In Bari no one is a foreigner is a popular motto of Bari that tells in just 5 words the multicultural and varied essence of our city.
Throughout its very long history, Bari has always been a crossroads of different cultures. From the native peoples of the Iapygians and the Peucetians to the ancient Romans, from the Byzantines to the Normans up to the Ottoman Turks and the Arabs: all the peoples of the Mediterranean have enriched Bari with their stories and their customs.
Openness to distant traditions and languages has transformed Bari into a unique and original center of cultural exchange, where dialogue with diversity grows every day thanks to a dense reception network.
This is why we at Free Walking Tour Bari have created the free tour #weareinlibertà, a project that aims to guide travelers on a journey around the world with women and men who have come to Bari from all continents.
Promoting a vision of conscious and supportive tourism, the #weareinlibertà free tour will take you to discover the Libertà district, recognized as the most multi-ethnic area of Bari, where you can be inspired by the magic of contamination beyond all borders.
Do you want to learn more about our free tour #weareinlibertà? Then continue reading!
How was the #weareinlibertà free tour born?
#weareinlibertà was born in collaboration with Free Italian school for migrants “Penny Wirton”of Bari, an association of volunteers that has been committed to the implementation of active inclusion projects in the area since 2016.
Thanks to the discussion and support of Sguardi Diversi, an urban tour of the city of Modena conducted by migrant guides and created by the network Free Walking Tour Italia, in 2018 we inaugurated a long training project through meetings, exchanges and relationships.
This path of informal pedagogy brought to light the free solidarity tour #weareinlibertà in 2019.
#weareinlibertà is not a random name. It is a way to open ourselves to horizons of otherness, to share a different idea of the work of the tour guide, to also travel along the streets that are excluded from the spotlight, but which have a lot to tell, even to those who live the city every day.
The #weareinlibertà itinerary
The #weareinlibertà free tour is an original itinerary that offers travelers a unique opportunity: discover a new side of Bari through the voices and stories of the people who have found a new home in this city.
This tour is led by guides from all over the world who will share with you their perspective on Bari and take you on a borderless journey around their dreams, their stories and their countries of origin.
With #weareinlibertà you will also have the opportunity to explore streets often excluded from the tourist spotlight such as the Libertà district, one of the most multicultural and lively areas of Bari.
The #weareinlibertà route starts from Piazza del Redentore, in the heart of the Libertà district, and develops through the streets of the city to show you the Ex Manifattura Tabacchi, Piazza Risorgimento and Piazza Garibaldi, Palazzo Fizzarotti and concludes with the inevitable visit to Bari Old Town.
Why choose the #weareinlibertà free tour
The main aim of the #weareinlibertà tour is to restore the value of discovery and cultural dialogue through two elements often overshadowed by more mainstream tourist routes:
- The colors and vitality of the Libertà district, a one-of-a-kind area of Bari
- The voices, stories and traditions of our city’s migrant community
These aspects make our #weareinlibertà free tour an exciting and educational experience for travelers from all over the world… and beyond!
#weareinlibertà is also an opportunity for discovery and cultural enrichment for schools, associations, and tour operators who are dedicated to responsible tourism.
#weareinlibertà for schools and associations
Through dynamic and engaging storytelling, the #weareinlibertà guides provide students and associations with direct testimony of international history and the consequences of lesser-known events in contemporary history.
Participating in the #weareinlibertà tour does not simply mean listening to a new story about the city of Bari, but developing transversal skills in civic education and inclusion through direct contact with diversity.
In short, #weareinlibertà is an all-round educational experience capable of teaching what the motto In Bari no one is a foreigner! actually means.
#weareinlibertà for tour operators and tourist guides
The #weareinlibertà tour is a conscious and integrated tourism proposal that adapts to the values of tour operators’ national and international companies committed to sustainable tourism.
The active involvement of migrant guides shows an unprecedented declination of the tourist guide activity, with particular attention to the social and community processes that cross a territory.
With #weareinlibertà, tour operators and tourist guides offer their travelers the opportunity to discover a city far from traditional tourist itineraries but close to the welcoming spirit of its community.
The original storytelling and the route through the Libertà district gives travelers the true meaning of the history of our city, embodied by the motto In Bari no one is a stranger.
The impact of #weareinlibertà on the community
#weareinlibertà has had an unprecedented impact on the local community, making it one of our most loved and appreciated free tours ever.
People from Bari are famous throughout the world for their sensitivity to the theme of inclusion and their enthusiastic response to the #weareinlibertà tour is certainly proof of this!
But it was above all the migrant community of Bari that gave us the most significant feedback on the #weareinlibertà experience.
In the spring of 2019 the tour had 5 guides (Prabhjot, Ibrahima, Andrés, Maimouna and Saliou) and in a few months the number of candidates wishing to take part in the project increased exponentially thanks to word of mouth.
The participation and joy that greeted the #weareinlibertà free tour demonstrates how this initiative of ours responded to a fundamental need of the migrant community of Bari: to talk about their country, their culture and their dreams.
Be part of the #weareinlibertà project!
We are committed to restarting the #weareinlibertà project after the long stop period due to the Covid emergency.
Thanks to the collaboration of the migrant community of Bari and the volunteers of the “Penny Wirton” School, we have started the training course with the new guides and we can’t wait to explore the Libertà district together again!
Are you a tour operator looking for original and unique experiences for your travellers? Or do you manage a hospitality business and want to be part of a project that promotes unity and active inclusion in the area?
Visit our page Theme-Based Tour and write to our Team! We will be delighted to have you on board this adventure beyond all borders.