1
00:00:08,805 --> 00:00:12,363
You might remember this image
of the chancellor Angela Merkel

2
00:00:12,363 --> 00:00:15,653
taking a selfie with a refugee

3
00:00:15,653 --> 00:00:17,829
This image and others like it

4
00:00:17,829 --> 00:00:20,865
have raised concerns 
in the German Parliament

5
00:00:20,865 --> 00:00:22,980
and many European parliaments

6
00:00:22,980 --> 00:00:25,900
putting the European Union
in a difficult spot.

7
00:00:25,970 --> 00:00:29,771
From the beginning there hasn't been 
a German consensus

8
00:00:29,771 --> 00:00:32,634
regarding an avalanche of refugees

9
00:00:32,634 --> 00:00:35,634
coming from the Middle East
and headed to Europe.

10
00:00:35,634 --> 00:00:39,698
The welcoming environment created 
by Angela Merkel at the beginning

11
00:00:39,698 --> 00:00:41,451
was not always appreciated by everyone.

12
00:00:41,451 --> 00:00:44,356
At the start, there were
those who supported her

13
00:00:44,356 --> 00:00:45,946
and others who didn't.

14
00:00:45,962 --> 00:00:49,138
Those who does not 
support her are increasing

15
00:00:49,138 --> 00:00:51,587
there are more of them
opposing her

16
00:00:51,587 --> 00:00:54,834
which will clearly take its toll 
on Angela Merkel.

17
00:00:54,834 --> 00:00:58,892
I don't want to get into details 
about Angela Merkel's political future

18
00:00:58,892 --> 00:01:02,157
but I'd like to mention
that she is, for me,

19
00:01:02,157 --> 00:01:04,837
one of the political figures
that currently

20
00:01:04,837 --> 00:01:08,297
has moral authority
in spite of her mistakes,

21
00:01:08,310 --> 00:01:13,070
which is something that
most current politicians lack.

22
00:01:13,872 --> 00:01:18,452
This graph shows the number of refugees

23
00:01:18,541 --> 00:01:21,207
that entered Germany last year.

24
00:01:21,207 --> 00:01:26,257
The first group is from Syria,
followed by the group from Iraq

25
00:01:26,304 --> 00:01:28,374
and the Afghan group.

26
00:01:28,374 --> 00:01:33,184
According to a UNICEF report 
published two weeks ago,

27
00:01:33,314 --> 00:01:36,081
half of those who flee from war

28
00:01:36,081 --> 00:01:37,921
are minors.

29
00:01:39,215 --> 00:01:43,547
The anti-refugee discourse is well known:

30
00:01:43,547 --> 00:01:48,187
"They will impose Islam on us."
"We are letting terrorists in."

31
00:01:48,256 --> 00:01:50,406
"We are loosing our identity."

32
00:01:50,418 --> 00:01:54,708
Also, it is true that 
there are people who support

33
00:01:54,812 --> 00:01:57,900
or show empathy with 
those who flee from war

34
00:01:57,900 --> 00:02:00,931
but I can also say
that within them

35
00:02:00,931 --> 00:02:08,321
there is a way to protect
against the political mistakes

36
00:02:08,323 --> 00:02:09,441
to avoid taking action,

37
00:02:09,441 --> 00:02:13,342
to not participate in 
initiatives which could

38
00:02:13,342 --> 00:02:18,382
at least calm these
serious personal situations.

39
00:02:18,855 --> 00:02:21,946
In both unofficial and official discourse

40
00:02:21,946 --> 00:02:27,256
stands out as something key 
to the integration of the refugees:

41
00:02:27,265 --> 00:02:29,235
learning German.

42
00:02:29,414 --> 00:02:31,839
I'm from Barcelona and I'm a linguist

43
00:02:31,839 --> 00:02:34,939
Four years ago I moved to 
Cologne, Germany,

44
00:02:34,952 --> 00:02:39,342
learning a language is key factor
for me as well,

45
00:02:39,367 --> 00:02:40,695
to be able to integrate,

46
00:02:40,695 --> 00:02:44,861
but not only is it a key factor 
for the refugees,

47
00:02:44,861 --> 00:02:48,045
but for all immigrants.

48
00:02:48,045 --> 00:02:51,458
I have been researching different aspects 
of German in multilingual environments

49
00:02:51,458 --> 00:02:52,932
for several years.

50
00:02:52,932 --> 00:02:57,562
My view is that language 
is not a final product

51
00:02:57,608 --> 00:02:59,575
that you could master.

52
00:02:59,575 --> 00:03:05,613
For me, language is a process 
that changes during one's lifetime,

53
00:03:05,613 --> 00:03:09,263
throughout the personal experiences
we have.

54
00:03:09,518 --> 00:03:12,838
Obviously, language 
is a powerful instrument

55
00:03:12,838 --> 00:03:15,632
for integration, for inclusion, but also

56
00:03:15,632 --> 00:03:18,882
a powerful instrument 
for social exclusion.

57
00:03:18,970 --> 00:03:22,883
If, for instance, you have
poor linguistic competence

58
00:03:22,883 --> 00:03:29,033
or you have a foreign accent,
or a dialect from a certain region,

59
00:03:29,033 --> 00:03:32,793
or, perhaps if you have
some sort of disability

60
00:03:32,793 --> 00:03:36,453
which affects the production
of your speech,

61
00:03:36,453 --> 00:03:38,362
say, for example, stammering,

62
00:03:38,362 --> 00:03:42,079
all of which are examples
that influence the way people

63
00:03:42,079 --> 00:03:47,509
will accept or reject you in a society.

64
00:03:47,603 --> 00:03:52,003
The use of language and 
identity is not static,

65
00:03:52,165 --> 00:03:54,015
it is something dynamic.

66
00:03:54,043 --> 00:03:57,562
It isn't like fingerprints,
that stay with you for life.

67
00:03:57,562 --> 00:04:01,029
Identity is something you
either create or forge

68
00:04:01,029 --> 00:04:07,869
based on the values and beliefs,
you families and friends give you

69
00:04:08,001 --> 00:04:12,231
and also about
what you really want to be,

70
00:04:12,305 --> 00:04:16,135
and what you really want to be
is related to your motivation,

71
00:04:16,141 --> 00:04:21,021
from the feeling of belonging
you have with other groups

72
00:04:21,021 --> 00:04:23,405
that you feel connected or identified

73
00:04:23,405 --> 00:04:26,087
and also in relation to 
interactions with groups

74
00:04:26,087 --> 00:04:28,722
that are completely different
to you.

75
00:04:29,152 --> 00:04:31,597
In the refugee centres in Germany

76
00:04:31,597 --> 00:04:35,787
free German lessons are offered,

77
00:04:35,952 --> 00:04:40,285
and we could think,
it is natural to think,

78
00:04:40,285 --> 00:04:42,795
that these people should be happy

79
00:04:42,842 --> 00:04:45,682
because they are able to 
have these German courses

80
00:04:45,892 --> 00:04:49,012
and should also be grateful.

81
00:04:49,105 --> 00:04:55,085
However, the absence of female teenagers 
is quite significant

82
00:04:55,153 --> 00:04:58,983
in these German groups,
in these activities.

83
00:05:00,125 --> 00:05:02,035
Think about this:

84
00:05:02,647 --> 00:05:12,017
these girls have a big burden,
many post traumatic disorders,

85
00:05:12,072 --> 00:05:18,142
due to an exodus, to a land
that no one had promised to them;

86
00:05:19,238 --> 00:05:22,778
they have seen how their
loved ones were murdered,

87
00:05:23,559 --> 00:05:27,389
how their homes were burned or bombed.

88
00:05:28,914 --> 00:05:34,704
Some other women, unfortunately, 
have been witnesses or victims of rape

89
00:05:34,718 --> 00:05:40,354
in this particular voyage,
from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria

90
00:05:40,354 --> 00:05:44,124
headed to Europe
or in this case, Germany.

91
00:05:44,525 --> 00:05:47,116
If you could put yourselves in their shoes

92
00:05:47,126 --> 00:05:51,626
would you be keen to take German classes

93
00:05:51,632 --> 00:05:53,512
or anything at all?

94
00:05:54,594 --> 00:05:58,644
If that wasn't enough,
these girls' families,

95
00:05:59,799 --> 00:06:05,079
parents, brothers and
other family members

96
00:06:05,097 --> 00:06:08,027
don't allow them to participate
in these activities

97
00:06:08,027 --> 00:06:12,237
because they think it's likely 
that it could damage them further.

98
00:06:12,759 --> 00:06:14,509
And the question is:

99
00:06:14,969 --> 00:06:18,803
What can we do so that
these girls start participating

100
00:06:18,803 --> 00:06:22,123
in this new society and integrate?

101
00:06:22,306 --> 00:06:25,343
This is the question that
four friends and I have been asking:

102
00:06:25,343 --> 00:06:29,278
in the red sweater, Sandra, 
then me, Lina and Peter.

103
00:06:29,278 --> 00:06:32,957
All of us, due to different reasons,
have a lot of connections with adolescence.

104
00:06:32,957 --> 00:06:37,047
Peter and I, by having 
15 years old daughters

105
00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,920
Sandra and Lina, for working
with this adolescent group.

106
00:06:42,340 --> 00:06:46,910
We thought:
what if we create a project

107
00:06:47,210 --> 00:06:50,590
where it wouldn't just be 
attractive for refugee girls,

108
00:06:50,595 --> 00:06:54,415
but also attractive for German girls?

109
00:06:54,706 --> 00:06:56,610
Could we unite them?

110
00:06:56,610 --> 00:07:00,194
Could we create a space
for them to interact

111
00:07:00,194 --> 00:07:04,764
and maybe that could help 
to transform their identity?

112
00:07:04,887 --> 00:07:07,337
That's how Hallofoto! was born.

113
00:07:07,349 --> 00:07:13,049
It is a intercultural project 
for 13 - 17 year old girls.

114
00:07:13,084 --> 00:07:16,722
The objectives of this project
were: to develop --

115
00:07:16,722 --> 00:07:19,613
well, firstly to create spaces
for interaction to occur

116
00:07:19,613 --> 00:07:23,833
so then with that develop
communication skills,

117
00:07:23,855 --> 00:07:26,984
and then the girls' creativity.

118
00:07:26,984 --> 00:07:28,564
We thought:

119
00:07:28,564 --> 00:07:31,994
If we develop both of them
it is certain that we will create

120
00:07:32,009 --> 00:07:36,399
the possibility for them to develop
their intercultural skills.

121
00:07:38,375 --> 00:07:41,292
Clearly, to develop communication skills

122
00:07:41,292 --> 00:07:43,431
learning German was something
they would have to do

123
00:07:43,431 --> 00:07:44,367
there was no other way

124
00:07:44,367 --> 00:07:48,447
and we utilised an innovative method:
Augmentative Communication Boards.

125
00:07:48,447 --> 00:07:50,727
These augmentative communication boards

126
00:07:50,727 --> 00:07:53,432
are tools for those who are not verbal,

127
00:07:53,432 --> 00:07:55,657
meaning that people who have
no spoken language.

128
00:07:55,657 --> 00:07:58,586
This condition can be 
present from birth, for example

129
00:07:58,586 --> 00:08:03,336
chilrden with severe
Autistm Spectrum Disorders,

130
00:08:03,353 --> 00:08:06,733
or, for example, children 
with cerebral palsy.

131
00:08:06,738 --> 00:08:10,061
This condition can also be
developed in adults,

132
00:08:10,061 --> 00:08:12,852
following a stroke, or an accident,

133
00:08:12,852 --> 00:08:17,552
or maybe following 
a neurodegenerative disease,

134
00:08:17,578 --> 00:08:19,026
such as Parkinson's.

135
00:08:19,026 --> 00:08:21,419
The boards that we used
on the project

136
00:08:21,419 --> 00:08:26,478
are based on pictograms
and a core vocabulary.

137
00:08:26,478 --> 00:08:31,688
The core vocabulary includes the words
that are repeated the most while speaking

138
00:08:31,768 --> 00:08:33,596
and this happens, not only in German,

139
00:08:33,596 --> 00:08:38,256
but even in Spanish, Catalan, 
Basque, English, etc.

140
00:08:40,014 --> 00:08:45,054
The girls accepted these instruments,

141
00:08:45,782 --> 00:08:48,858
and the data gathered from 
the project proves this,

142
00:08:48,858 --> 00:08:50,868
that they value it positively.

143
00:08:50,869 --> 00:08:54,416
In any case, for them this isn't
the most important factor

144
00:08:54,416 --> 00:08:58,746
to learn German, to have dreams,
to stay motivated,

145
00:08:58,784 --> 00:09:03,524
to actually really be willing
to participate in this new society.

146
00:09:03,559 --> 00:09:08,049
For them, the most significant things 
are our encounters

147
00:09:08,118 --> 00:09:11,440
organised at Hallafoto! 
through our project.

148
00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,425
They are intercultural encounters

149
00:09:13,425 --> 00:09:17,740
because we were promoting
face-to-face interactions

150
00:09:17,740 --> 00:09:21,380
among groups with 
totally different points of reference.

151
00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:25,220
This, for instance, is an image
from one of the gatherings.

152
00:09:25,236 --> 00:09:29,438
We organised the intercultural
gatherings by themes

153
00:09:29,438 --> 00:09:31,271
which were chosen by the girls.

154
00:09:31,271 --> 00:09:34,081
This theme is 
"Makeup and Hairdressing."

155
00:09:34,081 --> 00:09:36,947
In another gathering we went
to an adventure centre

156
00:09:36,947 --> 00:09:40,157
where there were zip lines,
balancing games and tunnels.

157
00:09:40,565 --> 00:09:45,105
The idea was not to create fear,
but to overcome it.

158
00:09:45,229 --> 00:09:47,329
They coordinated efforts,

159
00:09:47,334 --> 00:09:50,072
and it wasn't about
who had more or less fear,

160
00:09:50,072 --> 00:09:52,565
which group had more or less fear,

161
00:09:52,565 --> 00:09:55,569
it was simply each person
expressing themseleves individually.

162
00:09:55,569 --> 00:09:57,136
You can see it in their faces,

163
00:09:57,136 --> 00:10:00,506
you can't tell who feels fear.

164
00:10:00,506 --> 00:10:04,026
The point is that in this,
along with other gatherings --

165
00:10:04,026 --> 00:10:06,412
This is the one we did where they cooking

166
00:10:06,412 --> 00:10:07,781
they can see its meaning.

167
00:10:07,781 --> 00:10:10,431
And by building such meaning

168
00:10:10,439 --> 00:10:14,629
is what creates the 
sensation of a melting pot,

169
00:10:14,694 --> 00:10:18,379
one which will create bonds,

170
00:10:18,379 --> 00:10:20,869
some intercultural developments

171
00:10:20,884 --> 00:10:22,680
which go beyond the labels.

172
00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:27,640
Labels serve to generate
stereotypes and breed prejudices

173
00:10:27,724 --> 00:10:32,964
that don't take into account the great
richness that every one of us is,

174
00:10:32,978 --> 00:10:35,287
or that every one of us has.

175
00:10:35,287 --> 00:10:38,087
In addition to these communication skills

176
00:10:38,089 --> 00:10:41,315
we also wanted to develop creative skills.

177
00:10:41,315 --> 00:10:48,859
Creativity is the loving and 
cognitive expression of each individual.

178
00:10:48,859 --> 00:10:54,219
And if we activate this expression together,

179
00:10:54,235 --> 00:10:59,255
firstly, a space to generate things is 
developed, previously unthinkable,

180
00:10:59,307 --> 00:11:01,837
that are the mixtures of expressions

181
00:11:01,855 --> 00:11:03,894
where it is possible to see

182
00:11:03,894 --> 00:11:08,134
how the intercultural skills
are being forged.

183
00:11:08,845 --> 00:11:11,669
That is why these photography
workshops were done,

184
00:11:11,669 --> 00:11:14,355
to stimulate that creativity.

185
00:11:14,355 --> 00:11:19,245
Photography workshops were 
held by Peter and Sandra,

186
00:11:19,271 --> 00:11:21,199
they are the photographers
in the group.

187
00:11:21,199 --> 00:11:22,621
And these are the pictures

188
00:11:22,621 --> 00:11:26,131
that the girls took during the project.

189
00:11:26,220 --> 00:11:32,400
Sometimes they struck poses, on other times
they took the pictures. They decided.

190
00:11:37,389 --> 00:11:40,939
When one looks at those 
pictures, one might ask:

191
00:11:41,287 --> 00:11:45,107
Where is the "they"?
Where is the "us"?

192
00:11:45,639 --> 00:11:48,739
Frontiers are somehow very diluted.

193
00:11:48,747 --> 00:11:50,257
How do we define ourselves?

194
00:11:50,604 --> 00:11:52,970
Those pictures seemed so beautiful to us

195
00:11:52,970 --> 00:11:56,026
that we thought we should 
do an exhibition.

196
00:11:56,026 --> 00:11:58,196
However, we didn't want to do any
kind of exhibition

197
00:11:58,196 --> 00:12:02,286
not in an art gallery or museum.

198
00:12:02,289 --> 00:12:08,140
We wanted to take our pictures,
our exhibition, to an urban space

199
00:12:08,140 --> 00:12:10,945
and we had a vision.

200
00:12:10,945 --> 00:12:13,832
This is what it looked like:

201
00:12:13,832 --> 00:12:18,142
we wanted our girls to be in a tram,

202
00:12:18,174 --> 00:12:19,609
the tram of wishes.

203
00:12:19,609 --> 00:12:22,403
Our wish was to have a platform,

204
00:12:22,403 --> 00:12:25,689
that was a political declaration

205
00:12:25,689 --> 00:12:30,049
against sexism and xenophobia.

206
00:12:30,591 --> 00:12:34,379
We presented it to members of
Cologne's public transport system

207
00:12:34,379 --> 00:12:38,039
and they got very exited by it.

208
00:12:38,065 --> 00:12:42,175
And at the beginning of July last year,

209
00:12:42,461 --> 00:12:44,911
the tram was presented

210
00:12:47,236 --> 00:12:49,626
with the girl's pictures.

211
00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:11,540
(Applause)

212
00:13:13,486 --> 00:13:18,196
The project had far more
success that we ever imagined.

213
00:13:18,469 --> 00:13:23,299
In fact, newspapers referred 
to us as the perfect project

214
00:13:23,315 --> 00:13:27,823
to counter xenophobic tendencies

215
00:13:27,823 --> 00:13:30,330
that sadly are on the rise

216
00:13:30,330 --> 00:13:33,242
not only in Germany, but across Europe.

217
00:13:33,242 --> 00:13:36,312
In addition, many were those
who asked us

218
00:13:36,331 --> 00:13:38,312
if they could replicate the project,

219
00:13:38,312 --> 00:13:41,191
if they could create 
their special own Hallofoto!

220
00:13:41,191 --> 00:13:42,891
Due to this, we thought:

221
00:13:42,944 --> 00:13:47,064
We will licence it,
so that the whole world can use it.

222
00:13:47,226 --> 00:13:50,576
That is why the project
is in Creative Commons,

223
00:13:50,593 --> 00:13:54,362
and on this stage, in TEDxValladolid,

224
00:13:54,362 --> 00:13:57,231
I would like to invite anyone here
who wants to participate

225
00:13:57,231 --> 00:14:00,761
and start up your own
project, to do it.

226
00:14:01,296 --> 00:14:09,616
(Applause)

227
00:14:10,210 --> 00:14:15,628
And isn't what we've taught,
the four of us on the team,

228
00:14:15,628 --> 00:14:18,608
rather, it is what the girls 
have taught us.

229
00:14:18,616 --> 00:14:22,886
All of the participants have shown us

230
00:14:22,909 --> 00:14:26,716
ways to communicate and to interact.

231
00:14:26,716 --> 00:14:29,229
Firstly, they break stereotypes.

232
00:14:29,229 --> 00:14:31,817
Secondly, they make bonds.

233
00:14:31,817 --> 00:14:33,457
That have also created

234
00:14:33,488 --> 00:14:39,114
transformed, powerful and intercultural identities,

235
00:14:39,114 --> 00:14:44,694
and these intercultural identities
are not based on a consensus,

236
00:14:44,853 --> 00:14:47,353
but in mutual respect,

237
00:14:47,353 --> 00:14:51,603
in which they 
emphasise with one another

238
00:14:51,709 --> 00:14:53,721
by putting themselves in the other
person's shoes,

239
00:14:53,721 --> 00:14:57,961
to have that feeling of belonging.

240
00:14:58,008 --> 00:15:00,453
And that feeling of belonging

241
00:15:00,453 --> 00:15:05,433
is the one I have been feeling from you
while I was telling you about all of this,

242
00:15:05,468 --> 00:15:08,558
for which I am very grateful.

243
00:15:08,586 --> 00:15:26,656
(Applause)