Building community through FARO convention: FARO project

Main Beneficiaries & Social Impact

Main Beneficiaries

The project involved a diverse group of participants, including students, researchers, individuals from refugee reception programs, professionals working in museums and cultural sites, and local citizens. Students played an active role in the project through a participatory methodology, taking part in workshops alongside researchers and participants with migrant backgrounds. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also contributed through active engagement, including the organization of guided tours and participation in co-creation sessions. In total, approximately 200 people were involved in the project.

Social Impact

The project promotes active participation in cultural heritage, especially among young people, migrant communities, and individuals in vulnerable conditions. It aims to strengthen social inclusion, raise awareness of cultural diversity, and encourage more inclusive narratives about heritage and identity. Through collaboration between universities, NGOs, and cultural professionals, the project also supports the development of shared approaches to heritage education and foster dialogue, democratic participation, and social cohesion.

Events in the Project

Event Name	Date	Location	Description
FLOW step	24-25 June 2025	Bucarest	The purpose of the meeting was to examine the role of ethnic and linguistic minorities—particularly the Armenian, Hebrew, and Bulgarian communities—in the construction of cultural heritage and, more specifically, to analyse how these groups have contributed to and influenced the historical and cultural development of the city of Bucharest.
AQUIFER step	16-17 October 2025	Madrid	During the session, the FARO application, developed by the Spanish research team, was piloted in order to document cultural transformations and to assess the contribution of local communities to the shaping and reconfiguration of the urban landscape.
RIPPLE step	19-20 February 2026	Rome	A participatory research session engaged students and representatives of local associations working with migrant and multicultural communities (CIVICO ZERO Onlus), aimed at identifying and developing strategies for the re-signification of difficult heritage. The outcomes of the project were subsequently presented through a participatory exhibition designed to foster public engagement and collective reflection.
OCEAN step	March April 2026	Marseille	At Aix-Marseille Université (AMU), the project will advance a model of cultural mediation that promotes inclusion while safeguarding minority identities, extending academic research into the public sphere. By integrating heritage studies with civic engagement, it will involve students, schools, and local communities through structured urban walks and public events across Marseille. This final phase will consolidate project outcomes and strengthen institutional dialogue between the university and society.

Partners

Partner Name	Type	Bio
Irene Baldriga	Academic	Associate professor in Museology and Museum Education and Delegate of the Rector for the Public Engagement in Sapienza University of Rome.
Luana Ghezzi	Non academic	Permanent staff member in the Third mission Office of Sapienza University of Rome.
Maria Chiara Verducci	Researcher	Researcher and assistant in the Third Mission Office
Irene Quarantini	Phd	Phd candidate in Art history.
Marian Craciun	Academic	Director of the Student Services Department at the University of Bucharest.
Florentina Nitu	Academic	Associate Professor at the University of Bucharest, Faculty of History.
Monica Reis	Academic	Lecturer at Aix-Marseille Université, where she coordinates communication for the Département d'Études Portugaises et Brésiliennes and the Chaire Eduardo Lourenço (Camões-IP).
Hector Grad	Academic	Full Professor of Social Anthropology at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM).
Luisa Martina Rojo	Academic	Professor of Linguistics at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
Santiago Martìnez Ventoso	Researcher	Researcher and assistant for the Mirco research center at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM).
Associazione Tezeta	NGO	Associazione Tezeta is an interdisciplinary youth association engaged in research, cultural dissemination, and educational activities focused on Italian colonialism and contemporary migration.
EcoMuseoCasilino	NGO	The EcoMuseo Casilino Ad Duas Lauros is a community-based museum institution established in 2012 in the eastern area of Rome, emerged from a civic mobilisation in opposition to a real estate development plan in support of the recognition and protection of the cultural heritage.
ParcoArcheologico del Colosseo	Stakeholder	The Parco Archeologico del Colosseo in Rome is the first archaeological site in Italy for the number of visitors and includes important monuments of ancient Rome, such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, preserving and enhancing some of the most important archaeological evidence of the history of Western civilization, from the late Bronze Age to the contemporary age.
AssociationCitadelle de Marseille	NGO	The Citadelle de Marseille is a non-profit organization located in the upper section of Fort d’Entrecasteaux, the upper part of Fort Saint‑Nicolas overlooking the Old Port of Marseille, whose project aims to restore and conserve the historic monument while transforming it into a vibrant heritage space for culture, creativity, and community life.
The Beit Project	NGO	Launched in Paris in 2011, The Beit Project is a European and Mediterranean project about living together. The project combines historical heritage with the fight against racism, social exclusion and discrimination.
MirCo	Research centre	MIRCo (Multilingualism, Interaction, and Research Centre) is an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to the study of multilingualism, discourse, and communication in contemporary societies.

Coordinator of the project

Irene Baldriga
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