We all love a good story. Stories are powerful tools that can contribute to connection and inclusion. But instead of understanding someone’s story from the books, what if you could hear it from them in person? What if you could ask a landslide survivor about their experience? Now you can, using the Human Library which invites readers to borrow human beings as open books. The Human Library initiative was held for the first time by the Elsewhere Art Cafe in the capital yesterday.
Human Library creates a safe space for people to engage, whether it’s one-on-one or in small groups to encourage people to share and connect. Each volunteer will speak about various themes such as mental health, writing, art and taking the unconventional path in life.
The initiative saw more than 20 participants yesterday.
“So, the idea behind the main event was mainly to encourage a safe space where people can have thought-provoking conversations that really challenge stereotypes and prejudices and a lot of the times you know, you feel like you know a person, you meet them on the daily but if you sit down and talk to them, there are so many things that usually don’t address about our lives,” said Sonam Pem Tshoki, the organiser of Human Library in Bhutan.
If the initiative is successful, the organiser plans to hold the event twice a month and include more topics. The organiser hopes people will be dissuaded from judging someone without getting to know and understand them through the initiative.
Human Library was created by a Danish human rights activist and journalist 21 years ago. It now hosts events in over 80 countries.
Tshering Deki
Edited by Sonam Pem
