S/paesati – eventi sul tema delle migrazioni (2000 -2009)*
*Dis/placed people: events on the subject of migration

The cultural Association “Spaesati” organizes S/paesati – eventi sul tema delle migrazioni, a festival of cinema, theatre, music, exhibitions, meetings, which was born from the desire, almost an urgent need, to understand our fragmented era, to think over its transformations and changes, to unify and combine migrations from the past with those of the present days, in the attempt to find a common element between the phenomena of migration and different cultures, with particular attention to what is happening in our region. The reasons and the conditions of peoples’ displacements were and are different one from each other, but the outcome is similar and it results in a moment of general disorientation both in the strangers and in the originary inhabitants.

Those who migrate in an other country have to establish a relation with a new society and a different way of thinking. On the other hand, those who welcome the immigrant have to face ways of acting and of thinking that are different from their own. It is a joint effort, spawning a lot of contradictions and forcing a deep consideration on the subjects of identity and integration.

The consideration of migration phenomena was developed on different levels, through the combination of historical, anthropological and psychological aspects in an artistic dimension. Our focus was to link the cogency of scientific thought to the ambivalence of the work of art, able to express simoultaneously the numerous contradictions of reality. The subjects We dealt with during the meetings and the conferences gained, with the assistence of the “arts” an other dimension, a greater depth, highlighting in particular the human dimension of the phenomenon of migration.

Many international intellectuals, writers, artists joined the Association S/paesati: from Assia Djebar, Biljana Srbljanovic, Vinko Globokar, Zelimir Zilnik, Rade Srbedja to Malika Mokkedem, Abdewahab Meddeb, Maurice El Medioni, Irène Tassembedo, Heddy Maalem, Paulin Hountondji. Many meetings were suggested by and took place with Giacomo Todeschini, Luisa Accati, Marta Verginella and other historians of the Universities of Trieste and Lubiana, as well as the literary criticics Anna Zoppellari and Cristina Benussi of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies. In the last few years, S/paesati dedicated a part of its program to African cultures from Maghreb to Senegal, creating a connection to regional cooperation projects, with the specific aim of making cultural exchange relationships between the people of the two continents easier and smoother (cooperation à l’envers).

S/paesati cooperates with Bonawentura-TeatroMiela, the Slovenian Theatre of Trieste “Teatro Stabile Sloveno”, the University of Trieste (Department of History and of Art History, Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies) and the University of Udine (Department of visual arts, music, performing arts and fashion studies - DAMS). Many associations of immigrants joined the project S/paesati, constantly taking parts to intercultural dialogues.

During its activity, the Association “Spaesati” produced theatrical events such as “Ellis Island”, a multi-language performance on European immigration to the United States; “Il fondo del Bicchiere” from “Aspro e dolce” by Mauro Corona; “Passi di Donna”, literary experiences of immigrated women; “Morel”, an interactive performance of dance and video about identity; “Tutti gli esseri umani nascono liberi ed eguali in dignità e diritti”; “1791- La Dichiarzione dei diritti della donna e della cittadina” from Olympe De Gouges; “Amiche per la pelle” by Laila Wadia.

S/paesati also produced video documentaries, such as “Ey ozgurluk- Ehi, libertà”, experiences of Kurds refugees; “Donne allo specchio”, dialogues between Italian and immigrated women on the subject of feminism; “Equilibristi dell’essere”, interviews with childern of immigrants (the second generation), “Il livieto della conoscenza” on the intercultural experience of Radio Onde Furlane.