this is a photograph of my dad I don’t know exactly when he was taken but I
know exactly when he was taken but I
know exactly when he was taken but I know that it was sometime in the early
know that it was sometime in the early
know that it was sometime in the early 70s because he doesn’t have a moustache
70s because he doesn’t have a moustache
70s because he doesn’t have a moustache his clean-shaven I’ve only ever seen my
his clean-shaven I’ve only ever seen my
his clean-shaven I’ve only ever seen my dad with a moustache because he’s had
dad with a moustache because he’s had
dad with a moustache because he’s had one since before I was born since the
one since before I was born since the
one since before I was born since the summer of 1974 way before I was born
summer of 1974 way before I was born
summer of 1974 way before I was born the photo was taken in Cyprus where he’s
the photo was taken in Cyprus where he’s
the photo was taken in Cyprus where he’s from in 1974 was a significant year for
from in 1974 was a significant year for
from in 1974 was a significant year for the country there was armed conflict
the country there was armed conflict
the country there was armed conflict which led to the division of the island
on July 20th that year my father was
on July 20th that year my father was taken to a prisoner of war camp by Greek
taken to a prisoner of war camp by Greek
taken to a prisoner of war camp by Greek Cypriot soldiers and held hostage for 93
Cypriot soldiers and held hostage for 93
Cypriot soldiers and held hostage for 93 days it was during this time that he
days it was during this time that he
days it was during this time that he grew his mustache a few years later he
grew his mustache a few years later he
grew his mustache a few years later he moved to England where I was born and
moved to England where I was born and
moved to England where I was born and raised we initially lived in East London
raised we initially lived in East London
raised we initially lived in East London and then moved to North London in the
and then moved to North London in the
and then moved to North London in the early 90s to a neighborhood that was
early 90s to a neighborhood that was
early 90s to a neighborhood that was home to many Turkish Cypriot and Greek
home to many Turkish Cypriot and Greek
home to many Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot families knowing that we began
Cypriot families knowing that we began
Cypriot families knowing that we began to school with Greek Cypriot children my
to school with Greek Cypriot children my
to school with Greek Cypriot children my dad had some very clear instructions for
dad had some very clear instructions for
dad had some very clear instructions for us I want you to find Greek Cypriot
us I want you to find Greek Cypriot
us I want you to find Greek Cypriot children he said I want you to bring
children he said I want you to bring
children he said I want you to bring them to our house for dinner I want you
them to our house for dinner I want you
them to our house for dinner I want you to make friends I want you to understand
to make friends I want you to understand
to make friends I want you to understand that we’re all the same so based on this
that we’re all the same so based on this
that we’re all the same so based on this advice my brothers and I made friends
advice my brothers and I made friends
advice my brothers and I made friends with lots of Greek Cypriot kids
with lots of Greek Cypriot kids
with lots of Greek Cypriot kids including Nicky zeniff on toast
including Nicky zeniff on toast
including Nicky zeniff on toast who was and is one of my very best
who was and is one of my very best
who was and is one of my very best friends
friends
friends Nikki ater our house we ate at hers and
Nikki ater our house we ate at hers and
Nikki ater our house we ate at hers and she’s now one of the godmothers of my
she’s now one of the godmothers of my
she’s now one of the godmothers of my child my dad did not allow us to use the
child my dad did not allow us to use the
child my dad did not allow us to use the conflict in Cyprus as an excuse for fear
conflict in Cyprus as an excuse for fear
conflict in Cyprus as an excuse for fear or for dehumanization of our neighbors
or for dehumanization of our neighbors
or for dehumanization of our neighbors he encouraged us to to be friendly to be
he encouraged us to to be friendly to be
he encouraged us to to be friendly to be open and to experience for ourselves
open and to experience for ourselves
open and to experience for ourselves that actually finding common ground it’s
that actually finding common ground it’s
that actually finding common ground it’s not that difficult if you give it a
not that difficult if you give it a
not that difficult if you give it a chance around three and a half years ago
chance around three and a half years ago
chance around three and a half years ago I moved from Istanbul back to Helsinki
I moved from Istanbul back to Helsinki
I moved from Istanbul back to Helsinki where I’m from having also lived in
where I’m from having also lived in
where I’m from having also lived in London Paris and Stockholm over the last
London Paris and Stockholm over the last
London Paris and Stockholm over the last 20 years I brought with me my British
20 years I brought with me my British
20 years I brought with me my British Turkish Cypriot husband and soon after
Turkish Cypriot husband and soon after
Turkish Cypriot husband and soon after our son was born around that time most
our son was born around that time most
our son was born around that time most of Europe was affected by the refugee
of Europe was affected by the refugee
of Europe was affected by the refugee crisis because of the unrest in the
crisis because of the unrest in the
crisis because of the unrest in the Middle East and parts of Africa we
Middle East and parts of Africa we
Middle East and parts of Africa we started to see growing polarization fear
started to see growing polarization fear
started to see growing polarization fear and xenophobia in both tabloid and
and xenophobia in both tabloid and
and xenophobia in both tabloid and social media directed not just against
social media directed not just against
social media directed not just against refugees but immigrants in general and
refugees but immigrants in general and
refugees but immigrants in general and here in Finland we we had an increasing
here in Finland we we had an increasing
here in Finland we we had an increasing number of nationalist demonstrations and
number of nationalist demonstrations and
number of nationalist demonstrations and attacks against innocent people the
attacks against innocent people the
attacks against innocent people the atmosphere felt tense and uncomfortable
atmosphere felt tense and uncomfortable
atmosphere felt tense and uncomfortable in our country and having lived in
in our country and having lived in
in our country and having lived in cities where multiculturalism was the
cities where multiculturalism was the
cities where multiculturalism was the norm rather than the exception this
norm rather than the exception this
norm rather than the exception this outward hatred really shocked and
outward hatred really shocked and
outward hatred really shocked and saddened me and for serda who himself is
saddened me and for serda who himself is
saddened me and for serda who himself is a foreigner in Finland he felt it even
a foreigner in Finland he felt it even
a foreigner in Finland he felt it even closer in her famous TED talk the
closer in her famous TED talk the
closer in her famous TED talk the wonderful Nigerian author Chimamanda
wonderful Nigerian author Chimamanda
wonderful Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie talks about the danger of a
Adichie talks about the danger of a
Adichie talks about the danger of a single story
single story
single story a story that uses stereotypes and
a story that uses stereotypes and
a story that uses stereotypes and categorizes people into one specific
categorizes people into one specific
categorizes people into one specific mold unfortunately many tabloid
mold unfortunately many tabloid
mold unfortunately many tabloid newspapers are culprits of using the
newspapers are culprits of using the
newspapers are culprits of using the single story narrative in order to sell
single story narrative in order to sell
single story narrative in order to sell more newspapers naturally this may lead
more newspapers naturally this may lead
more newspapers naturally this may lead to misunderstandings and that in turn
to misunderstandings and that in turn
to misunderstandings and that in turn may lead to more polarization more fair
may lead to more polarization more fair
may lead to more polarization more fair and more than a phobia in our society so
and more than a phobia in our society so
and more than a phobia in our society so Sara and I have been making films for
Sara and I have been making films for
Sara and I have been making films for the past 15 years and throughout that
the past 15 years and throughout that
the past 15 years and throughout that time we’ve been trying hard to bring
time we’ve been trying hard to bring
time we’ve been trying hard to bring forward multiple perspectives looking
forward multiple perspectives looking
forward multiple perspectives looking beyond the news headlines to tell human
beyond the news headlines to tell human
beyond the news headlines to tell human stories that can help audiences
stories that can help audiences
stories that can help audiences understand and empathize with people
understand and empathize with people
understand and empathize with people from all walks of life in 2010 we
from all walks of life in 2010 we
from all walks of life in 2010 we started experimenting with immersive
started experimenting with immersive
started experimenting with immersive technologies 360 storytelling and
technologies 360 storytelling and
technologies 360 storytelling and virtual reality we wanted to see if by
virtual reality we wanted to see if by
virtual reality we wanted to see if by giving the audience the opportunity to
giving the audience the opportunity to
giving the audience the opportunity to explore space a home or workplace or
explore space a home or workplace or
explore space a home or workplace or maybe a village and meets a person in
maybe a village and meets a person in
maybe a village and meets a person in that space would actually change
that space would actually change
that space would actually change people’s perceptions of each other
contact theory tells us that contact
contact theory tells us that contact between two groups of people leads to
between two groups of people leads to
between two groups of people leads to tolerance and acceptance and further
tolerance and acceptance and further
tolerance and acceptance and further studies have shown that the most
studies have shown that the most
studies have shown that the most important factor in changing attitudes
important factor in changing attitudes
important factor in changing attitudes is emotional connection starting to like
is emotional connection starting to like
is emotional connection starting to like someone once you get to know them but
someone once you get to know them but
someone once you get to know them but it’s not always easy to get two groups
it’s not always easy to get two groups
it’s not always easy to get two groups of people together as we know immersive
of people together as we know immersive
of people together as we know immersive storytelling allows us to build lifelike
storytelling allows us to build lifelike
storytelling allows us to build lifelike experiences and allows us to be
experiences and allows us to be
experiences and allows us to be transported into another person’s
transported into another person’s
transported into another person’s reality the situation in Finland made us
reality the situation in Finland made us
reality the situation in Finland made us want to do something how could we use
want to do something how could we use
want to do something how could we use immersive storytelling to humanize to
immersive storytelling to humanize to
immersive storytelling to humanize to build common ground and to celebrate and
build common ground and to celebrate and
build common ground and to celebrate and accept our differences
SoDo remembered his father’s words from
SoDo remembered his father’s words from his childhood
his childhood
his childhood make friends with greek cypriots and
make friends with greek cypriots and
make friends with greek cypriots and bring them to our house for dinner there
bring them to our house for dinner there
bring them to our house for dinner there are people just like us these words kept
are people just like us these words kept
are people just like us these words kept coming back to him and the idea of
coming back to him and the idea of
coming back to him and the idea of sitting down and dining with the so
sitting down and dining with the so
sitting down and dining with the so called other felt like a powerful moment
called other felt like a powerful moment
called other felt like a powerful moment to explore these ideas evolved into an
to explore these ideas evolved into an
to explore these ideas evolved into an immersive story experience called dinner
immersive story experience called dinner
immersive story experience called dinner time 360 where the audience is invited
time 360 where the audience is invited
time 360 where the audience is invited to dinner with different Finnish
to dinner with different Finnish
to dinner with different Finnish families from different ethnic
families from different ethnic
families from different ethnic backgrounds you can look around their
backgrounds you can look around their
backgrounds you can look around their homes in 360 degrees you can click on
homes in 360 degrees you can click on
homes in 360 degrees you can click on different food at the table to find out
different food at the table to find out
different food at the table to find out how the food was made and you can click
how the food was made and you can click
how the food was made and you can click on people bring them to life and watch
on people bring them to life and watch
on people bring them to life and watch their personal stories unfold in short
their personal stories unfold in short
their personal stories unfold in short documentaries you can even sit with the
documentaries you can even sit with the
documentaries you can even sit with the family in virtual reality and share
family in virtual reality and share
family in virtual reality and share their dinner experience with them now
their dinner experience with them now
their dinner experience with them now this is all good and well but could this
this is all good and well but could this
this is all good and well but could this help us change attitudes could telling
help us change attitudes could telling
help us change attitudes could telling stories in this way help us change
stories in this way help us change
stories in this way help us change attitudes we were invited to run a
attitudes we were invited to run a
attitudes we were invited to run a workshop at a school in a small town in
workshop at a school in a small town in
workshop at a school in a small town in England and the teacher who invited us
England and the teacher who invited us
England and the teacher who invited us was concerned about the increase in
was concerned about the increase in
was concerned about the increase in vocal intolerance and racism in her
vocal intolerance and racism in her
vocal intolerance and racism in her school the class we worked with was
school the class we worked with was
school the class we worked with was comprised of 30 white children age 12
comprised of 30 white children age 12
comprised of 30 white children age 12 and 13 and at the beginning of the
and 13 and at the beginning of the
and 13 and at the beginning of the process we did an assessment to reveal
process we did an assessment to reveal
process we did an assessment to reveal their attitudes towards people from
their attitudes towards people from
their attitudes towards people from different backgrounds I mean one section
different backgrounds I mean one section
different backgrounds I mean one section of the assessment they’re invited to
of the assessment they’re invited to
of the assessment they’re invited to look at the six pictures you see behind
look at the six pictures you see behind
look at the six pictures you see behind me and asked how much common ground they
me and asked how much common ground they
me and asked how much common ground they felt they could have with each of the
felt they could have with each of the
felt they could have with each of the people in the pictures now as we may
people in the pictures now as we may
people in the pictures now as we may have expected the children felt they
have expected the children felt they
have expected the children felt they could have more common ground with
could have more common ground with
could have more common ground with people who looked more like themselves
people who looked more like themselves
people who looked more like themselves so person 1 person 4 and person 6 scored
so person 1 person 4 and person 6 scored
so person 1 person 4 and person 6 scored significantly higher than person 2
significantly higher than person 2
significantly higher than person 2 person 3 and person 5
person 3 and person 5
person 3 and person 5 but then they got to meet the people one
but then they got to meet the people one
but then they got to meet the people one of them they got to explore their
of them they got to explore their
of them they got to explore their personal spaces their homes their
personal spaces their homes their
personal spaces their homes their workplaces and they got to know them
workplaces and they got to know them
workplaces and they got to know them through short documentaries and virtual
through short documentaries and virtual
through short documentaries and virtual reality experiences after that they took
reality experiences after that they took
reality experiences after that they took a second assessment to see if there’d
a second assessment to see if there’d
a second assessment to see if there’d been any change in their attitudes and
been any change in their attitudes and
been any change in their attitudes and they had the children felt more empathy
they had the children felt more empathy
they had the children felt more empathy with all of the people they felt like
with all of the people they felt like
with all of the people they felt like they’ve had more common ground with all
they’ve had more common ground with all
they’ve had more common ground with all six but the most significant change came
six but the most significant change came
six but the most significant change came with person to person three and person
with person to person three and person
with person to person three and person five habiba Zamora and Mohammad and
five habiba Zamora and Mohammad and
five habiba Zamora and Mohammad and perhaps the most eye-opening result was
perhaps the most eye-opening result was
perhaps the most eye-opening result was the 55 year old taxi driver Muhammad and
the 55 year old taxi driver Muhammad and
the 55 year old taxi driver Muhammad and the assjuice towards him in the first
the assjuice towards him in the first
the assjuice towards him in the first assessment Muhammad came second from
assessment Muhammad came second from
assessment Muhammad came second from last when they only had one picture the
last when they only had one picture the
last when they only had one picture the judging by but after they had spent ten
judging by but after they had spent ten
judging by but after they had spent ten minutes with Muhammad he shot up to
minutes with Muhammad he shot up to
minutes with Muhammad he shot up to number one he was the person that they
number one he was the person that they
number one he was the person that they felt they had the greatest connection
felt they had the greatest connection
felt they had the greatest connection with having given him a chance
this experience among others have made
this experience among others have made us hopeful about the opportunities that
us hopeful about the opportunities that
us hopeful about the opportunities that immersive storytelling can offer in
immersive storytelling can offer in
immersive storytelling can offer in facilitating real attitude change and
facilitating real attitude change and
facilitating real attitude change and the results indicate that many of us
the results indicate that many of us
the results indicate that many of us have it in us to empathize and to find
have it in us to empathize and to find
have it in us to empathize and to find common ground with others even with
common ground with others even with
common ground with others even with those people who we assumed that we have
those people who we assumed that we have
those people who we assumed that we have very little in common with there was a
very little in common with there was a
very little in common with there was a 20-year gap between Surdas father’s
20-year gap between Surdas father’s
20-year gap between Surdas father’s hostage experience in 1974 and Sardar
hostage experience in 1974 and Sardar
hostage experience in 1974 and Sardar and Nicky becoming close friends in 1994
and Nicky becoming close friends in 1994
and Nicky becoming close friends in 1994 perhaps immersive storytelling could
perhaps immersive storytelling could
perhaps immersive storytelling could help speed up the process of us getting
help speed up the process of us getting
help speed up the process of us getting to know and understand one another
to know and understand one another
to know and understand one another better and ultimately help us create a
better and ultimately help us create a
better and ultimately help us create a more peaceful world thank you
”
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