Empowering young migrant women in Turin

Donne alla Barriera (DAB, Women at the Barrier) is an urban and cultural regeneration project aimed at initiating a community activation process in the Barriera di Milano neighbourhood of Turin. This will be done by empowering young second-generation immigrant women (aged 15 to 30), recognising their fundamental role as a unifying social force and a catalyst for change.

At the core of the project, which is rooted in gender equality and multiculturalism, is the recognition of the complex and multifaceted nature of discrimination.

The chosen tool is the community opera, a format based on the co-creation of an opera performance in all its aspects, in collaboration with local communities and under the guidance of a team of experienced artists and performers. This co-creation process will unfold through a series of workshops (the Community Opera Lab), enriched by in-depth discussions on artistic co-creation as a means of regeneration and social inclusion. The project will conclude with a staged performance of the opera Carmen.

The community opera will enable the exploration of an innovative artistic practice, resulting in the production of an original work and a performance that will encourage an unconventional use of Open Incet premises – Turin's Open Innovation Centre managed by FGB – as the main venue for the activities.

The aim is to encourage women to take on a leading role, fostering a sense of plural identity that embraces the richness of all individual identities. Through the involvement of institutions, professionals, artists, and local stakeholders, a training and empowerment programme will also be developed.

The project will begin with a public presentation outlining its objectives and the schedule of planned activities. Following this, a call for the participation of migrant women will be launched.

Subsequently, regular thematic meetings on gender and multiculturalism will be held alongside the training and empowerment programme for project beneficiaries.

As the sole implementing party, FGB will manage all project activities.