The "Welcoming Museums" project in Puglia, southern Italy, is launching a project for refugees and migrants in the provinces of Lecce and Brindisi, aimed at promoting and training in intercultural dialogue. Cultural staff at the Sigismondo Castromediano Museum in Lecce and the Ribezzo Museum in Brindisi, along with students from the University Palermo, will work with migrants and refugees in the two cities to develop new itineraries with the museums.
There are 30 spaces available in the programme. Participants will learn from professionals in the sector and receive training to become "mediators" of cultural heritage at the two museums.
Project to promote culture and social interaction
The Welcoming Museums project is financed by the Region of Puglia through the Pugliese Public Theatre. The Italian Refugee Council (CIR), a project partner, said the project will take place in November and December 2018 and aims to "explore and build competencies and practices to make cultural heritage more accessible and better connected to modern usage methods, as well as to promote social interaction between diverse communities that live in our area."
Project participants will narrate the collections and also bring them together on a multimedia platform. Training will take place through a variety of methods, including a workshop on digital storytelling that will mix traditional narration techniques with modern digital tools. The migrants' personal values and visions will be used as departure points for helping them develop multidisciplinary competencies (writing, art, photography, video).
Applications due by October 26
The training course will comprise a total of 36 hours and will be held three times a week at the Sigismondo Castromediano Museum in Lecce, for migrants residing in the province of Lecce, and 12 hours at the Ribezzo Provincial Archaeological Museum in Brindisi for those who live in the province of Brindisi. Applications must be submitted by email at the following address: museocastromediano.lecce@regione.puglia.it with the subject line "Progetto MUA - Musei Accoglienti - Percorso di Formazione", no later than October 26, 2018.