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KEEPING UP WITH THE GLOBAL WE
Greetings, dear reader. If you’re reading this, you are definitely on the right page. So sit back, as we catch up on what we have been up to in the UN Live Lagos Portal this month.
Let’s backtrack a little to the 31st of January; a session we had with portal participants in Nakivale, Uganda. Have you ever been to a concert or show, where the singer hits all the right notes and does wonders to your ears? I believe it is called Soundgasm.
We experienced that on the 31st as the portal participants; Glory, Andre, and Chidera shared thought-provoking insights that elevated our understanding of social justice. Chidera; a law student, astutely emphasized the role of religion as a powerful tool in promoting social justice, while Glory and Andre advocated for heightened awareness and more conversations about inclusivity in our society.
“Everybody should consider everybody. There should be collective responsibility and social solidarity.”- Glory.
On the 7th of February, we had another enlightening conversation with the UN Live Portal in Jo’burg – South Africa, on the theme: Amplifying ways to achieve Gender Equality and investing in women’s initiatives and well-being.
Analogy alert: A participant from Jo’burg said: “Oranges and Apples are not the same. They are two different fruits, with different benefits, appearances, and levels of likeability. However, what an orange does, an apple might not have the ability to do the same, or if it can, it might not do it as well as an Orange can, and vice versa. Same way, we must understand that men and women are not the same. They are built to play different roles in society.
I think we should stop focusing on Gender Equality; it is the wrong problem. What I think we should focus on is Equity, and equal opportunities for both genders. So that when a woman wants to embark on a venture, smash her career goals, or even rent a house as a single woman, there’s a system that supports her, as it would a man.”
Now, aren’t you glad you didn’t miss that? Our participant in Lagos; Chidera, also challenged the notion of equality, recognizing the unique challenges faced by men and women. Instead, she champions the idea of equity—providing equal opportunities tailored to individual needs. In her words, let’s create a supportive system that propels women towards their goals, fostering an environment of empowerment rather than hindrance.
Just keep going. In the face of adversity, keep going. Get Knowledge. Education is a light that lightens up your life
– Dr. Aminat Ige
The Global We sessions progressed with a conversation on Tuesday, 13th February, 2024, with participants from Erbil – Iraq, on the theme: Journey of Discovery: Exploring Horizons, Creative
Expression, and Goal Setting. This session was simply amazing as we had a mix of participants in the Lagos portal: the erudite Dr. Aminat; a lecturer/thought leader, Comfort; a Copywriter/SDG advocate, Joachim; a Digital Marketer, and Faith; a screenwriter/personal development advocate.
Dr. Aminat, who recently won an award for the overall best PHD Thesis, shared how her experiences drove her to success. Losing her father at an early age, getting married for wrong reasons, getting divorced, battling cancer and other health challenges, striving for success in spite of her reality.
Cross section of participants at the portal
In achieving career goals, Comfort advised: “Creativity is a muscle, the more you utilise it, the more you master your craft. She also highlighted continuous education as a means to elevate oneself from mediocrity.
Joachim emphasized the importance of self-development and learning, as key elements in the journey of personal growth and Faith opined that being willing to try out new things in spite of your background, is a personal discovery aimed at development.
On the 14th of February, our session with participants from Barbados and Kigali, dwelt on the theme: Navigating the Impact of AI on our countries and communities: Seizing Opportunities and Addressing Risks. You thought it was going to be a session on Lovers’ day/Valentine’s? We did show love by admonishing one another; classifying AI as a tool that should enhance our output, and not replace our creative spirit.
The call to engage in writing and poetry for creative expression, echoes the sentiment that AI should complement our work, not render us redundant. Chidera, a participant from the Kigali portal, told us how a friend of his could not write a love note to his girlfriend, and had to rely on ChatGPT. Please don’t roll your eyes. I already did that for you.
But you see why the conversation was important, right? We need to be innovators and not just ardent users of AI, so we don’t lose our creativity and humanity. Moving on to the 20th of February 2024, we had a fun conversation with participants from Addis Ababa, centred on the International Day of Happiness. Lagos Portal Participants: Samiat, Isaiah, Daniel, and Victor share what brings them joy. From healthy living to family bonds, competition, and problem-solving, their diverse sources of happiness remind us of the multifaceted nature of joy in our lives.
Finally, in connection with portal participants in Addis Ababa, we wind up February sessions at the portal on Tuesday, 27th February 2024, with a conversation on the theme: Promoting Mental Wellness; Addressing Substance Abuse among University Students. This conversation highlighted the importance of ensuring mental wellness, with participants drawing from various experiences.
“I think they feel like if you’re not on the streets, if you’ve not gone completely crazy, it means there’s nothing wrong with you. It is not supposed to be so.” – Onyinye; Lagos Participant.
If every emotion, experience, or shared troubles were treated with empathy, more people would feel heard and have access to solutions. This is the heart of the Global We’s mission, and we sure feel like we’re taking a giant step in the right direction.
Join us as we unravel these engaging narratives that echo the heartbeat of the Global We initiative. Together, let’s foster a community that embraces diversity, promotes equality, and encourages continuous personal and collective growth, until everyone feels heard.
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The Global We is a platform for transformative conversations by Museum for the United Nations (UN Live), supported by the IKEA Foundation and Auaustinus Foundation, is delivered in partnership with Shared Studios and Cortico and +20 partner institutions around the world.
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