Applying different lenses from our countries at the Global Atlantic Fellows Annual Convening 2023, by Sreypeov Tun

The trip to the global convening 2023 was a great experience for me. The global gathering at the Rhodes House was an opportunity to engage in collective discussions with other Fellows about equity, applying the different lenses from our countries. There were also pertinent topics that had particular relevance for segments of the audience to talk about their situation.

In convenings like this, I always like to find at least one learning that I can apply in my own context and daily life to produce better outcomes for a fairer world.

First, I liked the energy of everyone at the convening. The songs we sang, the dance moves we shared and the endless conversations through which we connected were amazing. The energy and aspiration shown by everyone were important and needed if we are to build bridges between one Fellow and another.

I liked all the songs from our friends from South Africa, New Zealand and the United States, which I think were rooted in traditions and passed down by ancestors. The sharing of such traditions helped increase the sense of unity and solidarity among us even though we are from different regions of the world.

The Atlantic Institute provided opportunities for Fellows to speak out freely in safe spaces about work and their people. Building this sense of trust was key before we could even hope to engage with the panel discussions, ask questions and share our vulnerabilities. I do not have the same direct experience as other Fellows of facing racism, nor do I do work related to economic models as I am an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia. However, I appreciated being able to listen to others tackling these topics, who were keen to break barriers and shift dominant narratives to reflect their own lived experiences. ??

It is always said you won’t feel the heat if you don’t touch the boiling pot with your hands, and it is true. So now, I have widened my knowledge in these areas. This has opened my eyes and my mind.

The in-person workshop, The Catalyst’s Way, was a good opportunity for Fellows to participate fully in exploring collective ways of leadership. It would have been so much more difficult to engage deeply with the storytelling if the workshop had been on Zoom. The face-to-face team-building exercise was very beneficial. In future workshops, I would like to hear about real-life case studies that illustrate how a shift in narratives can change the world. This would help me navigate the challenges I face as the head of the faculty of nursing and midwifery in Phnom Pen, Cambodia, as like many Atlantic Fellows, I am striving to drive change that will advance health equity in my region of the world.