When Academia meets community: Cafe Lahu at UIC

A two hours conversation between Kanglaung and Barcelona, where students and the promoters of Cafe LAHU, Mei and Imma, came together to reflect on sustainable development, social change and share responsability .

Today has been one of those days to remember in the journey of Cafe LAHU.

Mei and I had the privilege of sharing our project with a very special audience: the students of the Master’s Degree in Cooperation, Development and Social Economy at UIC, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, within the course Community Development Strategies, taught by Professor Anaïs Mangin.

It was truly inspiring to engage with people who show a deep sensitivity towards cooperation and social development, and who are genuinely motivated to contribute and think critically about real-world challenges. We shared our journey so far: the challenges we face, the path we have taken, the necessary shifts we have already made, and the next steps ahead.

Mei was in Kanglaung (12:00 pm) while we were in Barcelona (6:00 pm). Despite the distance, we held a nearly two-hour conversation, connecting realities and openly discussing both the difficulties and opportunities that lie ahead. Technology, when placed at the service of people, can truly bridge worlds.

Over the coming weeks, the students will be working on Cafe LAHU as a real case study, contributing their knowledge and perspectives to help strengthen the project. For the Lahu community this collaboration goes far beyond an academic exercise; it represents shared learning and real impact.

As we said at the end of our presentation: ¨today is a very important moment of the project.”

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this possible — especially Marta Crispí, Toni Mora , Nina Magomedova, and of course Anaïs Mangin..