European Network of Cultural Centres (ENCC)

Cultural Compass for Refugees, Asylum Seekers & Newcomers

APIS Institute / Zavod APIS
Slovenia
Cultural Compass Call 1

The Cultural Compass project facilitates integration of refugees, asylum seekers and newcomers to Slovenia through immersive cultural tours, creative and art oriented activities in Ljubljana. Guided tours co-led by locals and refugees/migrants will showcase different facets of Slovenia's cultural scene like museums, theatres, art hubs, fab labs. Interactive cultural experiences overcome barriers like language, lack of awareness of offerings, and financial constraints newcomer communities face.

This project aims to facilitate the integration of refugees, asylum seekers, and newcomers to Slovenia through immersive cultural experiences tailored specifically for them. The core idea is to aid integration through strategic cultural orientation, enabling social connections and better understanding of Slovenian culture/heritage. The tours will be led jointly by a refugee/migrant living in Slovenia and a local cultural expert. Each tour will showcase a different facet of Slovenian culture, from museums and theatres to creative community hubs and public spaces. Interactive activities and hands-on workshops will encourage participation and creative expression.

The goal is to foster social inclusion, the project strengthens ties between refugees/migrants and Slovenian society by laying groundwork for cultural exchange. The problem this project addresses is the challenge refugees, asylum seekers and newcomers face integrating into a new cultural context, which can lead to isolation, poor mental health and marginalisation. Providing guided introductions to Ljubljana's arts and cultural scene helps overcome barriers like language, lack of awareness of local offerings, and financial limitations.

Shared immersive cultural experiences will aid these communities to feel connected and engage more confidently in Slovenian society. By directly engaging newcomers with diverse facets of Slovenian culture through, this project will support their social inclusion and integration.

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