Multilingual Multicultural Asia: Exploring the dynamics of multilingualism within the context of increased urbanization and migration in Asia
Around the world, multilingualism is increasingly becoming the norm, requiring us to reconsider the ways in which we work. With multiple languages being used in communities, and multiple cultures coming together in new and unique ways, new opportunities and challenges are being presented to community development workers trying to bring about relevant, sensitive and lasting change.
In particular, this event aimed to provide:
a better understanding of the challenges faced across Asia due to increased urbanization and migration, and the activities people/organisations are undertaking in different contexts,
a vision for the benefits of considering communities languages and cultures in the way that you work and the opportunities available for change and transformation within increasingly multilingual contexts,
an opportunity to build new relationships and encourage collaboration with others to serve more effectively in different contexts.
For the first time, this Language, Education and Development CoP event was held in Singapore. Specifically chosen due to the relevancy of this topic, the three days provided a chance to see first hand how the National University of Singapore’s College of Alice & Peter Tan (CAPT) and Healthserve, two exciting and innovative local initiatives, are responding to the opportunities and challenges presented in Singapore due to migration and increased urbanization. We were privileged to be able to include visits to these different activities within our event, providing for truly experiential learning throughout the three days.
While this event had a specific focus on urban and migrant contexts, it was also designed to be relevant for those working in more rural contexts where communities are facing the other side of the implications of urbanization - for example the loss of youth and working aged adults.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Tuesday 28 November
08:00 Bus departs accommodation for Harvest Care Centre
09:00 - 10:30 Session 1 - Setting the Scene (Welcome, Introduction, Global context, Features in Asia, the SDGs)
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:30 Session 2 - Big issues, personal stories (event narrative - key issues)
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 15:00 Session 3 - Leaving (Impact of migration on rural life. Causes and effects of migration and urbanization. Why are people moving?)
15:00 - 15:30 Break
15:30 - 17:00 Session 4 - Arriving & Receiving (What is happening in urban communities? Causes and effects of migration and urbanization.)
17:00 - 17:30 Session 5 - Field Visit Preparation
17:30 - 19:30 Geylang Small Group Tour
19:30 Bus departs Harvest Care Centre for accommodation
Wednesday 29 November
08:30 Bus departs accommodation for Field Visit 1
09:00 - 12:30 Session 6 - Field Visit 1 - National University of Singapore’s College of Alice & Peter Tan (CAPT)
12:30 Bus returns to hotel
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 15:30 Session 7 - Field Visit 1 Debrief
15:30 - 18:00 Free Time / Film Showing
18:00 Bus departs for Field Visit 2
18:00 - 21:00 Session 8 - Field Visit 2 - Healthserve
21:00 Bus returns to accommodation
Thursday 30 November
08:00 - Bus departs accommodation for Harvest Care Centre
09:00 - 10:00 Session 9 - Field Visit 2 Debrief
10:00 - 10:30 Break
10:30 - 12:30 Session 10 - Societal Multilingualism & Translanguaging (Connections between language and culture and identity, sense of place, 'belonging', community, value.)
12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 15:00 Session 11 - Digging Deeper World Cafe (Key issues impacting MUM: multilingual education, migrants motives, SDGs ++)
15:00 - 15:30 Break
15:30 - 16:30 Session 12 - Planning Forward (Partnership and working together to address complex issues, key tools to try)
16:30 - 17:00 Closing Reflections
19:30 Bus departs Harvest Care Centre for accommodation
(Schedule subject to change)
EVENT NARRATIVE