“My little donkey”        “Button up”        “Mortinko on the bicycle”       “The 10 pound note”
These are some of the titles of human books from the Living Library event “Building Roma Living Library – Interactive training course for local actions to deconstruct Prejudices about Roma” which took place in Milan during September. Twenty-two professionals from 13 countries gathered in Italy, for the first Living Library training course aimed at inspiring local initiatives to deconstruct prejudices about Roma people. The course was sponsored by REYN and conducted by ABCittà.

The training course achieved the two main objectives: to understand the functions of the instrument Living Library – developed by ABCittà – and through a participatory method, train participants on how to develop the instrument locally.

The course allows for reflection on the instrument and on the process of a Living Library as a tools to help deconstruct prejudices against Roma people, with particular reference to the ECD. The participants prepared and realized a real Living Library event, alongside ABCittà, working together with five Roma human books who traveled from Rome for the occasion and some Italian professionals who are working in the sphere.

The event, planned as a training activity for this course, saw 12 human books, 19 readers, 36 consultations and 13 reviews take place in just 1½ hours.

Enthusiastic and articulate perspectives emerged from the students in terms of assessment and an action plan for the development of local actions by each participant / organization is intended for their home cities. These are powerful indicators of the course’s success.

In the photographs we hope you a taste of the event and enable you to feel the very profound atmosphere that was created.