iFI - Center for global narratives

Abstract

The Greek word iFI, in its literal sense, refers to the sense and feeling you get by touching something. The cultural centre iFI, supplemented by a digital platform, attempts to impact the lives of the people it touches by facilitating a change that begins from a conscious self. The pressures of today are incubating inside people with stories to tell, whether they’re conscious of it or not. Storytelling and art is a really powerful mediator to create awareness and transformation. It is in relation to this need where technology is playing a fundamental role in storytelling and therefore, shaping this diversity of narratives. It is with regards to this global narrative, iFI will make its reach both digital and community wide. Through innovative multimodal interactions in arts and culture, it aims to lead a voice for change for sustainable human development centered on inclusivity for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of people and sustainability for the nature and its resources. The digital platform is an informative, participative communication tool to engage with various stakeholders from across the globe creating a space for community-owned voices. These narratives will find direction through an online gallery, an active blog, videos and articles supporting community, artists and changemakers in addition to a project that will virtually connect the community and artists in a participatory co-creation model of engagement which will culminate into exhibitions, physical and digital. The institution, under the physical location, will undertake programs and activities based on socio-environmental artivism and expressive arts therapy with individuals and communities from all backgrounds living and visiting Greece, to create a safe space for sharing skills, knowledge and stories. The physical location will be launched in 3-5 years, on board a used ship docked on land, near the port of Eleusina, with an exhibition that traces the stories and histories of the migrants to Greece through the sea. Meanwhile, we will operate from a partner location in Athens to make our name and do community building in the region.