A Living Library is a tool that helps us get out of our comfort zone, and instead of reading a book, we have a unique opportunity to talk to it - face to face.

A Living Library works like any library: visitors can browse the catalog of available titles, choose a book they want to read and borrow it for a limited period of time. After reading, they return the book to the library and, if they want, borrow another one. The only difference is that in the Living Library the books are people, and reading consists of conversations.

A Living Library is a gathering where people ("books"), in this case people on the move, share their life stories based on the discrimination and challenges they experienced during the journey to the destination countries, which for some is still ongoing. Readers are given the opportunity to learn about books and hear their stories through conversation. These conversations give participants the opportunity to listen and ask questions, and to gain empathy for those who have different experiences than their own.

Seven living books were among the most read yesterday in Sombor, where as part of the project "We see it this way – Re-framing narratives about migration", we organized a Living Library for young people, students and other interested citizens. Living books were people from the Reception Center Sombor, Subotica and journalist Branislava Opranović. Their stories will soon be published in a trilingual publication.

The project is implemented in partnership with the Hungarian Language Teacher Training Faculty in Subotica, and in cooperation with the IOM, with the support of Switzerland.