This cross-national panel weaved together stories from their origins and what belongingness means within both local perspectives and the sense of inclusivity and humanity that we all share around the globe. In Groningen, that meant being connected by a natural disaster, coming together as a region to action change that led to closing oil fields causing earthquakes. In Accra, that means bringing sustainable choices in the face of poverty and migration. For a Brazilian integrating into his new home in Utrecht, that meant the Dutch government inviting him to a party for everyone in the municipality having the same birthday as his own. In the Bijlmer neighbourhood of Amsterdam, that meant making green energy affordable and accessible no matter one’s income.
The overarching theme is moving through obstacles before unlocking the potential of the “we” that defines us. How intertwining our common humanity creates the change everyone deserves. Another shining example came from India, where a Bollywood actor formed a foundation inviting villagers to create new features during the monsoon for water retention in their arid landscape. The illuminating discussion highlights how new potentialities and hearing all levels of society leads to discovering new resources and solutions that were previously undiscovered.
Quotes:
“I'm really fascinated by the similarities and differences between Accra, Amsterdam, and Leeds. Imagine if we got together a bunch of people from inner city Accra, inner city Leeds, Amsterdam, and got them into a dialogue about how do you want 2030 to be? What are the similarities and differences, what are the common threads of humanity, which would connect those different people in different parts of the world?” — Paul Chatterton
“Inclusiveness is a basic requirement when it comes to belonging. Most of the sense of feeling like you belong is when people listen to you. Like in Groningen where I live, the whole region experienced earthquakes for more than 10 years. We finally found people who heard us, that we have these problems, and some recognition from the Dutch government. Last Friday, the largest gas fields were currently closed for pumping gas and this really sort of gave people a voice, feeling heard making them also felt that they belong.” — Aleid Brouwer
“Possibilities for action are not self-evident. We think we know what we can do, but when we start acting together, new things reveal themselves and people start moving in the same direction.” — Jonas Torrens
“In Accra, I refer to the “informal sector,” workers who are on their own and don't get much support from the city, working to survive. When it comes to recycling, they are the best in that. We identify their excellent work and incorporate how they identify plastics informally, into the formal sanitation and waste reuse structures we are building as a service.” — Victor Neequaye Kotey
“It is important that women also cocreate the city. Mostly men have been making environmental policies for 2050 goals. But meanwhile Amsterdam is very multicultural, diverse, and women especially work from a helpful intersectional perspective that transcends colour, education, and status. We need to make the shift that we are all part of the city and want to contribute, and we have it in us to do so.” — Ria Braaf-Fränkel