Contents

Overview About just festival How just festival fits into the Edinburgh Festival What makes just festival unique

just Conversations What are just Conversations? Format just Conversation 2014 themes Ideas just Conversation 2014

Past just Conversations

Audience evaluations of just Conversations 2013 Conversation and partner archive

Programming Process Benefits to just Conversation partners How to get involved

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Overview

About just festival

just festival is a curated programme of around 300 events, across 25 venues

taking place each year in August. We aim to celebrate diversity of cultures, faiths,

gender-identities, sexualities, philosophies and ideas, challenge inequality and

injustice and create a space for communities to engage with each other in

productive dialogue.

Now in our fourteen year, just festival features top-quality speakers,

conversations, performances, film, food, exhibitions, family activities, workshops,

art and much more.

Past contributors include Arun Gandhi, Margaret Atwood, Mustafa Cerić – the

Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Harriet Lamb – Executive Director of

Fairtrade Foundation, and Simon Callow.

just festival is based at St John’s Church, a prime location at the west end of

Princes Street, Edinburgh’s principal street. It has an established reputation a

fringe venue that delivers high quality events from all genres.

Due to its professional and dedicated staff just festival has a community

atmosphere and great relations with speakers both in Edinburgh and across the

world.

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How just festival fits into the Edinburgh Festival

There is no one Edinburgh Festival; it is a collective name for a number of

individual festivals going on throughout August in Edinburgh.

By all taking place at the same time they draw huge numbers of people into

Edinburgh, all going to a variety of shows in different festivals.

Princes Street, where just festival is based, was the busiest spot in Edinburgh city

centre with 1,343,456 people counted during August 2013 according to Essential

Edinburgh.

What makes just festival unique

just festival is unique because it creates a real festival atmosphere between

contributors, audience, staff, and volunteers. As a not-for-profit charity our

priority is to encourage dialogue, community and personal growth. We want

everyone who comes into contact with just festival, not only enjoy an hour’s

entertainment but also, take something with them to share throughout the year.

What makes just festival stand out is the sense of community built by having over

40 volunteers, many international, helping at the festival. Each one has a personal

commitment to diversity, equality, and justice. Over the festival we aim to give

them skills that they can use in their professional and personal life. Together we

build a united multi-national, multi-belief community using the festival as a catalyst

for conversation and cultural exchange.

 

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just Conversations

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What are just Conversations?

15 just Conversations will make up the backbone of just Festival 2014. We bring

together a panel of three to five experts, community leaders, business leaders,

academics, professionals, activist, and Members of Parliament to engage with

the general public in dialogue, offering an unflinching look at important topical

issues and methods of positive change. just Conversations develop an inclusive,

safe platform for the exchange of experiences, knowledge opinions and beliefs.

Founded on discussion, the audiences are actively encouraged to be part of just

Conversations.

Format

just Conversations will take place on weekdays at 6pm – 7.30pm from 4th – 22nd

August. The venue is Hall at St John’s Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2

4BJ. The format of just Conversations is relaxed and informal. We provide a

rough timetable as a guide for event timings.

Welcome by just Festival representative – 5 minutes Introduction to the theme and speakers by Conversation Chair – 5 minutes Conversation speakers present their stance on the topic – 15 minutes Conversation between speakers based on Chair’s questions – 30 minutes Open debate – responses and questions from the audience – 30 minutes Brief summary of discussion by the Chair – 5 minutes

 

 

just Conversation 2014 themes

just conversations in 2014 are dedicated to the three umbrella themes; Home,

Freedom, and Forgiveness. They will be further subdivided into categories of

belief, gender, history, politics, and social justice. 2014 marks a remarkable

number key anniversaries both well-known and overlooked:

100 years since – the outbreak of First World War 90 years since – the US Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 80 years since – Persia became Iran 70 years since – the Death Marches during the Holocaust 60 years since – the creation of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the signing of the U.S Civil Rights Act abolishing racial segregation and the Nobel Peace Prize to Dr Martin Luther King, Jr 50 years since – race riots in the USA and Singapore, and the Catholic Church’s condemnation of the contraceptive pill 40 years since – the Dublin, Monaghan, and Birmingham pub bombings and the introduction of the term ‘trans-gender’ in research papers 30 years since – American researchers announcing their discovery of the AIDS virus as well as introduction of crack cocaine to the US 20 years since – the Rwandan genocide and first multiracial democratic elections in South Africa 10 years since – the largest expansion to date of the European Union

These key events have shaped the lives of individuals, families, communities, nations and the world we all live in today.

 

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Ideas for just Conversations 2014

Home

Politics: - immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers targeted in political campaigns

Social justice: what can be done to affectively aid the homeless living among us

Gender: women 2.0 at home, the post-empowerment definition of women

Belief: respecting the elders in different faith communities

History: Homecoming Year, Scots making their home abroad

Freedom

Politics: Word politics, what defines PC and censorship in 21st century?

Social justice: Gypsy and Irish Travellers in past and present societies

Gender: and Sexuality, LGBT rights, removing the conflict binary identities

Belief: 3 forces: Mind, Body and Spirit: which to follow

History: 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy in South Africa

Forgiveness

Politics: Will race riots ever cease?

Social justice: Children removed from parents by state and non-secular organisations

Gender: Who is to take the blame for gender inequalities?

Belief: The concept of forgiveness in different religions

History: Reconciliation process in the last 20 years since the Rwandan genocide 7  

 

 

Audience evaluation of just Conversations 2013

344 individuals attended Conversations in 2013. 39% returned evaluation forms.

- 42% rated the Conversation Events as “very good” and 32% rated the Conversation Events as “good.”

- 71% indicated they were from the Edinburgh/Lothians area; 21% from other areas in Scotland; 8% from other areas in the UK; and 2% from areas outside of the UK

- 6% 17-24 years of age; 17% to be 25-34 years of age; 14% to be 35-44 years of age; 14% to be 45-54 years of age; 27% to be 55-64 years of age; and 28% to be 65 and over years of age

- 56% indicated they identified with a faith community - 85% indicated they would recommend just Festival

Common written audience feedback revealed that just Conversations:

are eye-opening - I had not thought about art in this way before

promote understanding - It helped me to be more focused and clearer on

the range and interconnectedness of issues

cover vital issues - Felt it is essential to raise awareness of this subject

showcase local organisations – Great to see people on stage who don't

normally do that!

provide insights - Really interesting to hear the reasons behind the DA

[domestic abuse] and what future issues might be

are innovative - I'd never before heard the topic discussed

Past just Conversations

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Conversation and partner archive

Since 2001, we have hosted outstanding Conversations featuring speakers from

Scotland and around the world including:

Does Slavery Exist in Scotland Today? – Hope for Justice and ELREC

A World Without Religion – Humanist Society Scotland

Rape: From Blame to Prevention – Rape Crisis Scotland

Separating Religion and State – Church of Scotland

Business for the Other 99% – Social Enterprise Scotland, Social Bite

More Tea, Imam? – Interfaith Scotland, EIFA

Boys Don't Automatically Grow Up to be Men – Working Rite

Bosnia Twenty Years On – The Alwaleed Centre, Edinburgh University

The Worst Place in the World to be Gay? – Amnesty International

Other past just Conversation partners include: The Advisory Group on Tackling Sectarianism in Scotland I SEC Church in Society Committee I The University of Edinburgh Centre for Theology and Public Issues I The University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy I The Edinburgh Jewish Liberal Community I Sikh Sanjog I Migrants' Rights Scotland I European Movement in Scotland I Scottish Fair Trade Forum I Edinburgh Fairtrade City Initiative I Equal Exchange I MADE in Europe I Zaytoun I Islamic Relief Worldwide I Third Sector Internships Scotland I Adopt an Intern I Interfaith Scotland I Shakti Women in Aid I Abused Men in Scotland I Scottish Women’s Aid I Mary's Meals I Eczema Outreach Scotland I Fast Forward I Stonelaw High Fair Traders I TRUE Colours I Burma Assist I Active Inquiry I Fourth World Art I Compassion in World Farming I Waverly Care

 

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Benefits to just Conversation partners

Organisation name in just Festival printed programme, with a print run 20,000 distributed across Edinburgh Exposure for your organization through our social media, newsletters, and PR resources Weblinks to your organization on just Festival webpage 10 complimentary tickets for your organization to your conversation Invitations to special events, receptions, and networking opportunities with other just Festival Partners Access to evaluation data and photographs/ media of your Conversation

How to get involved

We welcome you to suggest just Conversation speakers and/or topics that relate your organization while fitting with the themes above. We like to meet each organisation we work with to develop a close working relationship and methods for collaboration. Please email just Festival Conversation Coordinator Beata Skobodzinska at beata@justjust.co.uk to arrange a meeting. We look forward to creating thought-provoking, engaging Conversations with lasting impact with you.

Programming Process

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beata@justjust.co.uk All information subject to change

Photo credit page 3 Ed Bock A company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland No: 399201

Scottish Registered Charity SC042638