Day 2: Saturday June 6, 2009

Today was our first full day as HIA fellows, and what a way to start it all off! Friday evening was a whirlwind of new faces, names, stories, and cultures, but today presented us with academic challenges as well as the task of meeting more fellows from the different programs. After a traditional French breakfast of coffee and croissants, we made our way to the lecture hall at the National Museum on the History of Immigration for our first two official HIA lectures. We were welcomed by the director of the museum, Patricia Sitruk, who expressed her awe and excitement for hosting the HIA opening program. We then listened to a lecture given by Serge Weber on international migration in Europe, which focused on chronological and geographical prospective. He brought up the question of why migration and mobility are perceived as two different phenomenon, even though the two ideas are very much connected to one another and in certain ways describe very similar processes. Patrick Weil, the honorary chair of HIA France, gave the second lecture in which he reflected upon the differences and similarities between the immigration policies of the United States and France during the interwar period. Mr. Weil inspired us all when he discussed the idea of a margin of action: that every individual has the ability to influence those around him, affecting society and the world at large. Mr. Weil words reminded all of us fellows why we are here participating in Humanity in Action.

            After these two wonderful lectures, all the fellows split up into different groups, taking tours of the museum, having lunch, and participating in an intercultural communication workshop. Even though we had a difficult time trying to spell our way through the French exhibit, the photographs and artifacts, of which some were explained by the guide, reflected France’s rich national history of immigration. In the workshop, we played a card game that was meant to test our ability to communicate without speaking. While this was a challenge in itself, the game had a twist: unknown to the players, there were two different sets of rules. In addition to being a fun, though often competitive, break from the lectures, the game reflected the ways in which individuals, groups, and societies deal with different and clashing rules, customs, and perceptions.

            After this busy day, we got to spend a little time exploring Paris’ wonderful cafes, bars, and attractions before heading back to Aubervilles for dinner. Even though some were fighting jetlag and fatigue, today made us think about the important theme of integration and how all of us fellows have that margin of action. We are here because HIA can help us develop the tools we need to make that margin of action a reality. 

- Jamila and Sarah 

Day 1: Friday, June 5

As I'm sitting at dinner today, I can't help but think: It's always interesting matching faces to names- or, in this case, matching fellows to bios. Reading through the list of these fellows' accomplishments is, at the same time, both impressive and intimidating. In the days leading up to this evening, I couldn't help but feel a great deal of excitement about this group. How would we interact? What would our friendships look like? How would our backgrounds and experiences shape our conversations? And, perhaps most importantly, what will we learn from each other and how will we grow? Clearly, as with every HIA opening, these first few days have left me with more questions than answers. On top of these somewhat more superficial questions are the ones that are slightly more important, posed to this fellowship class by Judy Goldstein and the director of the European Center for HIA, questioning the relationship between majority and minority groups in society. This is the ongoing mission of HIA, to understand this dynamic in such a way that we can prevent the great human rights atrocities of the past (and present) from happening in the future. HIA teaches us that before we can build tomorrow, we must understand what has come before it.

The Danish team met at the Copenhagen Airport yesterday, slightly set back by a bomb threat but nevertheless enthused to begin the opening program in Paris. After a good night's sleep, the team spent its free time the next afternoon by wandering the streets of Paris before meeting the American fellows and heading to the opening session. Our opening has been placed in a small, disadvantaged but lively Parisian suburb. As human rights activists, it is good for us to face the realities of French society. Outside of the ritzy quarters surrounding Notre Dame there exists a less appealing Paris, one marked by the social and economic inequities of modern western society. This town is the perfect backdrop of an HIA experience. This is our world, the one that we are here learning how to protect. With a speech by Dr. Goldstein the program adopted a more serious tone, creating an atmosphere that will certainly continue into the next month with our core programs. Dr. Goldstein spoke of the direction of HIA, pointing out the importance of organizations like this one during times of economic crisis- when the majority so often turns against the minority (as history lends itself in witness). It is during times like these that we need to be most mindful of how economic tension has resulted in racial, religious, and socio-economic discrimination in the past. More than ever, HIA is needed.

And so that’s where we find ourselves in the Danish program. There is a sense of anticipation in the air, almost tangible though tempered slightly by the jet lag of the American fellows. It’s obvious that this isn't your typical summer vacation.

My daydreaming is suddenly interrupted by a question from the Dutch fellow sitting next to me. "I see that you study International Relations," he says, "what's your perspective on international frameworks as they relate to human rights protection?"

And so it begins.