The opening day featured a Research Forum on Community Resilience and Social Inequalities During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Hosted at Joyful Kitchen, the forum gathered registered participants for an in-depth dialogue on how communities responded to intersecting crises during the pandemic, with a focus on social, education and migrant justice, racial and class disparities, and community resilience.
The second day featured a public conference centering on integration as a multi-sited and contested process. The day opened with a keynote and workshop session led by Mohammed Badran (Syrian Volunteers in the Netherlands), titled Migrant Voices at the Center: Coalition-Building and Community Knowledge Production. Afternoon parallel sessions Rethinking integration: Lessons from the Shadow Report on the Implementation of the Integration Measures in Croatia explored pressing themes including: Anti-racist Politics: Policy Recommendations and Community-Based Approaches, Health & Wellbeing in Inclusive Societies: Public Health Access, Mental Health Support, and Social Care Policies, Schooling & Social Cohesion: Accessibility in Education and Inclusive Practices for Migrant Students. These sessions bridged research, policy, and grassroots perspectives on integration and social inclusion.
The Lab concluded with a Legislative Theatre performance and community conversation under the theme Thinking & Being With Community. This participatory event engaged the audience in reflecting on real-life struggles and imagining transformative responses. It was followed by a communal gathering featuring Taste of Home and culinary offerings from Lazeez, highlighting the link between food and community.
