Screen reader caption for blind or visually impaired people: An unidentified body of water, it could be a broad river, a lake or the photo could have been taken from a boat approaching the shore. There is a line of hills visible at the horizon, and beautiful clouds are colored by the last rays of the sun that has disappeared already. Research shows that even short interactions with natural scenery, including pictures and audio recordings can improve human mood and well being. And, oh we’ll need some, when talking colonial stuff! Photo by InstaWalli on Pexels.com
One of the ongoing tasks of the Decolonize Think Tank [this page is under maintenance] I am lucky to be a member of, other than trying to Decolonize International Voluntary Service [project description], is to find quick, simple and accessible ways to talk about the century-long, complex and challenging colonial imperialism process. I’ll talk more about this and share ways to support this initiative, the EU is now “updating” its funding strategy to the Cold War and non-EU participants won’t be allowed in any longer – very decolonial. You can start by supporting the International Solidarity Fund of CCIVS (the Coordinating Committee of International Voluntary Service), the umbrella organization who open the discussion about the need for the International Voluntary Service movement to be more intentional, vocal and active about decolonial intentions, talks and practice. As usual, mention ≠ absolute endorsement.
In the past two years, the decolonial conversations was introduced and hosted in groups that systematically had participants who heard the word for the first time, participants that associated the call to decolonize with “decolonisation” (the Cold War program of European colonists formally leaving various African states territories and recognizing independence), and participants that mastered decolonial language, discourse and practice at various degrees – or thought they did, or taught hosts who thought they did 😉
This quote is the least challenged opening so far to these conversations – and is now part of a Decolonial Self-Assessment Tool’s first draft, that should see the light in a couple of months, so it serves as teaser:
[…] a lot of the damage done by imperial colonialism has to do with the creation and (often violent) imposition of a power structure, i.e. a hierarchy of places and people. Some places and people were placed at the bottom of the hierarchy and pictured as lacking power, resources, knowledge, initiative and value; others were put at the top and called powerful, wealthy and valuable. This hierarchy is still visible in today’s world system, […]. Those descending from men-made, wealth-seeking, lighter skinned empires and their allies also tend to dominate the organization and progress of non-decolonized volunteering programs, resulting in a similar hierarchy of empowerment among volunteering organizers and participants.
The logic of the following questions is to keep in mind this hierarchy, and seeing as many chances as possible to turn this hierarchy upside down, in a collective effort to repair and compensate for the damage done.
noprofitideas.org 