Calvin Minfegue – Opening up to the diversity of a city…
Being awarded a fellowship from the Oumou Dilly Foundation for joining the Centre for African Studies at the University of Basel was a fantastic opportunity in my academic career but also to be immerged in Basel as a city.
Basel appears to me as a structured living space marked by the nourishing udder of the Rhine, which seems to give it a particular imprint. Basel is also a striking human diversity where many cultures and ways of being in the world intertwine to give something plural. Although the city is predominantly German-speaking, it may come as a surprise to see a lady speaking Spanish on the street or a couple expressing themselves in Lingala in a tram.
The city is sublimated by a singular architecture. You can take the pulse of the city at festive events such as the fairs, which gives a different look to the space around the University’s main campus for example. Basel is also and perhaps above all particular places, necessarily dependent on the preferences and sensibilities of each individual. But how can we pass by Basler Munster without being marked by this impressive architecture, this roof of glazed tiles that can be seen from a distance? A stroll along the landscaped banks of the Rhine gives you a chance to rest for a while. Beyond that, the city’s location makes it easy to rally French and German cities and open up to different local experiences.
This public side was complemented by a personal experience of living in a building housing with people representing at least eight nationalities. This was something fascinating and it is undoubtedly a circumstantial expression of what is Basel today, at least in my view…