Human Library
- 2 gün önce
- 3 dakikada okunur
Understanding by talking → understanding → breaking prejudice
The Human Library (Human Library Organization) started in 2000 in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark.This idea came from a youth group called Stop the Violence Movement.Their goal was simple:To break the prejudices people have about each other.
Hello dear friends,
Recently, I joined a very interesting and amazing event at a library in Montreal. A real-life experience.In this event, people volunteer as “books,” and readers come and talk to them one-on-one. The goal is to help people understand each other better, reduce cultural conflicts, increase empathy, and break prejudice.
How?
By “reading” people instead of books.
A person becomes a “book” — for example, a refugee, a former addict, or someone from a different religion — and you “read” them by talking to them.It’s quite a powerful idea, isn’t it?
At the event I attended in Montreal, there were different types of “books”:a new immigrant, a refugee, LGBTQ+ individuals, people dealing with mental health challenges, people from different religions, someone living with depression, and a woman wearing a headscarf.
The environment was very comfortable and friendly.It was quiet but focused on conversation.There was no judgment — only questions and answers.You could say it was like “experiencing a human being.”
I personally spoke with someone living with depression for thirty minutes.I asked questions. I listened to the answers. I did not judge.It was an incredible experience.
This was not like reading something on Google or asking AI.After asking my questions, I listened carefully. Listening is very important. I tried to fully understand the person in front of me, without offering solutions or judging.
While they were speaking, I realized something important:Depression is not something you can fix with simple advice like “go exercise” or “keep yourself busy.”When someone’s brain chemistry is affected, trying to “get out” of it can sometimes make them feel even more stuck.
I stayed quiet. My eyes filled with tears.I wanted to hug them and give support, but I didn’t have the courage to do so.So I just listened.
I tried to understand.It felt like quietly sitting in a corner, alone with yourself, reading a very deep book.
When the “reading” was over and I walked outside, I asked myself:
Am I really empathetic enough?Can I look at people without prejudice?
I think many of us believe:“I am empathetic. I always try to put myself in other people’s shoes and judge fairly.”
But are we really like that?
If I answer honestly for myself, that day I would say:“I’m not sure.”
This experience made me feel that the “Human Library” is like a real-life version of what fiction books offer us.Just like when we read a novel and enter someone else’s life, trying to understand their thoughts and emotions — in the Human Library, we listen to real people and real stories.
I have seen many people who don’t like fiction books.But maybe what they miss is this:Whether in books or in real life, if we don’t connect with other lives, it is very hard to truly understand ourselves and the world.
Wishing you a life full of empathy.
Rahel Çela Behar
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