Governing Urban Diversity Conference

The Governing Urban Diversity Conference was the culmination of four years of research in 14 cities. It featured keynote addresses, workshops, field trips and a mini-diversity festival showcasing the talent in the Rotterdam case study neighbourhood.

Keynotes & workshops

Paul Scheffer, Janet Smith, Ümit Kiziltan and Ruth Fincher presented inspiring keynote addresses over the two days. Dynamic workshops led by Divercities researchers discussed findings in interactive sessions.

Field trips

Passionate local guides provided intriguing histories and anecdotes on the trips. Guests could choose from a harbour tour, one of two walking tours into either the city’s south or west, or take in Rotterdam’s daring architecture by bus.

Documenting the project's history

A number of presentations were exhibited throughout the conference venue as a way to celebrate the work undertaken. These included a series of 14 posters that used photography to portray each research area. There were short videos and slideshows that documented field trips, consortium meetings, and events. A visual tribute to Ronald van Kempen, the project’s founder who died before the conference, was prominently placed.

Mini-Diversity Festival

After a full day of discussion it was time to unwind. Local initiatives from the Rotterdam case study area were on hand to talk about and show their work to a broader audience. In an all-inclusive and relaxed environment, performances unfolded including a fashion show, rapper and a spoken word. There was even an artist on hand to draw caricatures.

Highlights video

Hoyinck Photography documented the conference, mini-festival and field trips along with filming interviews with key researchers. The resulting film captured the heart and soul of the conference creating the perfect end.

Conference coordination

In the lead-up to the conference, I coordinated various tasks to ensure it ran smoothly . I managed bookings, marketing, presentations, design, photographic documentation, and commissioned a highlights video.