Relational City: The Construction of Space Through Food, Saigon

2022

DATE
December 2022

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
90 students, 12 mentors

LOCATION
Saigon, Vietnam

COLLABORATORS
Memefest, RMIT Australia, RMIT Vietnam, University of Architecture HCMC, Black Yield Institute, Baltimore.

We celebrated 20 years of Memefest in Saigon in December 2022! The exceptional project connected 90 students from Australia and Vietnam, three universities (RMIT Australia, RMIT Vietnam and University of Architecture HCMC), and Black Yield Institute from Baltimore. Special mentors, friends and comrades from Canada, USA, Slovenia, Vietnam, and Australia collaborated with students and local communities for more than three weeks. Extradisciplinary workshops, an international symposium, non extractive relationalities, a beautiful exhibition, lots of small plastic chairs and tables in the endless river of street food spaces and a little brutalist graphic design poster.

We looked into what we call the Relational City and the construction of space through food, using food as a medium to understand and connect with the many different realities of Saigon.

We learned so much about this amazing city and country. We connected students, academics, activists and communities creating deep collaboration, understanding, respect and knowledge.

We developed furhter our approaches to pedagogy, research and social engagement. We met amazing and beautiful people, who welcomed us and worked with us formally and informally. We fell in love with Saigon, its people, its food and culture and we created empowering relationalities that have not existed before.

The project is not over. This website serves as its documentation and furhter inspiration. The special publication gives more detailed insight into our process. Together they are also meant to be used for participating students as a contextual portfolio of their amazing achievements.

*The project was funded by the New Colombo Plan grant scheme from the Australian Government

* Check also our book Food Democracy

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