Lignin Stories

Through an EU funded (KA210-YOU) project called, ‘Where To? Stories of Migration and Belonging’, Lignin Stories, is exploring how storytelling can help young people form a stronger sense of belonging in societies that they adopt as their own.

Run in collaboration with refugee organisation Spark15 (Malta), as well as the Centro Italiano Storytelling (Italy), the project brings together local and migrant youth in a series of workshops that explore what home means when we are on the move and how shared public space plays a part in bringing us together.

In Malta, local young people had the opportunity to get involved with the storytelling organisation Lignin Stories, as well as Spark15 - an organisation which aims to help young migrants integrate.

Led by Dr Giuliana Fenech, they discussed which aspects of their life help them to bond. On a social and cultural level, educational classes, the sharing of food, and participating in sport were commonly identified as crucial to homemaking. On an emotional level, home was often identified as the place where ‘people know what you need before you have to explain it.’

For young migrants who are often living away from family, this takes on a deeper level of significance as one of their core needs is learning to navigate complex legal systems that consistently push them to the periphery of belonging. Having a community that is ready to listen and empathise makes a big difference to the quality of life of young migrants.

The ‘Where To?’ project took an unexpected turn towards the end of the mentoring programme, when instead of accepting to tell their stories of their past and arrival in Malta, the young people asked to produce a storytelling artefact that is more future-facing, based on capacity building. Under the guidance of a group of mentors, principally Marcela Fratescu, the participants co-created a book that celebrates the origin of Spark15 and its current goals.

The book was launched and celebrated at SparkFest24 on the 23rd June. It highlights all the ways in which young migrants can contribute to society and what they perceive to be the greatest opportunities ahead.

In Italy, the project allowed the storytelling centre in Portico to become a shared social space for migrant families whose children attend the local school. Although it is not a large population, until now there had not been an opportunity for these families to meet and get to know each other. Collaborating with storytellers Giovanna Conforto, Stefania Ganzini, and Flavio Milandri among other artists, the participants collected unused or broken bits of ceramic, shared the personal stories that connected them to these objects, and used them to create a public installation of a gecko. The gecko, affixed to a popular passageway outside the Municipio building, symbolises the adoption of public space as one in which all members of society have a place. It is a material representation of the work that needs to be done to facilitate cultural integration and the importance of foregrounding circular, sustainable economies that, in line with the EU’s Green Deal, leave no person or place behind.

Now that the mentoring programmes in both countries are completed, the storytelling organisations are preparing the research outcomes for publication and developing further networking opportunities with other community groups and storytelling organisations.

During the past few months, I had the opportunity to work on this project to create a book that helps people get to know some things about spark 15. It was a truly rewarding experience as I was able to connect with a wide variety of individuals, hear their stories and understand their experiences, and hopefully make a positive impact on their lives. Through this work, I've learned about the importance of empathy, understanding, and communication in building strong relationships, both personal and professional. Moving forward, I am excited to continue to learn and grow in my communication and relationship-building skills, and strive to create more opportunities for connection and understanding in the world.

Press & Media

- Times of Malta

What others are saying...