among the points that emerged, one in particular stood out: It is when people meet that relationships are formed, and it is in the wordless arenas that the most exploratory and inclusive meetings take place.
In areas such as sports, music, dance and cooking, people meet each other on an equal footing; perhaps with different prerequisites and prior knowledge, but in any case without language barriers. Collaboration towards a common goal promotes positive community, where each participant can contribute their resources and can play each other's good. This is seen on a football field, on the stage in Fargespill and in Bærekraftige liv's neighborhood projects. Culture's strongest force in a society in constant change can therefore be said to be the force to create small and large arenas for positive, developing and open-minded meeting places.