Italian colonial history has remained outside the public debate for quite some time. The lack of collective elaboration of this page of Italian history has reinforced the mystification of Italian colonialism that has become part of a widespread culture. Only in recent years has it begun to be talked about more, but still only in circumscribed circles.
The ‘Migrantour Cyrenaica: a walk on the traces of Italy’s colonial past’ was therefore created with the aim of serving as food for thought, retracing the missing pages of Italian history in an informal and accessible way for all, thus deconstructing the widespread narrative of colonialism.
This walk takes place in Cirenaica, a district of Bologna that came into being while the war for the occupation of Libya was going on, and whose streets bore names that connected to the colonial conquests in Libya. And it is precisely from street names, stories and objects that the aim is to re-elaborate a past that has been removed but is strongly linked to contemporary history and racism.