The 2023-24 academic year has been very special for Migrantour Barcelona. Nexes Interculturals SCCL has received the “Impulsem el que fas” grant, enabling the creation of a third edition of the intercultural guide training, in addition to launching a new participatory route in the Poble-sec neighborhood. Fifteen people, full of enthusiasm, hope, and motivation to fight against racism and create new narratives, have joined the Migrantour Barcelona family. An intergenerational group from four different continents, who have come together to enrich this project.
After eight vibrant training sessions, an exciting participatory process began with the intercultural guides, local organizations, and the Migrantour technical team to create the new Poble-sec route. This neighborhood is very special, as it is where our headquarters are located, and the route speaks of human rights, interculturality, labor struggles, cultural activism, local resistance, and historical memory.
We start at the “Three Chimneys“, an essential plaza in the community life of the neighborhood, full of activities and cultures, as well as murals advocating for change. Here, we also highlight the old “Canadenca” factory, famous for achieving the 8-hour workday thanks to its strike. We continue to the “Bibliomusicineta,” an association promoting culture with a second-hand bookstore, a collection of thousands of books, and a space that hosts a community radio station and artistic exhibitions. Our third stop is in front of the “Ateneu Cooperatiu la Base“, where the “Poble-sec Housing Union” meets weekly to fight for housing rights. We then head to “Refugi 307“, recalling the Spanish Civil War and honoring activist Valerie Powles, a defender of this shelter, while also addressing various current armed conflicts. The penultimate stop is at the “CC Sortidor“, a symbolic square in the neighborhood and a public center that fosters community life through the arts and gastronomy, democratizing access to culture. Finally, we conclude the tour at the “Francesc Boix Library“, remembering the life of this photographer and freedom fighter, and we also mention the various projects of the Xarxa Cooperasec, including the migrant care cooperative “Mesquecures“.