Museums as Places for Intercultural Dialogue – from a European Perspective Margherita Sani Istituto Beni Culturali Regione Emilia Romagna Dublin 4 April 2014

2008 Year of Intercultural Dialogue “We want to go beyond multicultural societies, where cultures and cultural groups simply coexist side by side. We need to become intercultural societies where plurality of cultures cooperates in dialogue and in shared responsibility.” Ján Figel, European Commissioner at the launch of European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 in Slovenia, January 2008

MAP for ID - Museums as Places for Intercultural Dialogue Funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme Grundtvig Led by IBACN Institute for Cultural Heritage Regione Emilia Romagna

MAP for ID - Partners Istituto per i Beni Artistici Culturali e Naturali della Regione Emilia Romagna (IBACN), IT - Múzeumok és Látogatók Alapítvány - The British Museum, UK - Chester Beatty Library, IE - Museo degli Sguardi, Rimini, IT - Imagine Identity and Culture, NL - Museo de América, ES - City of Turin - Department of Cultural Heritage Education, IT - Amitié srl, IT

MAP for ID - Aims -To develop the potential and practice of museums as places of intercultural dialogue -To promote a more active engagement with the communities they serve -To explore and experiment new ways of interpreting and mediating collections in an inclusive way MTM

MAP for ID Actions -Research on good practices -Development of guidelines -Support to thirty pilot projects in the partner countries - Dissemination through conferences, the website and a publication

“Museums as places for intercultural dialogue: selected practices from Europe“

One year after… … ‘ MAP for ID - Experiences, Developments, Reflections’

The thirty pilot projects

Choose the piece

60 students from 18 countries attending an adult training course in Modena

Choose the piece, the symbolic adoption of archaeological pieces representing the history of the city

The first approach to the museum as repository of local history… …happened through a guided tour

Some objects had been highlighted as particularly relevant… …and out of these participants were invited to choose their piece, according to their taste, interest, emotions

Participants also had to give reasons for their choice and the museum favoured the discussion. Each participant was given a certificate stating that he/she had adopted the object.

The participant becomes a «tutor» of the object and committs to contribute to protecting it and disseminating knowledge about it

Creating a photographic set … …to document the ownership of the objects by the new citizens

The photos became the illustration of the Intercultural Diary 2010 ‘Choose the Piece’ produced by the museum and the school

A multicultural diary collecting the stories of the objects and of the people who adopted them, which also shows the festivities of all participating countries and was distributed to the citizens of Modena

MAP for ID Guidelines for good practice Intercultural dialogue as an interactive, bi- directional and dialogical process A focus on methodology and on the acquisition of new interpersonal, social, civic and intercultural attitudes and skills

MAP for ID Guidelines for good practice Long-term work and commitment with audiences, through the inclusion of community voices in planning, interpretation, documentation and display Building the outcomes of intercultural activities into the institutional fabric of the museum, ensuring legacy and progression.

Modena LAND

LAND – The exhibition

Modena STREETS

Streets – The exhibition

Modena Intercultural diaries

LEM – The Learning Museum

The Reports

Different perspectives Intercultural dialogue in Latvia Museums and Migration in Germany The need of a common vocabulary

Berlin, VISIBILITY.

Intercultural dialogue: a dialogue between individuals as bearers of cultures Intercultural dialogue: leaving a comfort zone to exercise self reflection

Intercultural dialogue is a process that comprises an open and respectful exchange or interaction between individuals, groups and organisations with different cultural backgrounds or world views. Among its aims are to develop a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives and practices, to increase participation and the freedom and ability to make choices, to foster equality, and to enhance creative processes.

Thank you!