Innovation Knows No Borders
"There are 65 million forcibly displaced people worldwide... More efforts are needed to find pragmatic and human-centred solutions."
We are excited to announce that on 21st September, Pass the Crayon will be taking part in "Innovation Knows No Borders", a conference co-organised by Wikistage and Migration Hub Network. The event will be hosted at Migration Hub, our co-working space which we share with many other awesome non-profits such as MigrationMatters, RESTART and Wefugees.
Migration Hub Network (an umbrella initiative which aims to unite non-profit start-ups to form a cooperative network) has organised this full-day event in order to showcase the diverse range of refugee innovation, which so often gets overlooked...
Wikistage is a non-profit online platform (similar to TED), committed to "strengthening democratic debate worldwide" by providing mini-talks from a wide range of speakers. Their dedication to the spreading of ideas is an important one, particularly with dwindling platforms for considered debate. It is crucial to have access to portals such as Wikistage; a hub of knowledge, free at the point of access, and accessible via internet anywhere in the world.
The essence of "Innovation Knows No Borders" is simple: to provide a platform for the communication of ideas; ideas generated BY the refugee community, FOR the refugee community. The native welcome culture movement can only do so much.. if we wish to really connect, nurture and integrate with the refugee community, then we must look to refugees for help in developing strategies. More platforms for refugee speakers should be made available, and we are excited to be involved in this important venture.
With only a few weeks to go, why not check out some of our confirmed guest speakers?
Alexander Betts: Our refugee system is failing. Here's how we can fix it.
"We mourn the tragic death of two-year-old Alan Kurdhi... and yet since then more than two-hundred children have subsequently drowned in the Mediterranean."
In an inspiring talk, our key-note speaker Professor Alexander Bettes, expert in the field of refugee studies and director of the Oxford University Refugee Studies Centre, explores alternative ways of viewing, and responding to immigration... ways which are mutually beneficial and built upon welcoming and empowering the refugee community.
Dashni Morad: Bombs, Mountains and an unlikely female voice
"I would like to tell a story of lonliness, struggle, perserverence, and ultimate freedom. The story of Kurdistan. The story of me."
Dashni Morad, singer and founder of Green Kids shares her empowering coming-of-age story. Having fled Kurdistan during the horrors of the Saddam Hussein regime, and grown up as a refugee in the Netherlands, Morad describes her struggles for acceptence, the loss of her homeland, and her fight to bring music back to Kurdistan.
Mohamed Jimale: Story of a Nomad
"Enabling nomads to sell their animals online is the ultimate integration through technology."
Mohamed Jimale tells us about his journey from Nomadic child growing up in Somalia, to UN worker, to tech entrepeneur. His story is riveting, his 'crowdfarming' concept an amazing innovation that has helped preserve and sustain his beloved Nomadic community, and thrive in the new tech era.
These three speakers are just some of the many voices that we will be hearing at "Innovation Knows No Borders". For a full list of confirmed speakers, event info and tickets, please visit the event website here
See you there!
xoxo Pass the Crayon
