Salzburg Global Fellow J. Jarpa Dawuni "challenges societies and gender activists to think more about caring for the carers"
In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic and racial social justice unrest in the US in particular, the arc of morality shifted towards the issue of women in the care economy. From the plethora of op-eds, books, convenings and conference panels on this issue, it is evident that the world is (re)awakening to the role caregivers play in the private and the public sectors of our societies. Most of these caregivers are predominantly women of color. A 2020 article by Salzburg Global Fellow Jocelyn Frye on the impact of COVID-19 on women of color indicated that 60.3% of maids and housekeepers, 50.3% of nursing assistants, and 45.7% of personal care aides are women of color.
In October 2022, I attended a Salzburg Global Seminar program Health and Economic Well-being: Gender Equality in Post-Pandemic Rebuilding. The five-day session convened a diverse group of women representing over 26 countries with diverse professional backgrounds and lived experiences. The energy that galvanized our five days of deliberation, sharing, co-creating ideas and strategizing for centering women in the post-pandemic rebuilding was simply infectious and invigorating. I came back hopeful that if we examine women in the care economy through an intersectional lens, we can move the needle forward for women in the care economy.
As we explore innovative and sustainable ways of addressing the care economy, I am struck by the narrow definition of the “care economy.” My call to action is to challenge societies and gender activists to begin to think more about caring for the carers. When we talk about carers in our societies, we often think of those who provide primary care - parents, babysitters, health professionals, and teachers. These groups consist largely of women of color, and immigrant women who remain underpaid.
We must expand our conceptualization of the care economy to include those I classify as secondary carers—and this group includes individuals who serve food at restaurants, the janitors who keep our surroundings clean, and those who provide direction and customer service at public venues such as airports.
Noticing the Unnoticed
Most women will probably relate to this example. Have you noticed that the lines to the women’s bathrooms/restrooms at airports are usually long—and longer than the men’s restrooms?
Maybe we need a feminist architectural redesign of public bathrooms. I began noticing this trend, especially at airports because I travel quite a bit. I also started noticing the invisible woman in the bathroom corner who was stationed there to clean and keep the place tidy, hygienic, and refreshed. For most of us, we go in and out of restrooms fast, either to run off to catch our flight or to catch a ride home after a long flight.
In 2018, I decided to develop a new habit, consciously noticing the cleaning lady in the corner of the restroom. Afterall, it was because of her that I could go to a clean and hygienic bathroom after a flight. I decided that each time I used the bathroom, I would take a few minutes to say thank you to the cleaning lady in the corner. I also decided to tip her if I had change on me.
Tips and Thanks
Due to the pandemic and the halt in traveling, I did a few of those “tips and thanks” up until 2019. But today, I was reminded of my pledge when I went through the ever-so-busy Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. I only had a $100 bill in my purse. I was tempted to give that to the lady, but I also had some budgetary needs to attend to. I ran out of the bathroom and went to the shop next door to buy gum so I could get change. The shop attendant told me she had no change, but the lady in front of me had smaller bills and kindly gave me five $20 bills. I went back to the restroom and fulfilled my pledge of “tip and thanks.”
Caring for the Carers.
I decided to share this experience with the world, not because I want to put my “little generosity” on display but to showcase how we all, in our little ways, can take care of those who care for us. A simple “thank you” goes a long way to boost the morale of a worker. Most of those who clean our public spaces are women, and a higher majority of those are women of color. In our attempts to center women in the care economy in a post-pandemic rebuilding, let us open our minds and hearts to the invisible faces in the care economy – who are everywhere around us. In caring for the carers, we all contribute to making the world of work better; we contribute to centering women in the care economy.
Sometimes, all it takes to care for a carer is simply to say thank you. Join this movement to care for the carers!
J. Jarpa Dawuni is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Howard University, Washington D.C. She is a qualified Barrister-at-Law before the Superior Courts of Ghana. She holds a Doctorate in Political Science from Georgia State University. Her primary areas of research and advocacy include law and development, judicial politics, women and the legal professions, gender and the law, international human rights, democratization and women's civil society organizing.
Salzburg Global Fellow Atiya Anis writes about her experience at Salzburg Global's latest Health and Health Care Innovation session
While the world is emerging from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, new emerging threats like the deepening climate crisis, and geopolitical conflicts are further threatening to overturn the progress made so far. The global indices (Global Gender Gap index) and gender empowerment measures paint an equally dismal picture stating it will take another 132 years to bridge the global gender gap. Falling women’s participation in labour force is a major contributor to this, exacerbated by the aftermath of the pandemic, which can be attributed to long-standing structural barriers, including childcare, occupational segregations, infrastructure, safety and mobility, social identities, and violence against women and girls.
With the goal to deliberate, discuss and find innovative solutions to the pressing issue of gender equity in the post-pandemic rebuilding, leaders and changemakers from over 26 countries met at Salzburg Global Seminar, as part of the Health and Economic Well-being: Gender Equity in Post-Pandemic Rebuilding program, organized from Oct 15-19, bringing in experts and leaders working around the issue of gender to inspire new thinking and action.
Salzburg Global Seminar is an independent non-profit organization founded in 1947 with the aim to challenge current and future leaders to shape a better world. Being at the forefront of global movements for change, Salzburg Global has works with partners around the globe to bridge divide, transform systems and expand collaboration.
This October, I got the opportunity to be a part of the Salzburg Global program. It has been a proud and inspirational moment for me to engage with experts from all over the world bringing in their perspectives and learnings and co-create innovative solutions to address long standing challenges about ways in which gender continues to impact outcomes. Health and Economic Well-being: Gender Equity in Post-Pandemic Rebuilding tried to establish the strong linkage that health has with wellbeing and prosperity, and how it is inevitable to creating an equal and equitable world. Gender transformative structures, leadership and policies have the potential to enhance the agency of women and girls and bring about sustainable change and transformation.
The Salzburg Global session was inspiring not only in terms of the thematic focus but the design that helped leverage the discussion, enabling effective interaction and tangible outcomes. The format was democratic and structured, and gave a voice to each participant and region.
Sessions included open conversation, knowledge cafes and working groups, lending the opportunity to all Fellows for inclusive and focused reflections, achieving better learning outcomes. Sessions revolved around themes like reimagining the future of work, lessons learned from leadership, innovation in work and social supports, centring women and marginalized groups in decision making and the pandemic recovery. Other topics revolved around the care economy mission, building a gender responsive government, creative solutions to gender-based violence, and political playbooks for sustainable progress. Salzburg Global also offered media and communication opportunities to Fellows interested in extending and publishing their work, and working groups were organized to define a proposal and build an agenda for collaboration.
Salzburg Global Seminar helped connecting an international community of outstanding leaders and brought together inspiration and learnings from across the globe, creating avenues for coalition-building under the vast umbrella that is the Salzburg Global Fellows network. While Fellows have gone back to their respective workplaces and countries after the end of the program, they are still connected by a strong sense of commitment to work together to ensure that economic recovery and strategies are gender responsive, integrated and resilient.
As I head back home, I am astounded by the immense learning and exposure Salzburg Global has brought me in the span of five days. And the connections don’t stop there. Fellows have a lifelong access to collaborate, engage and share ideas and best practices. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Fellowship that nourishes a culture of learning, sharing and cooperation. If you are in search for high-stakes, challenging, and meaningful work, and want to become a transformational leader, there cannot be a better platform than Salzburg Global Seminar.
Atiya Anis is an advocacy and communications specialist, working in the social impact sector in India for the past decade around themes of health, sanitation, gender and environment.
What strategies and policies have proven effective at addressing intersectionality of gender with race/ethnicity, ability, age and other factors as well as the experience of those with diverse gender identities? What are the greatest challenges to these strategies and tools; and how can they be mitigated?
Centering intersection gender lens and mainstreaming have become a box ticking exercise and perfunctory extrapolation of intersectional segments. Sometimes, we consider intersectionality as linear with single and distinct characteristics. It's therefore more important than ever that global diverse identities with lived experiences are heard and understood in conversations about intersectionality, in order to design a better and safer world that truly, not only leaves no one behind, but brings and uplifts people alongside. That was the message and what was achieved at the Problem-Solving Lab: Strategies, and Mitigation policies effective at addressing intersectionality of gender with race/ethnicity, ability, age and other factors, hosted at the Health and Economic Well-being: Gender Equity in Post-Pandemic Rebuilding program by Salzburg Global Seminar, in Salzburg, Austria.
"The solution lies in re-centering the needs of diverse group"
"Intersectionality has become a single buzzword form. While it has proven to be a useful tool for highlighting multiple forms of discrimination and how they intersect, we need to give a broader picture on the nuances of the lived experiences of intersectional segments. Be it race, gender, and ethnicity. The solution lies in re-centering the needs of diverse group” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families with an opening statement at the problem-solving lab.
Furthermore, some of the development principles included, asking important and challenging questions such as how centralized or diverse should intersection be? So much contradiction is embedded in the themed question of intersection depending on the lens being used. Krishanti Dharmaraj, Executive Director, Center for Women's Global Leadership, New Brunswick, NJ, USA highlighted the ideology, assumption bias and institutionalized polarizations for intersection. "Even the most seemingly straightforward ideas and words can contain quite diverse and even incompatible assumptions and expectations, depending on the people ‘in the room'."
True to form, considering the existing framework that we have - from our culture, our politics, policy, law and interaction - do not automatically lead people to being conversant and literate in intersectionality or want to make changes. Understanding the need to shift repressive power dynamics can strengthen the rights and influence of those most affected by inequities, violence, oppression and injustice across the globe. We need to reimagine not just what intersection should look like but what it can potentially be as a lens for seeing the world of oppression and a tool for eradicating it.
"People with problems are not problem people"
Most of the time, intersectionality co-exists and overlaps with marginalization. People with problems are not problem people. Seeing people as rights holders (as opposed to beneficiaries) in shared spaces, communities and institutions has the potential to uphold gender and intersectional equality. This approach demands not just seeing them as "marginalized" communities but equal and deserving communities.
"While we may all be weathering the same storm, we are in drastically different boats with more cushioning effect than others"
Structural inequality is embedded in our society, and it requires bold, concerted action to eliminate it. "There are many many different kinds of intersectional exclusion — not just black women, but other women of color. Not just people of color, but immigrants, indigenous people and ethnic minority group,” says Professor Jarpa Dawuni, Associate Professor, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA. While we may all be weathering the same storm, we are in drastically different boats with more cushioning effects than others. For example, within gender and Intersection, an Asian woman will likely have a very different experience than a black African woman living in the United States.
Council of Women Leaders Secretary General Laura Liswood’s words set the tone during the program, as she talked about earning "two points for identifying the problem, eight for finding a solution”, and moving beyond the illusion of “building back better: strategies to re-envision intersectionality.”
Our conception of “intersection” and what counts must change, to include the centrality of multiple forms of intersecting inequality. The awareness of what we bring to the conversations and groups we find ourselves in is always worthwhile, helping us identity and talk through sometimes subtle yet substantial differences in how we understand the problems and worlds around us.
The "Simultaneousity" as coined by Jarpa Dawuni during the problem-solving lab simply means doing different things at the same time, directing struggle and support, and not wait until we achieve one victory before commencing the journey of another struggle. Demanding healthy and meaningful conversations from ourselves and the spaces we’re in is one vital step in being part of an equitable, just and sustainable present and future for all.
Valuing voice means lifting up, promoting, and supporting the leadership and storytelling of those most affected by policies and practices. Lebohang Liepollo Pheko, Senior Research Fellow, Trade Collective, Johannesburg, South Africa emphasized that we are in a unique moment, "where we need to value voices, promote and support leadership of diverse voices." This applies to many situations where underrepresented or historically excluded people are asked to participate in an activity or contribute to a project.
Too often they are still included only for tokenized participation, conferred with "the first black or women of color label" and without much context to give their perspective that’s supposed to represent the "intersection voice." "You cannot be at the forefront of a cause where you don’t identify with its struggles and possess lived experiences." Respect the voice of those most affected by issues by centering their voices, respecting their goals for their communities, and stepping aside and allowing them to serve as spokespeople for their own causes.
We need data, and storytelling narratives for evaluation "Where we can hear from people telling their own stories of intersectionality and ways they have felt accepted or rejected based on their unique experience and factoring all this in,” said Teresa Younger, President and CEO, Ms. Foundation for Women, Brooklyn, United States with inspiring and final words. “We need to embrace and welcome these differences to continue building balance that can overcome the times we are living in especially when looking at intersectionality. For example, the experiences of racism and sexism intersect and create unique experiences for black women and women of color, leading to varied compounded, systemic barriers.
“Contextualizing gender, intersectionality and human rights in a development paradigm promotes a balance for multi-strengthened synergy. We are all in the fight together and should develop narratives that push intersection in a way that perhaps before we were not able to push and ensure everyone is brought along. Building community and encouraging alliances, coalitions, critical reflection, collaboration across sectors, and looking out for each other will help us solve problems. That’s why this conversation is happening at the right time and we need to have more conversations like it.”
Taofeekat Adigun is a public health and development specialist working at the intersection of policy, advocacy and research. She currently leads Outreach and Partnership for Our Generation for Inclusive Peace.
Laura Liswood reflects on her experience, preparing for future challenges, and her time at Women World Leaders
This October, Laura Liswood returns to Salzburg, Austria, to support Salzburg Global’s Health and Economic Well-being: Gender Equity in Post-Pandemic Rebuilding.
Along with the 60 participants coming from across the globe, and across different sectors, we are pleased to welcome and introduce our latest Program Ambassador, Laura Liswood.
Laura is the Co-founder of Women World Leaders, along with Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former president of Iceland, and Mary Robinson, Ireland’s former president. Women World Leaders is a network of 83 current female presidents and former prime ministers established in 1996 and it is the only organization of its kind globally. Laura Liswood earlier served as a Managing Director, Global Leadership and Diversity for Goldman Sachs from 2001 to 2016. She has the insightful information of how organizations in both, private and public sectors can improve gender equality, and what difficulties arise when trying to make a difference inside an organization at the global level. Liswood holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A. from California State University, San Diego. She also holds a J.D. degree from the Davis School of Law of the University of California and is a long-time participant of the World Economic Forum.
Laura now joins Salzburg Global’s Health and Economic Well-being: Gender Equity in Post-Pandemic Rebuilding, co-curating the program with Shuma Panse, Mary Helen Pombo and Charlotte Müer. As Program Ambassador, she will support strategic global recruitment for the session, amplify the impact of the program and bring her insight and expertise.
Mary Helen Pombo, Program Director for Salzburg Global's health programs worked closely with Laura on the program's development and says:
"We are delighted to be welcoming Laura Liswood once again at Salzburg Global. Her expertise in leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion and women in politics and vast experience across civil society and the public and private sector undoubtedly make her an asset to the program. As Program Ambassador, Laura plays a key role in curating our program and amplifying the impact of the session, while acting as a resource to other Fellows."
We spoke with Laura to get to know her better. This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Charlotte Müer, health Program Manager, Salzburg Global Seminar: How do you envision supporting our Fellows as a Program Ambassador?
LL: “I hope to be a resource particularly on women's leadership and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) subject matter.
“In addition, during the informal breaks and unscheduled times, there will be opportunities to learn more about Fellows, their goals, and interests. To the extent that I would plan to provide guidance or connections.”
Shuma Panse, Session Chair and Senior Program Officer, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: What do you think is the added benefit of this cross-country and cross-sector session on gender equity in post-pandemic rebuilding?
LL: “Diversity of thought always enhances innovation and creativity.
“Cross-country and cross-sector perspectives will help everyone find best practices post-pandemic. Knowledge gaps can also be observed, and action taken about the absence of needed information to shape actions.”
Mary Helen Pombo, health Program Director, Salzburg Global Seminar: What major challenges will we face in the next five to 10 years to advance an equitable and inclusive economy?
LL: “First of all, challenges to advancement include lack of government leadership and support for ensuring equitable and inclusive economies, including policy, legislation and guidance. Backlash from those who feel that diversity, equity, and inclusion are taking away what is rightfully theirs are not understanding the advantage and privilege they have had in their societies.
“Secondly, economic hardships, climate change, and poverty remain intractable with seemingly slow progress. The possibility that conservative societies will go backward in the advancement of women, taking away education, reproductive health, and other steps that have helped progress.”
Mary Helen Pombo: What can Fellows in this program do to prepare for these challenges?
LL: “Continuing their work and energy on the key areas of interest to the Fellows is very important. Also, learning from the experiences of others and finding ways to collaborate to multiply their impact.
“Also, continuing to voice publicly the issues that are constraining progress. Leveraging their work with other like-minded organizations and people. Calling for continued research and data analysis by governments and other organizations to provide the information needed to create policy change.”
Momoko Tamamura, Global Impact Fellow: What is your greatest motivation to continue your work in diversity and leadership?
LL: “I continue to work in the DEI leadership arena because I have personally seen the importance of equitable opportunities, the need to level the playing field, and to make sure all feel included and valued.”
“It is also because I like presenting ideas in ways that both dominant groups and non-dominant groups can relate to and provide a different perspective and vocabulary so that all see the need for equity and social justice.”
Gayoung Imm, Impact Fellow at Salzburg Global Seminar, reflects on South Korean public health expert's response to the COVID-19 pandemic
The Impact Fellowship with Salzburg Global Seminar's health program not only has been a wonderful experience for me to grow professionally to become a global leader in the future, but it has also been a valuable time for me to think about what good leaders should look like. Among lots of important qualifications that leaders must be equipped with, I think that great leaders must be able to make the public voluntarily follow them. We can see how important it is by looking at how South Korean leader, Eun-Kyeong Jung successfully managed the COVID-19 crisis.
Cooperation at the societal level is essential to overcome the international health crisis COVID-19, given its infectious nature and the detrimental effects on public lives. At the beginning of the breakout, we have witnessed many societies that failed to manage the situation because of the distrust, mis- and disinformation around the virus. However, looking at various countries around the world with high rates of vaccination take up, such as Denmark, Korea and Portugal, trust in leaders managing the health crisis has been key to successfully beating the epidemics.
Eun-Kyeong Jung, the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), was applauded for her leadership in managing the COVID-19 pandemic situation worldwide. Thanks to her, South Korea's response to the pandemic at the beginning of the breakout has become a global example. The Wall Street Journal described Commissioner Jung as “a national hero”, with emphasis on her leadership style of “straight talk, informed analysis and stoical calm." Further, she was selected as one of the 100 most influential people in 2020 by Time and 100 Women 2020 by BBC.
What can the world learn from Commissioner Jung's leadership? What made the world pay attention to her leadership during COVID-19? And furthermore, what should good leadership look like in a national health crisis?
1) Evidence-based decision making
As head of the KDCA, Commissioner Jung sees managing infectious diseases based on scientific evidence and expertise as philosophy and organizational mandate. As the infodemics evolved and the leading opposition party utilized the situation for political purposes, she was not swayed by the political scheme. Instead, she calmed the dispute by sharing existing evidence at the daily national briefing.
It is well-known that Commissioner Jung writes down as much information as possible during the regular national reporting on her personal notebooks. She was often seen reviewing her notebook before the new report or public briefing. Her close staff said that whenever her team members mistakenly reported incorrect information to her, she would set the record straight right away. With this high emphasis on details and accuracy, she managed to reduce mistakes when making important decisions.
2) Direct and candid communication
Commissioner Jung does not pretend to know everything. As her first priority is national safety, she candidly admitted that when she did not have a clear answer. With evidence in her personal notebook, she was able to answer spontaneous questions from the reporters. However, when she didn't have an answer to the question, she was often clear about this rather than giving an evasive answer. In this situation, she took the substantial personal initiative, not only to understand the facts but to quickly follow up with reporters after the briefing by text message as information became available.
At the height of the panic, Commissioner Jung’s message came not only with volumes of health guidance, but it was also a source of courage. Confidently reassuring the nation, she emphasized that “the virus will not overtake Korea” at the national briefing. As it is well-known that she rarely says empty words, the public felt her confidence and started to trust her. She took charge of every single national briefing since the breakout of COVID-19. Not only as the head of KDCA but also as a national renowned expert in the field, she communicated directly and candidly on the subject.
3) Solidarity in leadership
One of Commissioner Jung's close staff members said, “People don't want to leave her. She knows the most, makes clear decisions, is always patient, and never gets angry. She is just the best boss.” By building strong solidarity in leadership, she makes her staff voluntarily devote themselves to the organizational mission.
One well-known anecdote shows how Commissioner Jung treats her staff. When she was a manager of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, her staff member was censured for improperly managing MERS, Middle East respiratory syndrome. Whenever that team member was at a loss for words, Commissioner Jung interrupted and protected her from the blame.
As a leader, Commissioner Jung willingly takes responsibility and always tries to protect her staff from difficult, unfair situations. There was no doubt that her staff does not want to leave her and this becomes a powerful advantage for the organization to do their work in a safe environment.
To maintain national health and well-being, public authorities must acquire wide support from the public. Even if the guidance and regulations are perfectly designed by public bodies, it is of no use when only a few people proactively follow them. Then how can leaders mobilize the public? Building trust can be the answer. When people are certain that public authorities will successfully handle the situation, they will willingly cooperate to keep their own health.
Eun-Kyeong Jung succeeded in gaining trust, which led to the success of her leadership. With evidence-based decision-making and candid communication, she fostered trust with the public. Furthermore, due to the solidarity and attitude towards upholding accountability, she was able to acquire trust from political leaders. Thanks to this, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was elevated to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It was of no surprise when she was appointed as the first Commissioner of this new organization. With greater authority and accountability, she became able to mobilize citizens more proactively.
Layla McCay, Salzburg Global Fellow and Director of the Centre for Urban Design and Mental Health, explains why now is the time to support a Restorative Cities framework
COVID-19 has focused our attention on how our surroundings can affect our health. Whether trying to observe social distancing while walking along a narrow sidewalk or finding a nice park to exercise while the gym was closed, the pandemic has brought changes in how we interact with each other and our environment. Many of the changes were designed to protect our physical health – but a side effect has been the impact on our psychological well-being.
On the one hand, the pandemic has been detrimental to our mental health. The anxiety, disruption, uncertainties, and loss caused by COVID-19 have triggered or exacerbated many mental health problems. For example, observing various types of isolation and separation led to a narrowing of options for where, how, when, and with whom we work, learn, socialize, exercise and play. A loss of social engagement and support that would usually protect our mental health has increased loneliness. Meanwhile, a new appreciation for the benefits of gardens, parks, cycling infrastructure, and other aspects of the built environment has highlighted awareness of the inequalities in people’s neighborhoods – and the associated health impacts.
On the other hand, the pandemic has also revealed opportunities. For example, by eliminating the commute, home working liberated additional time to relax, socialize, enjoy leisure activities or exercise – which along with various lockdown restrictions, led people to appreciate the people and amenities in their local neighborhood. In addition, the need to socially distance and travel without the risk of catching COVID-19 drove the adaptation of many urban neighborhoods with widened sidewalks, temporary bike lanes, and pop-up parks, using space that pre-pandemic might have been considered the indisputable domain of cars.
The increase in outdoor socializing to reduce the transmission of the virus has led many people to appreciate the mental health benefits of easily accessible, well-designed, and well-maintained local parks, waterfront walkways, and other public spaces to enable safe socializing, exercise, and play.
As temporary adaptations teeter on the brink of longer-term changes, this is an apt moment in the pandemic for a new Restorative Cities framework to emerge. This framework, which I explore in my new book with Jenny Roe, identifies evidence-based approaches to designing and planning the urban environment to secure value and benefit public mental health and well-being.
The Restorative City framework pillars identify the opportunity to design the built environment to incorporate greenery and water within the city core. It leverages all five senses for mental health benefit, as well as neighborly and social interaction. It facilitates physical activity and all-age play; and ensures inclusion and belonging. The green, blue, sensory, neighborly, active, playful, and inclusive city can benefit a population’s mental health, including reducing stress, loneliness, anxiety, and depression and easing symptoms of mental disorders from ADHD to dementia.
These pillars form the basis of a restorative approach to urban planning and design. For example, we know that green space has the potential to benefit mental health. Still, the extent of its impact depends on factors like the amount, accessibility, type, views of nature, perceived quality, its biodiversity, its usage, and the amount of exposure or “dose” a person receives daily. And the benefits of water are modified by factors like how clean it is and equitable, safe access. When it comes to the latest research on sensory opportunities, this means going beyond a typical city approach from addressing noise or smell complaints to leverage the senses more positively. For example, a street of visually interesting, intricate storefronts will engage curiosity. They can reduce negative thoughts associated with depression far more than a featureless building wall monopolizing a city block.
Achieving a convivial neighborhood designed for social support means giving extra thought to those “bumping places” where neighbors might meet and chat, like a local market or dog park. Well-designed infrastructure can encourage and enable more physical activity for diverse residents in the form of walking, cycling, and other movements, and playful design for all ages can nurture creativity and social interaction. These factors must be underpinned by design inclusive for all ages, genders, races and ethnicities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic strata, and for the full diversity of physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities and needs.
As we hopefully emerge from the pandemic, cities now have the opportunity to learn lessons about what is possible in the design and use of public space for mental health – and to seize that opportunity to innovate for the benefit of everyone. The Restorative City provides a framework for how to pursue that goal.
Restorative Cities: Urban Design for Mental Health and Wellbeing by Jenny Roe and Layla McCay was published by Bloomsbury on August 12 2021.
Impact Fellows will perform a variety of roles within Salzburg Global and take part in cross-cultural learning and capacity building
Salzburg Global Seminar is piloting a new initiative to engage the next generation of change-makers.
The Salzburg Global Impact Fellowship hopes to create a unique career development opportunity for promising individuals from around the world to build their professional experience and skillset.
The goals of the Impact Fellowship program are to:
Opportunities also exist for cross-cultural learning, peer learning, capacity building, and mentorship. Impact Fellows will perform a variety of roles including administration, operations, program, development, evaluation, and communications.
Salzburg Global will also provide Impact Fellows with support for their next steps in their careers.
Each Impact Fellow, for now, will work remotely for a minimum of three months with the possibility of an extension. This policy will be reviewed as and when travel restrictions ease.
In April 2021, Allison Maier and Isabelle Weber became Salzburg Global’s first Impact Fellows. Maier has worked on the Education Policymakers Network. Weber, meanwhile, has been assisting the Salzburg Global LGBT* Forum, the Emerging Urban Leaders program, and the Parks for the Planet Forum.
Aaisha Dadi Patel joined Salzburg Global’s Public Affairs Team as an Impact Reporter in the same month. Based in South Africa, Dadi Patel reports on programs and writes features for publication in print and online, focusing on Salzburg Global Fellows and their work.
At the beginning of June 2021, Salzburg Global welcomed three new Impact Fellows supported by the Korea Foundation: Gayoung Imm, Jihyun Park, and Yohan Lee. Imm will work on Salzburg Global’s health programs, while Park will assist the Salzburg Global Finance Forumand the Salzburg Global Corporate Governance Forum. Lee will assist Maier on the Education Policymakers Network and programs that fall under the Culture, Arts, and Societymulti-year series.
Jennifer Dunn, program development manager at Salzburg Global, said, “We are excited that the Impact Fellowship will provide a valuable opportunity for young leaders to develop their professional skills and experience in the international non-profit sphere.
“Salzburg Global Seminar has always been committed to the idea of enhancing the careers of our Fellows, and the Impact Fellow program will take this a step further and embed this concept deeper into our working practices. We are looking forward to benefitting from the diverse perspectives and enthusiasm of the Impact Fellows and are delighted to welcome them all to the Salzburg Global team.”
The Salzburg Global Impact Fellowship is just the latest example of the organization helping to challenge current and future leaders to shape a better world.
To date, Salzburg Global’s Internship Program has welcomed hundreds of young people at the beginning of their careers who have since become established professionals in different sectors worldwide. The organization has made every effort to select a diverse group of interns and align their general and specific assignments to maximize their learning experience and the contribution they can make.
Jinsu Park, a former Salzburg Global Seminar – Korea Foundation Intern in 2017, said his time in Austria was “very meaningful” and allowed him to experience a new culture for the first time. He said, “[At Salzburg Global I] was surprised that people can communicate with each other without any restrictions, even though they have different cultures, different backgrounds, and different positions.”
Before arriving, Park said he could not have imagined an internship like the one he did. He said, “Fellows come here to learn other’s perspectives. This is important. It is a good chance to see how people communicate with each other without any background, without any positions, and any emotional purpose. That is what I think is meaningful for me. It is more meaningful because it was like a window for me. I had never seen this kind of culture before…
“It motivated me to challenge myself to go abroad... I was not sure that I could communicate with people in Western society in our society. [At Salzburg] I realized that even though I was not that good [at speaking], I realized that I could listen to them. I can understand what they want, and I can understand what they are saying. So maybe I can be better. I got [more] confidence about my communication skills and ability: 'Oh, I think I can do more. I want to do more.”
In 2019, Park returned to Salzburg Global Seminar as a Fellow for the Parks for the Planet Forum program, “Partnerships for Urban Wellbeing and Resilience: Harnessing Nature and Protected Areas for the Sustainable Development Goals.” He was invited to attend in his capacity as a climate change consultant at Eco & Partners. He also served as a committee member for the 2050 low carbon society vision forum launched by the Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea.
Park said, “When I was an intern, I believed Fellows in programs talked to each other randomly. They also even tried to talk to interns or staff - everyone at Salzburg Global Seminar. When I was a Fellow, I realized that it is more random than I think. They just love to talk...”
“The reason why I came [to Salzburg] was to expand my perspective and my insight… diversity makes me more creative. From that moment, I started not to rush… I do not have the mind [now] that I have to be something, or I have to be someone. I can be anything – anyone – because there are tons of jobs that I can choose… I feel like I expanded my possibility because I did not have to try and be something. I just keep expanding my ability, skills, and network.”
In 2020, Salzburg Global Seminar and World Urban Parks launched the Emerging Urban Leaders program. As part of the application, candidates were asked to submit a project they would like to pursue. Park was selected to join the inaugural cohort after expressing his interest to look at the correlation between park utility and inequality in Asian cities.
Park is currently studying in London, England. He is majoring in environmental economics and climate change at the London School of Economics and Political Science. One benefit Park has had from interacting with other Salzburg Global Fellows is learning how change can be achieved all around the world. He said, “I realized that there are so many ways that I didn’t think about before.” Park’s interactions with Fellows have also made him more hopeful. He added, “Maybe it is our turn to change our society.”