Brief summary
- Objective: broadening the understanding of European identity
- Target group: people living in Europe
- How: exploring the concept of ‘home’ by interviewing people with a migration background and collecting their stories in a book
- Where: France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Russia, Latvia, Belgium, UK, Sweden, Spain, and Iceland.
In a Europe threatened by the rise of nationalism, Hometelling – Testimonials from Europe aims to explore the question of belonging and identity in Europe. The team will interview people with a migration background residing across Europe, including in France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Russia, Latvia, Belgium, UK, Sweden, Spain, and Iceland, (covering Southern, Northern, Central and Eastern Europe). By asking Europeans where and what is home for them, the team aims to draw attention to the diversity of living experiences and what makes them ‘feel home’ in Europe. Wanting to collect as many perspectives as possible, the team will interview people with a migration background, and pay attention to the inclusion of marginalised groups, such as refugees, labour migrants, stateless people, single mothers, elderly persons, members of the LGBTQI community and unemployed people. Each interview will be paired with a picture and they will be curated in a publication to be presented at a launch event in Berlin.
Background
Europe has been witnessing increasing levels of xenophobia. The volume of aggression towards fellow Europeans, migrants and minorities have risen in several European member states. In many countries, the political rhetoric against foreigners has become harsher and more violent. These elements contribute to an environment of hostility, in which migrants are made to feel unwelcome. Concerned about this development, the project Hometelling – Testimonials from Europe sets out to discuss what obstacles people face on a way to social inclusion and integration and what the concept of ‘home’ means to them. The team thereby wants to showcase the multitudes, diversity and inclusiveness of European identity. At the same time the project aims to demonstrate the similarities and differences in people’s perception about Europe as their ‘home’.
The activities
The team collected stories in Southern, Northern, Central and Eastern European countries (namely France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Russia, Latvia, Belgium, UK, Sweden, Spain, and Iceland), interviewing people from different social backgrounds with an experience of migration, both offline and online. The interviews focused on the idea of home and the feeling of belonging to a common European identity. By discovering different attitudes and various ways of defining home and belonging the team wanted to convey that Europe can be a home for everyone. The interviews collected were translated into English, paired with photos and featured in a book that was presented at a launch event in Bonn. The team is also organising a second launch event before the end of the year.
Team
- Marija Biljan ( Palermo, Italy and Zagreb, Croatia)
- Yulia Gershinkova (Moscow , Russian Federation)
- Argyri Kaoukaki (Athens, Greece)
- Miriam Mona Müller (Bonn, Germany)
Advisors
- Adnan Rahimic (Project Advisor)
- Louise Roesen Abildgaard (Communication Advisor)
Concrete activities
Facebook page
Instagram
Website
Book publication
Book launch in Bonn
Calendar of activities
Facebook page – end of February
Instagram – beginning of April
Website – June
Collection of stories – March – April
Book editing – May – June
Book publication – June – July
Book launch in Bonn – 22 September
For information on the project please contact us:
e-mail: hometellingeurope@gmail.com
FutureLab Europe 
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