AN INCLUSIVE AND SAFE PLACE FOR EVERYONE

Times are changing, the social debate is rapidly polarising and more and more groups are becoming radically opposed to one another. Language appears to be one of the most powerful forms of respective inclusion and exclusion. New Metropolis strives to facilitate a safe place of meeting where everyone feels safe and heard without jeopardising the culture of open conversation. With this Code of Conduct we provide program makers, moderators, partner organisations and participants with the necessary tools to navigate through the many social areas of tension. Where certain expertise or experience may be lacking, we offer knowledge and support. Precisely by framing manners and forms of addressing one another, an environment is created where one can speak freely and openly because certain tensions are removed, everyone present experiences respect and recognition, mutual understanding is created and the vocality of disadvantaged people grows.

With this Code of Conduct we aim to bring about a cultural change and to set a new standard for how the social dialogue can be conducted in a constructive, equal and inclusive manner.

  • Moving forward, New Metropolis will refer to its visitors as participants. Everyone present is a desired participant in the conversation and a necessary participant in shaping and building a sustainable and inclusive city.
  • At New Metropolis everyone is recognised, greeted and addressed. There is no greeting or mention of “ladies and gentlemen” as this completely excludes the presence of non-binary and/or gender queer persons. Alternatives: ‘Hello dear people’, ‘Welcome dear people’ or: ‘Good evening, dear participants’.
  • Identity is not expertise. Experts and people with experiences are two different things. Example: do not make someone a professional trans person and do not make a Moroccan Dutch person a mouthpiece on behalf of the entire community. Acknowledge people’s qualifications and professions.
  • Freedom of expression is about issues, not about individuals, and should never come at the expense of human rights. Ergo: people are not attacked ad hominem and the existence of certain groups and/or persons is not disputed. Some sensitivity is required. What is an interesting philosophical issue for one person is a (hard-won) daily reality for another. Example: gender-free toilets are a topic of discussion, the existence of non-binary/trans people is not.
  • In New Metropolis a person is who he/she/they says they are, not what others make of it. No discussion is allowed about self-proclaimed identities such as skin colour, gender, religion, origin, sexual preference or otherwise. In addition, one’s own identification is not dismissed as an experience, feeling or perception, but as a recognised state of being.
  • Everyone is treated and addressed as an equal and respected person. No diminutives or reductionist terms about groups and/or individuals are tolerated.
  • All participants are consistently referred to by their first name or last name. It does not contain any gender division, age discrimination or other inequality.
  • The gender of participants is not considered to be known in advance. Ask guests beforehand for their preferred personal pronoun and form of address and refer to audience participants as “that person” or ask them to identify themselves by their name and personal pronoun.
  • As with point #5, persons with any illness and/or physical or cognitive challenge indicate how they identify. Avoid ableism: expressions and words referring to such challenges.
  • Use of the n-word is out of the question when no explanation can be given about the origin and evolution of the controversial word, in order to provide more context. If necessary and functional, reference to ’the n-word’ as such is sufficient.
  • New Metropolis contributes to the decolonisation of language: ‘white’ not ‘caucasian’; ‘Black’ not ‘dark’; ‘double-blood’ or ‘multi-blood’ not ‘half-blood’; and ‘bicultural’ not ‘immigrant’. A Dutch person is anyone with Dutch nationality, not everyone with a white skin color. People with dual nationality are introduced with both nationalities if desired (and requested) and population groups are referred to with both nationalities: ‘Chinese-Dutch’ and not: ‘Chinese’ and ‘Turkish-Dutch’ and not: ‘Turks’.
  • There is no profanity or name calling at the table. This keeps the conversation substantive, safe, polite and respectful to everyone.
  • Do not generalise or make assumptions for the public. Examples: “Of course I am preaching to the choir here.” “We all agree here, of course.” “I don’t need to tell you that…” “We are of course all…
  • Avoid technical jargon and specialist terminology without context or explanation.
  • Participants in the MBO education are legally called students, not pupils.
  • New Metropolis respects every person and does not speak about groups of people in terms of natural phenomena. Examples: ‘streams of migrants’, ’tsunamis of refugees’.
  • Population groups are never prefixed with a swear word and ethnicity, gender and/or sexual preferences are never an adjective.
  • At New Metropolis we are aware that language is not static and communication is a product of mutual interaction in which we never stop learning. We are open to feedback, correction for possible blind spots and new insights.

 

 

Aankomende programma’s
Doevendansen met Nieuw-West 14
Het Ontstaan van Nieuw-West
Gesprek tussen stadsdeelbestuurder Sandra Doevendans, experts en bewoners over thema’s die spelen in Nieuw-West. Samen met Lyongo Juliana.
Vandaag, 19.00
Reserveer
Museumvereniging x PdZ
Olie, verf en soep
Musea, activisten en kunstenaars in gesprek over schone kunsten en vuile sponsoren.
Vandaag, 20.00
Reserveer
Kringwijs presenteert: training voor buurtbewoners 1
Iemand Erbij
Leer hoe je het best kunt handelen in een crisissituatie met uiteenlopende problematiek.
Morgen, 09.30
Boekpresentatie
Na verzet komt (r)evolutie
De lancering van Clarice Gargard's nieuwste boek 'Na verzet komt (r)evolutie' én de start van haar tour die aanzet tot beweging en maatschappelijke verandering.
ma 12 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Designing Technology for All 4
AI & Human Creativity?
How can technologies like generative AI serve our creative practices and what do we need to move forward?
ma 12 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Tegenlicht Meet Up 254
De consultant regeert
Consultancybureaus spelen een steeds grotere rol in beleidsvorming, en de kosten hiervan nemen toe. Wat betekent dit voor de toekomst van het openbaar bestuur?
wo 14 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Van Eesteren Museum x New Metropolis Nieuw-West
Tuinstad van de toekomst: verdichten met visie
Hoe verdichten we Nieuw-West met behoud van de ziel van de tuinstad?
wo 14 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Bou di Watapana! (Under the Watapana Tree!) 5
Caribische diaspora in de Nederlandse media
In gesprek met gevestigde professionals uit de Caribisch-Nederlandse diaspora over hun ervaring in de Nederlandse media.
do 15 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
Justice for Palestine
Al-Damun: The War of Memory
Documentaire en nagesprek over 77 jaar Nakba, herinneringsoorlogen en de oorlog tegen het Palestijnse geheugen.
do 15 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Kringwijs presenteert: training voor buurtbewoners 2
Iemand Erbij
Leer hoe je het best kunt handelen in een crisissituatie met uiteenlopende problematiek.
vr 16 mei, 09.30
Queer City
Decolonising Mental Health
Are mental health practitioners and therapists really understanding the needs of BIPOC Trans & Queer communities? How can BIPOC Queer & Trans communities (re)claim their right to heal?
vr 16 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
Filmvertoning en nagesprek
Teken en zie de wereld
De rol van zwarte soldaten in de Tweede Wereldoorlog en hun voor velen onbekende verhaal.
ma 19 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
Talk of the Night 3
Nightlife from the neighborhood to the city
How do we incorporate and sustain a diverse and vibrant nightlife in a changing Amsterdam?
di 20 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
De Staat van de Stad 2025
Daar waar we elkaar vinden
Hoe verzetten we ons tegen verdeeldheid en het recht van de sterkste? Over verbinding als fundament voor een weerbare stad.
di 20 mei, 19.30
Koop kaarten
GLUE presents 3
Alternatives from the Unexpected
What does it take to change a system? GLUE in conversation with Herma de Wit-Orobio de Castro, Jerrold Saija, Maria Murphy and Michele Boulogne.
wo 21 mei, 19.30
Reserveer
Gekaapt door het kapitaal 2
Wonen: grondrecht of verdienmodel
Wonen is een verdienmodel geworden. Hoe zorgen we dat de huren weer betaalbaar worden?
wo 21 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Jong Amsterdam x Diaspora Dialogen 13
Wie is de moslimvrouw?
In dialoog met jonge moslima's.
do 22 mei, 19.00
Reserveer
Rondo Europa 3
De wachtkamer van de EU
Door een veranderende wereldorde staat Europese uitbreiding weer nadrukkelijk op de agenda. In dit programma praten we je bij over hoe Europese toetreding werkt.
do 22 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Filmvertoning en nagesprek
De Verkrotte Droom
Het verhaal van de bewoners van de Van der Pekbuurt, die strijden tegen de afbraak en verwaarlozing van hun geliefde buurt.
do 22 mei, 20.00
Reserveer
Kringwijs presenteert: training voor buurtbewoners 3
Iemand Erbij
Leer hoe je het best kunt handelen in een crisissituatie met uiteenlopende problematiek.
vr 23 mei, 09.30
In de spotlight