The University of the Republic of San Marino participated in the creation of the book "The Border Between Us," a collection of 16 autobiographies selected as part of the 2019 edition of the "Tell Me – Multimedia Migrant Diaries" project, a competition for stories by people of foreign origin or provenance who live or have lived in Italy and San Marino. The goal: to raise awareness and engage citizens on the themes of peace, memory, and intercultural dialogue.
Specifically, Patrizia Di Luca, director of the Emigration Research Center at the University of San Marino, served on the project's scientific committee and, along with Natalia Cangi and Alessandro Triulzi, is among the editors of the volume, published by Terre di Mezzo and presented on Friday, September 18, in Pieve Santo Stefano, in the province of Arezzo, as part of the Pieve Saverio Tutino Award, organized by the National Diary Archive.
"Those who experience or have experienced migration often feel they can never be completely at home. However, the sense of disorientation and loss, while still a source of personal suffering, can encompass the fullness of a citizenship that transcends national borders and makes it possible to encounter others," explains Di Luca. "The stories published in the book recount the diverse experiences of the authors, some of whom are second-generation immigrants. In addition to presenting some of their own life stories, they reflect on the identity of those who belong to two countries: their family's homeland and the country in which they were born and raised. A section of the volume is in fact titled 'Plural identities'The first section is dedicated to the narratives of the journeys undertaken to reach the shores of Europe and recalls the abuses and violence endured to realize the desire for a job and a better life.
