Partnership in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Welcome to the fifth edition of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Festival, organized by the University of Amsterdam and the University of Birmingham. This year’s festival responds to the growing opposition EDI faces worldwide. Cultural and political shifts have led to increasing polarization, the dismantling of diversity policies and offices, restrictions on inclusion research, and pressure on advocates. Progress towards inclusive institutions has been slow yet is now at risk, sometimes deliberately, sometimes unknowingly.

This festival is about truly listening in challenging times, not just to stories of diversity but also to those expressing concern and resistance. How do we respond? How can we remain defenders of a diverse and inclusive academic environment while recognizing the resistance? Through hybrid and online events, we will explore strategies, provide tools, and strengthen advocacy to support engaged students and staff and to ensure institutions remain inclusive and that marginalized voices are heard and amplified.

This Year’s Theme: Listen to Your Community - Stories under Pressure

The world of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is under scrutiny, and in some places, it is being dismantled. This year’s festival focuses on understanding, defending, and strengthening EDI in the face of resistance. It also brings together students and staff engaged with these topics, aiming to connect them in their engagement.

Listening becomes urgent when we hear not only voices celebrating inclusion but also those denouncing it or raising alarms. What happens when diversity champions are under threat, funding disappears, or entire research fields are questioned? How do we respond when institutional support erodes?

This festival is a space for reflection, collaborative work, network building, strategy, and action. Together, we will explore how to push back, using storytelling as both advocacy and resistance. By learning from those who have long fought to preserve their voices, we will equip ourselves with the tools to sustain EDI in challenging times.

Virtual Opening Event: Protecting EDI in a Changing World

Date: Wednesday, 2 April 2025
Time: 2pm Birmingham / 3pm Amsterdam
Location: Online (panel discussion)

Description of the event: Kick off the EDI Festival 2025 with a critical discussion on defending EDI in a time of political and institutional shifts. This event will bring together global leaders in EDI who have witnessed and responded to changes in their institutions and countries:

• Dr. Cornell L. Craig, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion at Hofstra University, USA
• Dr. Sammy Li, Assistant Director of Student Affairs (Postgraduate and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) at the University of Birmingham, UK
• Dr. Machiel Keestra, Central Diversity Officer at the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Professor Paul Harpur, Co-Founder of the U21 Disabilities Communities of Practice, Australia

This session will not only highlight the risks of losing progress but will also offer tangible ways to push back. How can individuals and institutions sustain diversity efforts when resources are being cut? What arguments resonate most effectively with decision-makers? What lessons can we learn from those who have successfully defended EDI initiatives in the past? By bringing together diverse perspectives, this event will set the stage for a month of learning, strategizing, and collective action.

Virtual Panel Discussion: Strengthening Diversity and Inclusion by Listening from Unexpected Alliances

Date: Tuesday, 8 April 2025
Time: 1 – 2pm Amsterdam
Location: Online (panel discussion)

Description of the event: The challenges facing EDI are not confined to higher education. Other sectors are also experiencing shifts that threaten diversity and inclusion efforts. In the private sector, we are seeing that some companies close down their EDI entirely, while for other the business case is clear: in a globalized knowledge economy businesses cannot afford to cut their DEI efforts as they will miss both expertise and access to other groups and impede the innovation and creativity of their organization.

In this session, professionals from outside the education sector will share their insights and strategies on navigating these turbulent times.

• Michiel Kolman, Co-Chair at Workplace Pride, and Chair Inclusive Publishing at International Publishers Association
• Allan Kartodikromo, Equal Opportunities & Diversity & Inclusion Enabler, and Chair Diversity Network ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
• Stuart Diamond, Former Chief Executive Officer at Mitzvah Day
• Roeselien Wekker, advisor, trainer, moderator and founder of Adviesbureau RW

Rather than focusing solely on the academic perspective, this discussion will feature voices from organisations outside the education sector who have experience in defending and advocating for equity and inclusion under pressure.

By learning from those in other fields, higher education professionals will gain new tools to apply within their own institutions. What tactics have worked in corporate spaces that could be adapted to universities? How can legal frameworks be leveraged to safeguard EDI initiatives? What role does data, policy, or storytelling play in making the case for continued institutional support? This session aims to bridge gaps between sectors, providing unexpected yet powerful allies in the fight for equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Student Event in Amsterdam: Listening Across Cultures - Strengthening Cultural Intelligence for Inclusive Communities

Date: Wednesday, 9 April 2025
Time: 12 – 2pm Amsterdam
Location: University of Amsterdam, Roeterseiland Campus Building A (room REC-A2.11)

Description of the event: In a world where diverse perspectives shape our interactions, cultural intelligence (CQ) is essential for fostering inclusive and collaborative communities. This interactive workshop will enhance your ability to engage effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. Through practical exercises, discussions, and self-reflection, you will develop skills to navigate multicultural settings with confidence, recognize unconscious biases, and strengthen your ability to truly listen across cultures. Join us in creating spaces where all voices are heard and valued.

Student Event in Amsterdam: Story Exchange - Listening and Sharing in Changing Times

Date: Wednesday, 9 April 2025
Time: 3 – 4:30pm Amsterdam
Location: University of Amsterdam, Roeterseiland Campus Building B (room REC-B1.02)

Description of the event: The heart of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is storytelling both to learn from one another’s lived experiences and the obstacles some of us are facing and to explore how we can support each other within our trajectories in the university. This session, inspired by Narrative 4's methodology, offers students a space to share their experiences in a rapidly changing academic landscape. Co-hosted by student ambassadors from the University of Amsterdam and the University of Birmingham, this interactive session will focus on the impact of shifting policies and attitudes on student communities. Participants will pair up to exchange personal stories about inclusion, exclusion, and the importance of having a voice.

This session will not only highlight experiences but also provide strategies for students to respond when they see EDI efforts being diminished on their campuses. How can students organize effectively? What role does peer support play in defending inclusive spaces? What lessons can we take from past student movements? Through deep listening and open discussion, this event will reinforce the power of student agency and empathy in shaping the future of their universities.

For more information on the storytelling methodology, visit Narrative 4.

Creative Art Competition

Are you ready to showcase your creativity and make an impact? Here is your chance to have your art celebrated across two campuses and win €1,000. As part of the EDI Festival 2025, we are inviting students and staff to submit a digital artwork inspired by this year’s theme: “Listen to Your Community: Stories under Pressure.”

The winning artwork will be featured on an exclusive UvA tote bag, symbolizing both visibility and solidarity across our campuses. A panel of student judges from Amsterdam and Birmingham will select the winner, who will be announced at the final event of the EDI Festival on 30 April 2025.

Email your submission to global@uva.nl with the subject line “EDI Art Competition Submission” before 28 April 2025 23:59 CEST (UTC+2)

Online Panel Discussion: Amplifying Indigenous Voices in Academia

Date: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Time: 12pm Birmingham / 1pm Amsterdam
Location: Online (panel discussion)

Description of the event: Indigenous knowledge and narratives hold deep cultural, historical, and social significance, yet they often face barriers to recognition and preservation within academic and institutional spaces. Only more recently are indigenous knowledges taken seriously in research and education, which at times requires adjustments in our more traditional approaches. This impactful panel discussion brings together leading experts and advocates from across the globe, including:

• Karamea Pewhairangi, Indigenous Mobility Programmes Leader, University of Otago, New Zealand
• Lorrie McAllister, Dean of the Hofstra Axinn Library, Hofstra University, USA
• Mayra Isel Rodríguez Garza, Leader of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Centro de Reconocimiento de la Dignidad Humana, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico
• Damien Webb, Manager Indigenous Engagement Branch at State Library of New South Wales, Australia

The discussion will explore the pressures Indigenous communities navigate in sustaining their stories, traditions, and mobility. From challenges in research representation to institutional policies that shape access and visibility, the discussion will examine the ways Indigenous scholars and advocates work to safeguard and amplify these perspectives. Through shared experiences and practical insights, the panel will consider how academic institutions can foster environments where Indigenous voices are not only acknowledged but actively supported, ensuring their knowledge remains a vital part of global conversations.

Empowering Inclusion - Skills for a Diverse Campus and Beyond

The University of Birmingham is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment for all students, where discrimination is not tolerated and where all members of the University community can reach their full potential. The following course can be completed via Canvas at your own pace and is designed to provide students with skills to navigate a highly diverse campus, where students have a wide range of views and interests. The aim of the course is to equip you with awareness and skills to help you navigate a multi-cultural environment, and enhance your career. Co-designed by staff and students from both the University of Birmingham and the University of Amsterdam, this course draws on the latest academic research and real-world insights to provide practical tools for building an inclusive and respectful community.

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