Kiev Muslims Became the Most Popular "Books" in “Live Library”

On March, 24-27th, in the capital House of Cinema there worked “Live Library”. This is a place where it is possible to “read” a person representing certain social group; to receive answers to interesting questions, to discredit stereotypes, to raise the level of mutual understanding with different people.

“Live library” is the initiative of the Danish non-governmental organisation “Stop violence”. Since 2000 such libraries appeared in more than 40 countries.

The purpose of carrying out of the given action is struggle against stereotypes and biases which developed in the society concerning certain groups of people: sexual, racial, national and religious minority, the people, living in closed groups or which are supporters of unpopular ideas.

It is always interesting to learn the information on any social group directly from its representative. It not only relieves of necessity to spend long and laborious work on studying of scientific works in order to start understanding the issue; but also allows to understand the practical side and to see how these dogmas, slogans and principles are realised in everyday life. But how to expand thus one’s outlook if in a circle of contacts of the person there are no representatives of the social groups causing curiosity, and he is not willing to annoy with his questions passers-by, worrying  how they will react to them?

This problem is solved by "Live library”, working under the slogan “Do not judge a book by its cover” - after all, all "books" are added on a shelf at own will of the visitors, and a-priori they are ready to answer the questions of everyone. Even if during the day one should answer the same question a lot of times.

By recognition of librarians, the book "A Muslim" (which was present in several "copies") caused a keen interest and was very popular. And though instructions for the use of the library assume that the book can be read by only one person at the moment - in this case an individual reading sometimes grew into a collective one.

We consider, it is caused by presence of a large quantity of stereotypes in the society concerning this religious group; it is interesting for people to learn, how much they are proved and whether Muslims really pose a threat for them.

In total in the catalogue there were about 25 "books", among which there also were: a refugee, a feminist, a lesbian, a gay, a Buddhist, a foreign student, a former prisoner, a militiaman, a legal expert and others.

Similar actions pass in Kiev and in other cities of Ukraine for several years.

Staff reporter.