What is a ‘jivdi lil’?

It is a ‘tool’ and resource for addressing stereotypes, prejudices, exclusion and discrimination towards Romani and Traveller peoples, communities and individuals. The ‘jivdi lil’ (living book) is a way of bringing people from very different and varying backgrounds, cultures, world-views and faiths together where they can explore the lived experiences of ‘Gypsies’ of marginalisation and racism expressed towards them by other groups, through ‘reading’ (listening to and interacting with) the ‘lil’ (book, a person from the Romani and Traveller community) who shares these stories in a series of short episodes, followed by questions from the reader.

The ‘jivdi lil divvus’

A ‘jivdi lil divvus’ is a living book day, an event where ‘readers’ and ‘books’ (lila) come together, where ‘readers’ choose ‘lil’ and sit down with them to ‘read’ their story and then the ‘reader’ becomes a reviewer, with a short description of the experience of ‘reading’ on a review card. The ‘jivdi lil divvus’ is organised and co-ordinated by a ‘librarian’ (lavo lil), curated by assistants and volunteers.

The ‘Jivdi Lil’ Training Day

The training day will deliver the skills and knowledge to become a ‘lil’, a ‘lavo lil’ or an organiser of an event and programme. The training day will go through the basics about what, where, how and why before developing actual ‘books’ and ‘readers’ with practical exercises. Finally, there will be an opportunity to deliver a short ‘living library’ session.