The main objective of the Living Library Vienna Project was to increase awareness about discriminated social groups and to build understanding for diversity, openness and solidarity among members in our community by bringing different sociocultural groups of society together and creating knowledge based on actual interpersonal interaction.

In order to contribute to a more inclusive and cohesive community across cultural, religious, social and ethnic differences, SCI Austria carried out two “Living Library Vienna” events in schools:

• The first Living Library Vienna – event took place on 8th of January 2020 in “ALF Schule – Aktives Lernen Favoriten”. About 20 children had the opportunity to talk with 7 Living Books about their personal perspectives on topics ranging from bisexuality, intersexuality, mental health, to vegan lifestyle and Muslim faith.
• On January 21st the second Living Library Vienna event was implemented in “Integrative Lernwerkstatt Brigittenau”. Here, twelve Living Books shared their life experiences and answered questions of over forty curious students. Topics included e.g. mental health, being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, harassment at school, life of a police man, being a single mother and Muslim faith.

The Living Library Team wanted young people to better understand socio-cultural diversity and to overcome existing prejudices against certain social groups by giving them the chance to enter into personal dialogue with people who they usually don’t have the chance to speak with in their everyday life.

Thus, the project was moderated as a ‘diversity and inclusion training’ to facilitate conversations between people from different backgrounds. The events were organized to create a safe space where those conversations can happen and offer lived learning experiences on socio-cultural diversity. In addition to the events we also produced a short movie about the project.”

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