Andorinha
Library methodology to promote dialogue, empathy, and understanding between migrant communities and local residents in southern Portugal.
Inspired by the swallow — a migratory bird that returns each year to the same place to build its nest — the project invites active listening and values the life stories of those who have moved in search of new opportunities and a place to call home.
Through sharing sessions in different locations, we aim to create spaces of connection where everyone can feel seen, heard, and respected.
Migration context
Portugal has experienced a significant increase in immigration, particularly in the south of the country, where the cost of living is lower compared to other European nations.
Attracted by better living conditions, safety, tax incentives, or job opportunities, many migrants — including refugees from countries affected by war or crisis — have chosen Portugal as their destination.
Project context
The rise in immigration, especially in regions such as the Algarve and Alentejo, has brought social and economic challenges, including tensions around integration, language barriers, housing crises, and inequalities in the labour market.
In this context, it becomes essential to create spaces that foster dialogue, active listening, and mutual understanding — counteracting exclusion and encouraging respectful coexistence between different cultures and realities.
The Project
Over the past months, we organized small in-person sessions across several communities in the south of the country.
In each location, we facilitaded attentive listening to the life stories of migrants, creating a safe and welcoming environment.
Some of these stories were shared in public sessions or installations, in different “human library” formats — where people don’t just read books, but listen to those who have lived them.
Funding
This project was funded by the European Solidarity Corps.
A European Union programme that supports initiatives led by young people and organisations with a positive impact on their communities.
This funding supported:
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The mobility of the team across southern Portugal
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The organisation of in-person Human Library sessions in different locations
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The creation of communication materials and story-sharing formats
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Training and capacity-building for the team on the topic
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Building connections with local partners and community facilitators
Our route
The project took place across municipalities in the Alentejo and Algarve regions, including cities with a strong presence of migrants and a history of social tensions, such as Odemira, São Luís, Lagos, Olhão, and Lisbon.
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The team
We are a group of young people living in southern Portugal — both migrants and locals — united by the desire to promote dialogue, listening, and empathy between different communities.
We believe that genuine encounters between people, through the sharing of real stories, have the power to transform relationships and reduce social tensions.
Andorinha is made up of five young people from different backgrounds and life paths, brought together by friendship, deep listening, and a shared desire to learn together: Maria Guadalupe Mendonça, Gabriel Figueiró, Laura Green, Alessandro Caruso, and Maria Beatriz Sousa.
Minidoc of the Project
Project stories
We are looking for
As the project continues to grow, we are currently seeking partners and supporters to help sustain and expand these encounters and Human Library sessions.
To ensure the project continues in a respectful and meaningful way, we are looking to collaborate with local partners, community facilitators, and organisations already connected with migrant communities in their regions.
These collaborations are essential to help us reach communities, identify stories to be shared, and create the conditions for sessions to happen in an ethical, sensitive, and collaborative way.
We are also open to new forms of support and funding that can enable the continuity of the project—through partnerships, co-created initiatives, sponsorships, or aligned funding opportunities.
Other ways to collaborate
Perosnal
stories
Share your story during our internal or public sessions—whichever feels most comfortable for you.
Mentorship
Support the capacity-building of our team in facilitating and mediating Human Library sessions.
Spread the
word
Follow the project on social media to help amplify its impact.
Partner
Become an institutional partner and host a session in your city or organisation.
Partners
