DEFY Launch: Holding Space for Difficult Knowledge

On 27th January, STAND along with our partners Comhlamh, finep and Zavod Voluntariat launched DEFY: Pocket Workshop and Exhibition, marking an important milestone in a three-year Erasmus+ project dedicated to exploring how educators can meaningfully engage with difficult knowledge in today’s world.

Over the past three years, DEFY has created rare and intentional spaces for educators working in and around Global Citizenship Education (GCE) to sit with the realities of cascading global crises, including poverty, inequality, genocide, and ecological collapse. Central to the project has been a shared guiding question: How can purposeful engagement with difficult knowledge deepen our practice, while strengthening our ability to hold space for others? The Pocket Workshop and Exhibition brought this question to life, offering participants an opportunity to reflect, connect, and learn together in a supportive and thoughtful environment.

The event showcased the collective experiences and insights of those involved in DEFY through the launch of two zines and a new handbook for educators, focused on navigating discomfort and difficult knowledge with care and intention. These resources reflect the depth of learning that emerged throughout the project and sparked rich conversations during the workshop, with participants sharing perspectives, questions, and practices rooted in empathy and critical reflection.

The DEFY project is funded by the Erasmus+ programme and coordinated by STAND, in partnership with Comhlámh, finep (Germany), and Zavod Volontariat (Slovenia). We extend a heartfelt thank you to our partners and collaborators, and in particular to Sive Bresnihan, Charlotte Bishop, Miriam Streit, and Maja Dominič, whose care, commitment, and insight helped bring this project and event to life.

DEFY has been a powerful reminder of the importance of slowing down, staying with discomfort, and learning together and we are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us on the day and throughout the journey.

DEFY is an Erasmus+ project co-funded by the European Union.