Migrantour: discovering the richness of cultures in our cities

International migration is increasingly characterised by transnational traits that create strong linkages between different places and cultures and that impact, in particular, the routes and spaces of urban migration. In 2010, from this observation, sprung the idea of promoting a form of responsible tourism at kilometre zero that envisages as its protagonists, fellow citizens of sometimes very different backgrounds.

Oxfam Italia, ACRA-CCS and Viaggi Solidali supported the development of a European network of Migrant Cities united by a single Migrantour. The project enables Italian and European citizens of old and new generations, tourists, students and the plain curious to discover, through the words of migrants, the many secrets – large and small – unknown to even born and bred locals.

More about MigranTour:  www.mygrantour.org

OBJECTIVES: 

Overall: promotion of local actions in order to enhance the economic, social, cultural and political participation of migrants (third countries nationals to the European Union).

Specific: Promote the engagement of the receiving communities in interacting with the migrants, based on the mutual respect of their rights, obligations and different cultures.

BENEFICIARIES:

Direct: migrants from third countries, citizens of the cities involved, European citizens, students of primary and secondary education, local authorities and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) related to migration.

GLOBAL ACTIVITIES:

• Participation in the project’s coordination meeting, which took place in Milan, from 28th to 30th January, with the presence of representatives of various European cities (Lisbon, Turin, Genoa, Milan, Florence, Rome, Paris, Marseilles and Valencia) whom participate in the project;
• Completion and presentation of participatory research in Intercultural Urban Routes, which allowed for an understanding of the contribution of migration to the host society and the value of cultural diversity;
• 2nd training module for local guides with trainees of various nationalities, with the active participation of trainees from the first module and extending participation to the neighbourhoods of Anjos and Arroios. The course lasted for 42 hours, and was held between January and February;
• Establishment of 2 routes: “There are Worlds in Mouraria” and “From Mouraria to the World”,along which visitors have the opportunity to see places of worship, shops, restaurants, ingredients, habits and customs, stories and so many other things from the four corners of the world;
• Boosting and marketing of Intercultural Urban Routes in Lisbon;
• Implementation of 1 communication campaign for promotion of routes and of the added value of interculturalism in European societies;
• Definition of pedagogical and didactic modules associated with the additional training of local guides, specifically oriented towards the promotion of the routes designed for schools;
• Implementation of the pedagogical and didactic module, which took place at the headquarters of the Association Renew Mouraria, in March, under the subject “MYgrantour: discover paths… from Mouraria to school, from school to Mouraria”;
• Carrying out of educational visits (trial version), in May, with the presence of several classes of the school Voz do Operário da Graça, in Lisbon;
• Creating 3 learning pathways adapted to different age groups of students;
• Organisation of 5 visits targeted at schools, which took place from May to June, with 100 students (76 from primary schools and 24 from secondary schools);
• Running of about 15 guided tours (free of charge), between November 2014 and June 2015, with 314 participants;
• Completion of 3 visits (not free of charge), in June and July, with 71 participants;
• Participation in the project’s final conference, which took place on 7th July in Brussels, with the public presentation of the final video, containing several testimonies of local guides of the various cities participating. The conference also boosted the debate about the importance of the urban routes as knowledge and intercultural integration;
• Presentation of the publication “Migrantour, the World in the City”;
• Updating and developing the project’s website in Portuguese (www.mygrantour.org/pt -pt).

PARTNERS:

ACRA, VIAGGI SOLIDALI, Oxfam Italia; Baština, MPEA, Perifèries, IMVF, Associação Renovar a Mouraria, EARTH, BE

VIDEOS