Owning my story

A great challenge in migrant and refugee self-representation is that narratives about migrants and refugees are mainly shaped, framed and shared by media, voices and people that don’t represent the migrant and refugee community or people with lived experience. In order to take ownership over their own stories, refugees and migrants need the means and opportunities to unite, exchange and co-design new pathways to amplify their voices.

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The project Owning My story is about enabling a group of migrant and refugee activists from across Europe to reclaim the leadership, ownership and authorship of their own stories and narratives, and amplify their self-advocacy through creative tools such as storytelling.

 

selection of participants

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15 applicants from various origins and living in different European countries were selected to take part in this project, based on diversity of background, age, gender, perspectives and migration status etc. The aim is to offer a space for people that do not yet have a platform in which to share their stories.

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training

 

During a period of 5 months, the participants receive both online and onsite training in story-telling, advocacy and performance, to prepare them for a final storytelling performance in front of policymakers and stakeholders in Brussels in May. During the teaching period, through exchange with the other partakers and by learning from the experienced storytelling trainers, the 16 participants develop a performance in which they delve into an aspect/story of their life they wish to share on stage.

 

campaign for european elections

 

Finally, the performances in May are recorded and used for an online campaign on European level. The campaign aims to increase thoughtful and human voting during the elections of the European Parliament (6-9 June 2024).

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