|
A new initiative advanced by Bruce Mutsvairo working in collaboration with colleagues at Utrecht University offers you an opportunity to eat for free as long as you have something to say about diversity and inclusion.
Funded by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’s Stimulation Fund, the first Diversity Dinner Dialogue (DDD) premiers at the Academic Building on 30 May 2023 using international staff/students as the opening theme. Two more DDD events will be held later this year under diverse themes: September 13 (Religion and Disabilities) and October 26 (Accessibility: (material and symbolic)/first generation students).
Next to Mutsvairo, other members of the DDD team are Diana Helmich, a coordinator for the Gender, Diversity and Global Justice platform, Hayal Akarsu, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cultural Anthropology, Miriam de Boer, an educational consultant with the Faculty of Social Sciences and Martha Sanchez Martinez, a University College Utrecht student and Vice Chair of the UCU’s diversity committee.
“We are elated that our proposal received the funding,” says Mutsvairo, adding that diversity dialogues are a common feature at north American university campuses, which is where he first got the idea from. “A lot of work is already going into diversity and inclusion at UU. We therefore are obviously thankful to the EDI programme for selecting us to be among those actively contributing to the university’s diversity and inclusion missions.”
Twenty slots are up for grabs during each dinner meet. Anyone associated with Utrecht University, be it professional staff, students or academics is welcome to the dinner table.
“We are keen to make contributions toward meaningful discussions and dialogues over diversity and inclusion,” says Mutsvairo. “That in essence doesn’t mean that we are only interested in hearing from people who support diversity and inclusion. If you are opposed to it, come and tell us why.”
Various activities will be organized to entertain guests during the dinners.
“We would like to foster and build informal, friendly and engaging conversations over differences experienced by various university communities and work towards promoting and forging fruitful new bonds between them.”
|