ORRAJT - On the road: new routes, alternative journeys and fair tracks. Challenging perspectives on migration, walking different narratives

<< Background >>We applied for this project because we recognized an urgent need to address the growing gap between local communities and migrant populations, which is often worsened by negative perceptions of cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity. Despite the valuable contributions migrants bring to EU societies,mainstream narratives tend to focus on fear and division, leading to exclusion, discrimination, and social tensions. Through this project, we aim to respond to these issues by fostering intercultural dialogue and creating spaces for meaningful interaction between residents and migrants.The ORRAJT project was conceived to promote inclusive narratives about migration through experiential learning walks, where migrants share their personal stories and cultural perspectives. This approach not only challenges stereotypes but also fosters a sense of belonging, mutual understanding, and social cohesion. Building on the success of the Migrantour model, our project supports migrants in developing skills and self-confidence, while inviting locals and visitors to engage with cultural heritage in a new way. The needs we address are to support integration, promote civic participation, and reframe migration as a source of enrichment for all.<< Objectives >>The ORRAJT project aimed to foster mutual knowledge exchange between partners while adapting the successful Migrantour model to the Maltese context. Our main goal was to promote new narratives about migration by creating a community of good practice and providing training for migrants and refugees. The goal of the training was to support them in becoming intercultural companions able to lead intercultural learning walks, where they couldshare new perspectives on Maltese cultural heritage and context. Through our project, we sought to empower migrants by recognizing their skills, strengthening their civic engagement, and enhancing their sense of belonging. A key objective was also to integrate innovative digital tools and inclusive training methods from Malta into the Migrantour network, improving interactivity and accessibility. By actively involving migrants in all stages of theproject—as both learners, tutors and trainers—we aimed at challenging stereotypes, promoting intercultural dialogue, and contributing to social inclusion while enriching public understanding of Europe’s diverse heritage.<< Implementation >>We implemented the following activities:A1. Project ManagementA2. First Transnational Meeting in MilanA3. Communication, social mediaA4. Best practices research, collection and analysisA5. Support in updating archiveA6. Creation of the digital Migrantour mapA7. Learning needs assessment & Feasibility StudyA8. Meeting for exchange of good practicesA9. Creation of training modulesA10. Training TestingA11. Development (fine tuning) of training modulesA12. Recruitment of the participantsA13. Implementation of the training programA14. Blended mobility for senior guides for training on the jobA15. Second transnational meeting (online)A16. Third transnational meeting in MaltaA17. Multiplier Events in Italy & Malta<< Results >>The concrete outputs and results of our projects' activities were:A1: Coordination of activities’ implementation; financial management and budget execution; monitoring and meeting deadlines; report writing; managingrelations with the Maltese NA; facilitating communication and collaborationA2: Meeting in Milan (with mobility); Migrantour walk to help the Maltese partner to better understand the Migrantour valuesA3: ORRAJT page on GMD website; dedicated Facebook page; posts on social media (instagram, fb, LinkedIn), Migrantour Malta logo and iconA4: Report of good practices on new narratives about migrationA5: New Migrantour itineraries and scriptsA6: Migrantour Malta digital map with multimedia contentsA7: Learning needs assessment and feasibility studyA8: Transnational meeting to exchange good practices on narrative changeA9: 12 modules for the training courseA10: Testing of the modulesA11: Fine-tuning of the modulesA12: Selection of 13 participantsA13: Delivery of the training course (in-person and online modules)A14: Mobility of 5 intercultural companions from Italy, tutoring the Maltese onesA15: Online meetingA16: Meeting in Malta (with mobility)A17: 3 multiplier events in Italy and 3 in Malta