Abstract
Historical memory spaces have the potential to promote values such as non-violence, empathy, and the inclusion of migrant populations. To facilitate understanding of difficult heritage sites, the hot interpretation theory sets four goals: knowledge sharing, understanding, imagination, and peacebuilding (Uzzell, 1989; Zhu, 2022). Thus, focusing on heritage linked to the Spanish Civil War in Catalonia, this research employs visits to foster education, reconciliation, and the integration of migrant communities (Encinar et al., 2023). More concretely, the research connects the Spanish Republican exile’s historical context with the contemporary Ukrainian exile due to the fact that over 25,000 Ukrainian war migrants have arrived in Catalonia (Idescat, 2023). The main objective of this research is to analyse guided tours at the Exile Memorial Museum (Spain) and design a co-created tour involving Ukrainians, comparing standard visits with the co-created experience. Employing mixed methods, the study initially conducts content analysis of museum tours. Subsequent field visits with six Ukrainians involve a co-creation process, highlighting the need for contextualisation, personal stories, audiovisual resources, and empathy towards the exiled. Preliminary results suggest that disseminating historical facts aids individual awareness, but group connections remain a challenge. Future steps involve standard and co-created visits for more Ukrainians, followed by a questionnaire to assess the impact on knowledge, understanding, emotions, and reflections. This ongoing research aims to guide heritage interpretation for exiled groups, fostering intercultural understanding and contributing to the museum’s adaptation.
Presenters
Marta Salvador AlmelaResearch Coordinator, CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, Barcelona, Spain Núria Abellan Calvet
Researcher and professor, Research, CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, Barcelona, Spain Laia Encinar Prat
Lecturer and Researcher, Research methods in tourism, CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, Barcelona, Spain
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—Tourism, Leisure and Change: Transforming People and Places
KEYWORDS
Co-creation Cultural Heritage Hot Interpretation Peacebuilding Russo-Ukrainian War
Digital Media
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