In this episode of the Meliora podcast we are joined by Dr Emma Palmer-Cooper from the School of Psychology at the University of Southampton to discuss the Crafting Heritage for Well-being in Iraq (CHeWI) project.

The British Academy funded CHeWI project explores the nexus of crafting, heritage and well-being for survivors of conflict in Iraq, which has one psychiatric hospital for 38 million people. The project brings together a team with interdisciplinary expertise in arts, heritage and psychology in the UK and Iraq to provide a unique sustainability lens to an important project. The CHeWI project is co-produced, driven by the team and local participants in collaboration, to ensure the outcomes are relevant and beneficial to Iraq and reflect Iraq’s complex, often intersectional, societal needs. A key aim is to create a robust evidence-base for arts and crafts in improving personal and social well-being. The project team aim to demonstrate to Iraqi stakeholders and policy makers that such reflective practices play a critical role in fragile post-conflict contexts, determining specific ways that engaging with heritage through craft has potential to rebuild the personal and social well-being and dignity that are key to underpinning sustainable, inclusive peace in Iraq.

Episode host: Prof Simon Kemp
Episode guest: Dr Emma Palmer-Cooper
Episode editor: Lily Killner

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