France [2016/2018/2020/2024]
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As I dart down an outdoor alleyway that transforms into an indoor one, and again an outdoor one, and quickly jump on the metro a few stops away to meet a few past participants, I finally meet my destination, a medium-sized park with a striking mural.
As I sat on a bench, I could not help but stare at the mural called, 'The Wall of Love/ Le Mur des Je t'aime" which has 300 ways to say 'I love you.' A mural that emits positivity, care, and, of course, love.
My eyes danced across all the beautiful inscriptions as I eagerly awaited sharing my dissertation findings with a group of Tibetan refugees in France.
In those passing moments as I awaited my meeting, all my senses were in eternal bliss... The sound of a local singer preforming on a small stage next too the mural; the sweet aroma of decadent baked goods flooding in from the neighboring cafes forcing me to bite into the delicious tasting pastries my host father had packed me in the morning; the very slight cool breeze touching my skin; and the sight of the people from all walks of life scanning the mural all at one, enthralled me.
For each individual who lit up when they found their greeting on the mural, the mural in a way intimately became 'there's' while simultaneously binding all the greetings together to become 'ours'.... [an expert from my digital journal. April 2024]
The Galerie Vivienne is a shopping area in France built in the 1800's reflecting neoclassical architecture
'The Wall of Love/ Le Mur des Je t'aime"
Throughout my research, I visited France three times for data collection and once to disseminate the findings with participants. I worked with refugee groups and marginalized communities in Paris and the South of France and had community development discussions with social workers; (I)NGOs/GOs; higher education educators from the U.K., Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other European contexts to discuss sustainable development initiatives aligned with international Human Rights Frameworks.
The Louvre Museum, Paris, France, is Home to the Mona Lisa and other renowned art
More specifically, I collaborated with colleagues from the Université Paris Est Créteil and their local NGO affiliations working with socially vulnerable people across France, with emphasis on assisting socio-economic reinsertion and affordable housing assistance in their communities.
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