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At Hong Kong ‘human library’ event, hear from stigmatised groups and learn to ‘unjudge’
A human library in Hong Kong aims to raise awareness of mental issues through ‘human books’ – speakers who represent marginalised groups
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You have almost certainly visited a library and scanned its neatly ordered rows of books. You are likely familiar with the saying, “Never judge a book by its cover.”
A different take on the book library, a human library, aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and reduce stigma.
On October 16, mental health charity OCD & Anxiety Support Hong Kong will host an event called “Voices of Resilience: A Human Library on Youth Mental Health”.
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It will follow along the lines of the first “human library” that took place 25 years ago in Denmark. A group called Stop the Violence hosted a series of “human book” events designed to encourage young people to take action after hearing stories from those who had experienced violence.
Today, Denmark-based Human Library International is the umbrella group for those who hold similar events around the world.
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A human book is a person who volunteers to represent a stigmatised group in the community. Based on personal experiences, they can answer questions from readers to help challenge what is being said or understood about a given topic.
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