UDEW- Urban DEcolonization Walks in the EU

ongoing

Even though most of EU countries have recognized their colonialist past, today there is still a consistent amount of public spaces such as monuments, statues, or street names dedicated to the colonial past of EU countries. The project UDEW starts from a good practice already experimented in Italy, “Decolonize your eyes”, supported by the project applicant GEA, whose methodology is based on a reflection on urban space, on the traces of Italy's colonial bearing and its aftermath while also talking about contemporary neocolonialism and racism. The objectives of the project are: - to map the main public monuments and spaces dedicated to colonialism, imperialism and/or slavery in different EU countries and cities using a simple and multimedia language - to provide educators and civil society organization staff with a non-formal training methodology aimed at promoting awareness on younger generations on the colonialist past - to involve young people and local communities in non-formal training activities focused on urban spaces, with particular attention to young people coming from EU cities disadvantaged neighborhoods and/or characterized by migratory background - to involve, through the action of young people, local communities and public authorities, in particular municipalities, city councils, in the development of awareness activities on the historical distortion and current perspective of past colonialism - to promote a EU-wide initiative aimed at fostering the awareness and memory of EU colonial past, looking at Europe in its unity, fostering the debate at the international level. The project will be developed through 5 work packages: WP1) Transnational mapping of the public spaces WP2) Training of trainers on the “Decolonize your eyes” methodology WP3) Pilot action: the experimentation of the methodology in all partners countries WP4) Awareness raising campaign in order to promote the protagonism of young people WP5) Final transnational event