About the Knowledge Sharing Festival 2023 - Sharing not just knowledge but values as well

2023-12-30

The third Knowledge Sharing Festival was held in Hamburg on the 17th of November 2023. Find some impressions of the event: Photos

There were many great workshops and panel discussions held during the event with interesting speakers and topics being discussed. Such topics included Navigating Change, Forming Community at Hard Times (like war in the Ukraine), Design Thinking, Create Financial Wealth to Achieve your Dreams, Movement Breathwork and Meditation. The aim of the festival was to share our experience, knowledge with each other and to inspire the participants. The importance of education, inclusion and integration were discussed and the necessity of learning was emphasised along with building bridges between different cultures and communities.

The impact talks given by our beloved TeachSurfers left many of us inspired. From the beginning of the event we were given tips for example on change management and we could reflect on our own life, we had engaging activities and could get to know each other during the exchanging drinks and food. Our knowledge-sharing festival was a perfect opportunity to connect and recharge our batteries in the heart of Hamburg in the Social Impact Lab. Our get-to-gather was heart-warming and cheerful not only because we laughed, danced and meditated, but because Miganous and Sophie created a cheerful atmosphere. So in addition to the talks we listened and actively participated in gave us valuable advice for the future.

The Third Knowledge Sharing Festival was an incredible event that brought together people from all walks of life to learn and grow together. One of the highlights of the festival was the speech on non-traditional education which prioritises learning through projects and acquiring practical knowledge. This speech of Manuel Dolderer and Jamila Tressel, our festival voices, highlighted the importance of hands-on experience and learning skills rather than learning only theory. In short, they explain through their own experience with education and learning that many things can be and maybe should be different when it comes to learning because so much can be improved to achieve better PISA results.

Another important topic that was touched upon during the festival was cross-cultural management of migrant and immigrant communities because times like this war situation impact many lives. The panel discussion explored how diversity of cultures and backgrounds affect transparent communication and how to approach migrant communities after stability and basic needs are met. This is an important issue that affects many communities around the world, and it was great to see so many people coming together to learn and share their experiences.

One of the best things about the festival was the opportunity to network with people from different backgrounds. Our international community had a pleasant time and we had fun getting to know each other. It was inspiring to listen to the speeches and rationalise what can be done differently and how we can be empathetic towards others. I myself left the festival feeling energised and excited about the possibilities for building a more inclusive and connected world with TeachSurfing and we are happy to be able to offer an e-learning platform for everyone willing to participate in the E-VELP course.
Overall, the Third Knowledge Sharing Festival was incredible. I highly recommend attending this festival to anyone who is interested in different cultures and communities, and who wants to be part of a movement towards greater understanding and connection with the help of education and passing on knowledge!

Written by Anna Auguszt