On this page you will find more information about the selected projects of the Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Fund for 2026.

Between the River and the Sea: Art in Wartime

The play Between the River and the Sea, performed by acclaimed Palestinian Israeli actor Yousef Sweid, offers a profound exploration of identity, belonging, and cultural hybridity. The performance illuminates the artist’s lived experience, a life suspended between languages, cultures, and conflicting historical narratives. The monologue, followed by deep conversation with students, underscores the vital role of the arts in cultivating empathy, dialogue, and critical reflection. At a time when division and conflict dominate global headlines, it invites our university community to listen, reflect, and embrace complexity through art. The project is led by Dr. Noa Schonmann (LIAS).

LUCL Signs!

The LUCL institute holds a research group staffed by a number of D/deaf and hard of hearing (HoH) researchers. There is a strong desire and need among both hearing and D/deaf staff to address the existing language barrier and communicate more easily with one another. This project will provide workshops aimed at teaching sign language to LUCL staff and acquire sign language educational materials for workplace use. We will further make efforts to promote the use of sign language in other LU institutes. Our project fits within the D&I workplan’s goals of making the university a more accessible place through inclusive communication.

The project team consists of Adrien Dadone, Bente De Graeve, Débora Wanderley, Djibrila Tetereou, Hester Groot, Tristan Chopinez, Wiktor Pawlowski (LUCL)

Banned Books: Censorship and Silencing as a Global Challenge

Book bans and censorship are on the rise worldwide. Examining this phenomenon is important to better understand the marginalization of certain authors and readers, as well as the complex connections between writing, reading, and social behaviour. Taking a transnational approach, this project proposes interventions that 1) analyse reasons and strategies behind banning books, and 2) offer creative ways of countering them. Building on the project team’s expertise, we compare cases from China (Kharchenkova), Cuba (Timmer and Van Helden), Russia (Schellens), and New Spain (Reyes Elizondo). The interventions involve a Banned Books Club, and a workshop to prepare a collaborative podcast.

The project team consists of Dr. Svetlana Kharchenkova (LIAS), Dr. Dorine Schellens (LUCAS), Dr. Nanne Timmer (LUCAS), Andrea Reyes Elizondo (LUCAS) and Nike van Helden (LUCAS)

Masterclass: Studying and Learning from the Dutch-Asian Experience

This project will entail the organization of a masterclass on the experiences of Dutch-Asian communities in October 2026. Currently, we observe a gap in knowledge and research of the Dutch-Asian experience. By inviting speakers and attendees from academic, activist and local communities to a masterclass, we will provide a platform to bring together knowledge and experiences. From this will follow concrete recommendations for curricula on Asia and Asian diasporas, identities and diversity. Stimulating academic and student engagement with the topics, issues and questions that concern the Dutch-Asian experience will contribute to making scholarship within the faculty more inclusive.

The project team consists of Adam el Amraoui (ResMA Asian Studies) and Dr. Aya Ezawa (LIAS)