A project by 16 organizations working for migrants' right in Italy has resulted in the 'Voci di Confine' Website, with facts and figures as well as individuals' stories to how the positive side of migration.
The website Voci di Confine, www.vocidiconfine.com, went live on November 16 after being created by organizations supporting migrants. It provides viewers with facts, figures, personal accounts, and information, and aims to be ''a useful tool for schools and citizens to familiarize themselves better with the reality of migration beyond stereotypes, political use and idealization''.
Narrating positive routes
Voci di Confine seeks to communicate that ''an objective interpretation of the figures on migratory phenomena show how they are an opportunity for development and enrichment, even from an economic point of view, for Italy,'' underscored the Italian branch of AMREF, one of the sponsors of the project. ''The stories collected on the website document the emotional road migrants - even Italians - undertake towards new things, and the search for identity that is ever more complicated in second generations, since they have nothing in common with the cliches promulgated by mainstream media organizations.'' The project makes use of the experience built up over the years by 16 organizations working for human rights, local border agencies involved in migration issues, diaspora and volunteer associations, research bodies and communications experts. Coordinated by AMREF Health Africa, Voci di Confine is co-funded by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development.Facts, figures and personal stories to understand migration Vocidiconfine.com ''gathers many figures that clear up, setting aside preconceptions and mistaken beliefs, the extent of migration at both the global and Italian levels'', noted AMREF.
One section focuses on stories, such as that of Camilla Hawthorne, an Italo-Afro American who says that ''America, Italy and Africa constitute my identity. I am very grateful for this beautiful mixture and for me it is also important to understand the various connections between these places - historical connections and culture influences''. AMREF noted that these stories ''show how the coming together of cultures and worlds seemingly distant from one another create identities that are able to recognize and interpret the complexity of the current world.'' Invasion, threat and problem: ''today migration is spoken about especially with these words. But why don't we speak also about the fact that migration can be a chance for growth, both for those who leave and for those who welcome them?,'' asked Renata Torrente, AMREF chief for Voci di Confine. She added that, by the end of 2018, ''we will create awareness-raising campaigns'', ''educational paths in schools'' and ''best practice exchanges'', in order to change the dominant narrative on migration