Today, 30 October, the 7th edition of Let’s Gro is starting in Groningen. The 4-days festival about the future of the city and region offers a rich programme: 134 activities with more than 40 speakers. If you are looking for talks and workshops where language is no problem, here we selected internationally focused activities held in English.
WEDNESDAY, 30 OCTOBER
Walk this way… or your way | Talk by Álvaro Valera Sosa
Based in Germany, Álvaro combines architecture with health. How does Groningen become an attractive walking city and how do we create attractive walking routes from A to B? Álvaro will give a talk about the importance of a pedestrian-friendly city and healthy neighbourhoods.
Ubuntu meets Groningen | Discussion by Jacquelien Rothfusz
“I am because we are” is the core of African Ubuntu-philosophy: we become human by our connection to other people and to nature. After a short introduction about Ubuntu, you can exchange your thoughts on how this ancient African wisdom can contribute to togetherness in Groningen.
Multilocal 2.0 | Masterclass by Taiye Selasi
Taiye Selasi will give an interactive masterclass on new forms of identity, community, belonging and solidarity in the European context. As Selasi notes, movement is becoming more and more the norm. But how can we, as students, teachers and workers, understand this experience of being, living, belonging in different places? How can we activate it, let it shape our identity, enable new forms of community and solidarity, so that we can become citizens of the world?
High Tea Table | Art by Daan den Houter & CBK Groningen
Made by Daan den Houter, a multidisciplinary artist that works and lives in Rotterdam, the High Tea table is a seemingly oversized picnic table, but sitting at the table might just give you a new perspective on the World. Together with your table companions you create your own little island in the sky, looking over the people and over the fences of your neighbours. Come over, relax and sit together.
THURSDAY, 31 OCTOBER
Happy Together: Europe after the Brexit | Talk
October 31: Brexit-day. Damocles’ sword has been hanging over England and Europe for months. How united are we still, 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall? What binds Europe and what drives countries apart? Join political researchers and journalists in a discussion about this topic.
High Tea Table | Art by Daan den Houter & CBK Groningen
Made by Daan den Houter, a multidisciplinary artist that works and lives in Rotterdam, the High Tea table is a seemingly oversized picnic table, but sitting at the table might just give you a new perspective on the World. Together with your table companions you create your own little island in the sky, looking over the people and over the fences of your neighbours. Come over, relax and sit together.
FRIDAY, 1 NOVEMBER
Inclusiveness in cities | Talk by Saskia Sassen
Born in the Netherlands, professor Saskia Sassen is a world-renowned scholar who teaches sociology at Columbia University and she is a member of the Committee of Global Thought. During Let’s Gro, Saskia’s will talk about inclusive cities. She is convinced that we need new, smaller cities.
Better Together: Internationalisation, Diversity and Social Progress | Seminar
Groningen is rapidly becoming more international. In this interactive, interdisciplinary symposium we will try to understand and activate diversity for the benefit of the city through three perspectives: work, living, and city life. What are the current challenges that we know about, in the workplace, housing and city life? What kind of city do we want to be? What changes can we make to become ‘better together’?
Nightwalking: Entering the Deafblind World | Installation
For most of us, seeing and hearing are a matter of course in everyday life, but do we really look so closely? This self-evidence of watching and listening as a means of perceiving, understanding and communicating the world can also be ephemeral: a quick look at something, judge it and move on. Isn’t that also a limitation? By means of the installation Nightwalking, people with congenital deaf-blindness hold up a mirror to us.
How about co-living? | Workshop on the future of housing
Come to design a co-living space where locals and internationals feel at home. For locals, this space offers an upgrade from a student room without the need to settle down. For internationals co-living combines the benefits of temporary housing with being a part of a community. We will look at both the spatial and social design of a co-living space. How does the ideal co-living space fit your lifestyle? How much are you willing to share? And with whom?
Gronings for Internationals | Lecture and language workshop
Get to know about the dialect of the Province of Groningen, the ‘Gronings’ of today, with professor of Frisian Language and Literature. Explore how a local singer and songwriter uses the dialect of Gronings in her music. Learn the most important words and phrases in Gronings to make it through day and night in Groningen.
Dinner with a stranger | Food and fun
Life is more interesting when you step outside your comfort zone! City Central Groningen and Lekker Vreemd 050 join forces to organise a ‘Dinner with a stranger’. Locals and internationals share ideas over a delicious meal. Common ground? Love for food and great conversation. Go back home with a full stomach, new understandings and a broader network.
The MAKERIJ: Become the innovator of your city | Workshop
During this one hour workshop, each participant is given time to come up with her / his own idea for an inclusive Groningen. When all the dreams are made, they are added to the Groningen dreams collection. With the help of design methodologies, participants get the opportunity to connect actions to their dreams. How can our dreams become reality? Participants go back home with some tangible actions they can undertake and in January they will receive a message from their dreams…
High Tea Table | Art by Daan den Houter & CBK Groningen
Made by Daan den Houter, a multidisciplinary artist that works and lives in Rotterdam, the High Tea table is a seemingly oversized picnic table, but sitting at the table might just give you a new perspective on the World. Together with your table companions you create your own little island in the sky, looking over the people and over the fences of your neighbours. Come over, relax and sit together.
City Probe | Environmental walk
Join the walk to get a tangible grip on the challenges of diversity and social cohesion, and to generate connections and ideas to address them. You will explore the inner city area in pairs with the aim of making new connections and gathering ideas from unexpected and unpredictable encounters. The walk will be supervised by Teun Gautier and Floor Ziegler who have conducted similar walks in cities from Amsterdam to Taipei.
SATURDAY, 2 NOVEMBER
Fall in love with programming! | Workshop by Django Girls Groningen
Django Girls Groningen will introduce girls and women to the world of IT and technology in a single day, with a simple, accessible workshop. Would you like to learn how to program in one day? You don’t need to know anything about programming; the workshop is meant for beginners with a healthy dose of curiosity. Participation is free and there’s no age limit.
Climate change has happened | Show
In these shows, the Groningen-based improv comedy group will convey the climate experts’ story in their very own way. Come and see a unique show by Stranger Things Have Happened and learn all about climate change and adaptation in an entertaining and approachable setting.
Nightwalking: Entering the Deafblind World | Installation
For most of us, seeing and hearing are a matter of course in everyday life, but do we really look so closely? This self-evidence of watching and listening as a means of perceiving, understanding and communicating the world can also be ephemeral: a quick look at something, judge it and move on. Isn’t that also a limitation? By means of the installation Nightwalking, people with congenital deaf-blindness hold up a mirror to us.
Ubuntu meets Groningen | Discussion by Jacquelien Rothfusz
“I am because we are” is the core of African Ubuntu-philosophy: we become human by our connection to other people and to nature. After a short introduction about Ubuntu, you can exchange your thoughts on how this ancient African wisdom can contribute to togetherness in Groningen.
The MAKERIJ: Become the innovator of your city | Workshop
During this one hour workshop, each participant is given time to come up with her / his own idea for an inclusive Groningen. When all the dreams are made, they are added to the Groningen dreams collection. With the help of design methodologies, participants get the opportunity to connect actions to their dreams. How can our dreams become reality? Participants go back home with some tangible actions they can undertake and in January they will receive a message from their dreams…
EVERYDAY, FROM 3O OCTOBER TO 2 NOVEMBER
During all four days of Let’s Gro City Central will hold a pop-up booth in the Tent on the Grote Markt. Come by to learn more, sign up, get involved in internationalisation projects across the city. For both Dutch and international residents.
