Stories Between the
Past and the Future
December 2021 - May 2022
MERSİN
Stories Between the Past and the Future project aimed to bring together four refugee writers living in Mersin and two local community writers, to reveal new stories based on the common cultural values of different geographies and present these stories in public spaces.
Within the scope of the project, cultural trips were organised that allowed the cultural characteristics of Mersin to be evaluated. Places of worship, cemeteries, archaeological sites, important streets and neighbourhoods, the city centre and other public spaces of importance were visited by the participants under the guidance of a consultant. Subsequently, creative writing workshops were held where the participants talked, discussed and got inspired by the geography of migration and the common cultural values of the city they have just settled in. The project came to an end with the public presentations of the 7 stories (one story by each author and one shared story). The stories are printed as a booklet and distributed to libraries and they are available through the website, social media, etc. for long-term access.
The fact that immigrated societies show a reflex of protection by closing themselves in and their identities, gradually losing their colour in new settlements. This fact prevents the transmission of the stories of the past onto the next generations. The Stories Between the Past and the Future project aime to contribute to both keeping this cultural memory alive and providing an environment of social peace with the differences and similarities between societies through the authors.
