La Langue des Oiseaux

The project aimed to contribute with the application of a specific methodology, borrowed from the performing arts sector, to the urgencies deriving from the spread of a climate of intolerance towards subjects with a migrant background living in European Union countries or asylum seekers. The process of building a hybrid identity, aimed at inclusion and accessibility to culture, in a path interwoven with concrete practices and a constant debate on their application, was shared with the partners to establish a comparison plan that, starting from national experiences, would expand to a broader exchange. The cooperation between entities already actively involved in projects for the democratization of culture has allowed a multiplication of perspectives and the possibility of repeated changes of point of view, which have nourished the critical thinking of all participants: experts, beneficiaries, stakeholders. No less important was the aim of achieving shareable results, aimed at a greater professionalization of operators who deal with the migration phenomenon with innovative tools of cultural and artistic origin in the permanent search for specific protocols.

La Langue des Oiseaux borrows its name from a medieval esoteric language capable of bringing together all poultry species beyond linguistic differences: the metaphor seemed relevant to us to develop a project that uses artistic practices as a universal language. The implementation of the project aimed to spread an egalitarian approach to cultural participation, also with the transmission of counter-narratives, obtained by the beneficiaries themselves in long paths of knowledge and sharing, configured as multilingual theatrical workshops at local and international level. The objectives of the project were: the strengthening of artistic vocations and soft and life skills of groups of migrants and refugees, eager to express their artistic and creative value, proactively integrating into communities; the growth of a debate on European identity in a perspective of decolonization, to promote an awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity, not only from a theoretical (scientific and political) point of view, but also with the concrete proposal of a methodological approach that allows the implementation of replicable activities.

The activities were: international meetings (TPM); local workshops carried out in the three European countries whose institutions have been involved for their theatrical specificity in the field of multiculturalism (the Italian leader, the French and German partners); international laboratories that collected the results of local workshops, tracing the lines of difference and convergence between contiguous but diversified methodologies; monitoring; dissemination events (ME and other events at local level); Implementation of the 7 results. Despite some adjustments caused by factors of majeure, the partnership has endeavoured to maintain the scheme of work based on the synchronicity of activities: while reacting to the needs of the local groups (in terms of political issues, availability of beneficiaries, seasonal conventions in the organisation of the workshops, etc.), the partnership has aimed to maintain a parallelism, which has allowed the different local groups to feel part of a wider international cooperation body. This perception was facilitated by the selection of 6 Ambassadors from the local workshops, who were integrated into the staff, participating in all international activities.

The project produced 7 results, all outcomes of laboratory practice at local and international level. In this context, materials have been generated that have converged with different approaches and techniques in the artistic results: a multilingual podcast Tapestry of Voices; a text of modular dramaturgy Mille e Uno, Tausend und Eine, Thousend and One; a film on art and migration, La Langue des Oiseaux, made in the five partner countries; a webradio series with interviews and testimonials Paroles d'exile. With a subdivision of the workshops and their LTTAs into three specific modules and the enhancement of the partners' specialties, the participants had the opportunity to express their experience, providing the basis for original creations, in which professionals (experts in audio, video, dramaturgy, etc.) were facilitators of a shared process. The same assumptions have marked the realization of the theoretical results: the World Art's Handbook, which has set itself the goal of systematizing the experience; the scientific research Obstacles and Opportunities for Migrants and Refugees' Artistic Development and the policy recommendations document Right to Cultural Practice, Linguistic Diversity and Migrants.