Revisiting Historical Associations
Basic information
Project Title
Revisiting Historical Associations
Full project title
Cultural Heritage of Évora Historical Associations: Documentary, Visits, Activities & Exhibition
Category
Regaining a sense of belonging
Project Description
Focused on the material cultural heritage of historical associations, this initiative creates knowledge and sense of belonging with the following activities:
1-Un-stopped research with talks and publications.
2-Visits to the historic associative places in presential form and online: NEI, DIMS, Locals
3- Sessions with debate on the associations
4-Documentary on cultural heritage of associations.
5-Inventory project of associative objects and furniture CUMES
6-Book & talk presentations
1-Un-stopped research with talks and publications.
2-Visits to the historic associative places in presential form and online: NEI, DIMS, Locals
3- Sessions with debate on the associations
4-Documentary on cultural heritage of associations.
5-Inventory project of associative objects and furniture CUMES
6-Book & talk presentations
Geographical Scope
Regional
Project Region
Évora, Region Alentejo, Portugal
Also in contact with some activities in Spain (Madrid and Cadiz), Portugal
Also in contact with some activities in Spain (Madrid and Cadiz), Portugal
Urban or rural issues
It addresses urban-rural linkages
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
This project recovers the importance of historical associations, mainly founded between 1835 and 1930, which are disappearing in Portugal and Spain due to gentrification. The target groups are old local people who belong to those associations and youngsters who could help to protect and preserve their cultural heritage. The specific objectives were to enter into those private associations (from working class to aristocracy) and registered their cultural heritage to reveal it to all community, aiming to protect it and preserve it for the future, for all society, as a historical representation of those communities (reach or poor, and with different political views). The achieved outcomes are the actions and results that structured this initiative:
1. A documentary to raise awareness of the cultural heritage they preserve and its social value. It explains the social meaning and importance of the cultural heritage of historical associations. Free online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CqgO2A4-7Y
2. The realisation of an inventory project (FCT, CUMES, 2022) to reveal the numbers and pieces of five historical associations.
3. The book From Sociability to Cultural Heritage promotes the modest and immediate cultural heritage born from social spaces, creating ordinary heritage for the neighbourhood. ("De la sociabilidad al patrimonio", 2023, Intro free online: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/2491)
4. Promoting talks and cultural visits to open the associations to the general public (NEI, DIMS, JEP). Organization since 2013 (abstract: https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/sociedade-harmonia-eborense), also 2021/23. Watch: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/5518.
5. Itinerant exhibition on historical associations (2023), unique in Europe (https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/3406), merges the representation of all social class groups associations. Furthermore, as an itinerant exhibition, it transforms associations into live museums (https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/6119).
1. A documentary to raise awareness of the cultural heritage they preserve and its social value. It explains the social meaning and importance of the cultural heritage of historical associations. Free online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CqgO2A4-7Y
2. The realisation of an inventory project (FCT, CUMES, 2022) to reveal the numbers and pieces of five historical associations.
3. The book From Sociability to Cultural Heritage promotes the modest and immediate cultural heritage born from social spaces, creating ordinary heritage for the neighbourhood. ("De la sociabilidad al patrimonio", 2023, Intro free online: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/2491)
4. Promoting talks and cultural visits to open the associations to the general public (NEI, DIMS, JEP). Organization since 2013 (abstract: https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/sociedade-harmonia-eborense), also 2021/23. Watch: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/5518.
5. Itinerant exhibition on historical associations (2023), unique in Europe (https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/3406), merges the representation of all social class groups associations. Furthermore, as an itinerant exhibition, it transforms associations into live museums (https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/6119).
Key objectives for sustainability
Community regains a sense of belonging with local historical associations, that are a natural and social sustainability places par excellence.
1-In an ecological sense, they are inserted in the most sustainable buildings, given that they are made in traditional stone architecture, with high ceilings and a series of characteristics that allow people and documents (also their objects) to be kept in the best temperature and humidity conditions. In Evora they do not use heating for economic reasons, so their ecological footprint is minimal.
2-In a social sense, the associations are the centre of the local community, that traditionally performed union, fraternity, friendship. Since the 19th cent., they have generated a sense of belonging, and their objects and goods represent the traditional craftsman's ways of doing things. So, revaluing these associations means supporting the "degrowth" perspective. In a social sense, recovering these spaces means returning to the community's roots, promoting the bonds of union and fraternity, and promoting a sense of belonging.
The real sustainability of this initiative is socially anchored in the community and the buildings of those associations. Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (my friends and team).
3-On a personal level, when developing any initiative, María Zozaya seeks to consume as little as possible and reuse as much as possible. In this sense, created the project Crowd-Recycling (https://crowdreciclyng.wordpress.com/). Following all her ecological principles, the exhibition used all packing boxes reused from books and computers. The large sustainability of this initiative is socially anchored in the community. Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (and with my friends and team).
1-In an ecological sense, they are inserted in the most sustainable buildings, given that they are made in traditional stone architecture, with high ceilings and a series of characteristics that allow people and documents (also their objects) to be kept in the best temperature and humidity conditions. In Evora they do not use heating for economic reasons, so their ecological footprint is minimal.
2-In a social sense, the associations are the centre of the local community, that traditionally performed union, fraternity, friendship. Since the 19th cent., they have generated a sense of belonging, and their objects and goods represent the traditional craftsman's ways of doing things. So, revaluing these associations means supporting the "degrowth" perspective. In a social sense, recovering these spaces means returning to the community's roots, promoting the bonds of union and fraternity, and promoting a sense of belonging.
The real sustainability of this initiative is socially anchored in the community and the buildings of those associations. Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (my friends and team).
3-On a personal level, when developing any initiative, María Zozaya seeks to consume as little as possible and reuse as much as possible. In this sense, created the project Crowd-Recycling (https://crowdreciclyng.wordpress.com/). Following all her ecological principles, the exhibition used all packing boxes reused from books and computers. The large sustainability of this initiative is socially anchored in the community. Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (and with my friends and team).
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The aesthetics of the 19th century to the middle 20th century is essential in this project, and more specifically, the one based on the local craftsman, who seeks functional solutions but takes into account a sense of aesthetics typical of the art of 19th-century engraving. All kinds of documents, photographs and objects from the Arts and crafts movement have been recovered and are the centre of the esthetic and visual production of this project. The documentary uses not only archival photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries but also documents, objects, and historical music that was performed in the city of Evora during the period under study. The music was recovered of the National Library of Spain. The exhibition "The Material Culture of the Iberian Associations", which used the objects and documents inventoried in the CUMES project, also sought to revitalise, frame and highlight the aesthetics so characteristic of these associations, which moved between the arts and crafts movement, modernism, art deco and rationalism in this period. Old photos and documents taken from archives are the visuals of the panels, tryptic, and all our productions to do an immersive recreation.
Key objectives for inclusion
This project is related with social inclusion from different perspectives:
1-To join those communities (most of them with a directive head in the 50s or 70s), was possible thanks to previous years of local connection with the community, links of friendship and trust building that allow a university person to enter all those associations.
2-Their outputs reveal how those associations were socially inclusive, at the same time that includes new audiences and all the community:
The documentary and the exhibition were led to all kinds of audiences. They opened doors to various audiences: youngsters, kids and families.
The film was projected at several places: university (Cádiz), touristic (Évora Tourism Centre), open doors (Giraldo Square), and associative (Atenum Riojano), NEI online for youngsters.
2022: CUMES inventory directed four students: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/projeto-cumes
In European Researchers Night (NEI) Zozaya and Students showed results of the inventory she had directed to train them in historical associations (https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/2599), called CUMES project "Material Culture of Sociability Spaces Inventory", (https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/projeto-cumes)
In 2023 the Exhibition incorporated volunteers (16's to 25's) of the University of Évora, and of the CME Major.
The team was transcultural: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/team-exhibition-material-culture-of-associations
3-There are many cultural inclusive bridges with the local and extense community:
-The book has articles in Portuguese and Spanish, and the prologue is by the Portuguese Curator of Arts Paulo Pires do Vale.
-Associations belong to all social classes and different groups, including youngsters (SHE), 50's (Circulo Eborense, SOIR JAA) or older people (Mocidade). The possibility to connect all of them reveals the cultural diversity of a city, represented in Évora. The volunteers came from Portugal, Angola, and Turkey, reflecting social inclusion.
1-To join those communities (most of them with a directive head in the 50s or 70s), was possible thanks to previous years of local connection with the community, links of friendship and trust building that allow a university person to enter all those associations.
2-Their outputs reveal how those associations were socially inclusive, at the same time that includes new audiences and all the community:
The documentary and the exhibition were led to all kinds of audiences. They opened doors to various audiences: youngsters, kids and families.
The film was projected at several places: university (Cádiz), touristic (Évora Tourism Centre), open doors (Giraldo Square), and associative (Atenum Riojano), NEI online for youngsters.
2022: CUMES inventory directed four students: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/projeto-cumes
In European Researchers Night (NEI) Zozaya and Students showed results of the inventory she had directed to train them in historical associations (https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/2599), called CUMES project "Material Culture of Sociability Spaces Inventory", (https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/projeto-cumes)
In 2023 the Exhibition incorporated volunteers (16's to 25's) of the University of Évora, and of the CME Major.
The team was transcultural: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/team-exhibition-material-culture-of-associations
3-There are many cultural inclusive bridges with the local and extense community:
-The book has articles in Portuguese and Spanish, and the prologue is by the Portuguese Curator of Arts Paulo Pires do Vale.
-Associations belong to all social classes and different groups, including youngsters (SHE), 50's (Circulo Eborense, SOIR JAA) or older people (Mocidade). The possibility to connect all of them reveals the cultural diversity of a city, represented in Évora. The volunteers came from Portugal, Angola, and Turkey, reflecting social inclusion.
Results in relation to category
The project carries out several initiatives developed in the small city of Évora (50.000 inhabitants), in a peripheric region of Portugal, Alentejo. In the last 10 years, many historical associations have disappeared, as in all of Portugal and Spain, as are the ones we promote to rescue with this project. Our different initiatives have contributed to improving the knowledge of associations born between 1836 and 1910: of modest people, workers, and elite associations, so it deals with the entire community. This applied research action spreads the content, achieving bigger audiences, and empowers the community associations' cultural heritage. Associations became aware of their daily life cultural heritage and the importance of keeping it. It constantly enhances the community's historical, cultural, environmental, and social values of associativism. Many citizens revealed to me the importance for them to recover their grandparents' associations importance:
1) The documentary is free online ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CqgO2A4-7Y). Due to the documentary's popularity, many people are giving me oral memories that enhance their modest past and empower their protagonism in the community.
2) The fact that the objects of their ancestors' associations were shown at the exhibition at National Library BPE, and furthermore, it appeared in the newspapers helped to empower the community, belonging to all social classes as the associations (https://pt.cision.com/cp2013/ClippingDetails.aspx?id=5cdda16d-3125-40e6-9590-93d86b75dec3&analises=1 and https://pt.cision.com/cp2013/ClippingDetails.aspx?id=cb0c0839-6104-4042-bd31-56b986a75be9&analises=1)
I discovered that new perspective thanks to interacting constantly with collectivities of Évora city, which has been as a genuine laboratory of sociability, like a live museum of associations waiting to interact again with all the community. I need Bauhaus help to turn this into a bigger European project.
1) The documentary is free online ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CqgO2A4-7Y). Due to the documentary's popularity, many people are giving me oral memories that enhance their modest past and empower their protagonism in the community.
2) The fact that the objects of their ancestors' associations were shown at the exhibition at National Library BPE, and furthermore, it appeared in the newspapers helped to empower the community, belonging to all social classes as the associations (https://pt.cision.com/cp2013/ClippingDetails.aspx?id=5cdda16d-3125-40e6-9590-93d86b75dec3&analises=1 and https://pt.cision.com/cp2013/ClippingDetails.aspx?id=cb0c0839-6104-4042-bd31-56b986a75be9&analises=1)
I discovered that new perspective thanks to interacting constantly with collectivities of Évora city, which has been as a genuine laboratory of sociability, like a live museum of associations waiting to interact again with all the community. I need Bauhaus help to turn this into a bigger European project.
How Citizens benefit
The involvement with the community of this initiative of historical associations' participative research has no precedents in Spain or Portugal. The community opens their doors and It enables the community to understand and value, objects and social meanings of social class associations in two countries. Analyses of associations have focused on statutes and documents, the club's architecture, or their most precious paintings. This club's specialised social history studies have recovered the power of alive material culture with the inventory and documentary. It's essential because scientific studies neglected their day-to-day cultural heritage, everyday furniture, functional objects and tools, machines, or symbolic pieces that created group identification. History research-action in those private spaces is new. This innovative initiative, entering into physical associations, reveals the cultural heritage of different social classes' sociability spaces, reconstructing the transnational associative landscape of all social groups. The Visits, talks (presential, online), but especially the free Documentary and itinerant Exhibition opened the door of private associations to the world, changing their closed past.
We established many cultural bridges that depart from the focus of interest: historical living associations that represent the community:
-Associations belong to all social classes and different groups, including youngsters (SHE), 50's (Circulo Eborense, SOIR JAA) or older people (Mocidade). The possibility of connecting all of them reveals the cultural diversity of a city, represented in Évora. The volunteers came from Portugal, Angola, and Turkey, reflecting the social connection of those countries in every display of the exhibition.
The documentary, recorded in Spanish, also has legends in Portuguese and will incorporated in English.
Those results reveal the diversity of the Portuguese Communities, and the importance of interacting daily with the society.
We established many cultural bridges that depart from the focus of interest: historical living associations that represent the community:
-Associations belong to all social classes and different groups, including youngsters (SHE), 50's (Circulo Eborense, SOIR JAA) or older people (Mocidade). The possibility of connecting all of them reveals the cultural diversity of a city, represented in Évora. The volunteers came from Portugal, Angola, and Turkey, reflecting the social connection of those countries in every display of the exhibition.
The documentary, recorded in Spanish, also has legends in Portuguese and will incorporated in English.
Those results reveal the diversity of the Portuguese Communities, and the importance of interacting daily with the society.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Innovative character
European historians have studied historical Associations as frozen in the 19th century, as dead research objects of the past. They rarely enter their private places to rescue and preserve their modest cultural heritage, study their furniture or objects (most of them representing local arts and crafts), and try to relate them with the community's local construction. Since 2013, Maria Zozaya has done it, trying to open its doors to the extensive community and revalorise and rescue their cultural heritage, indoors and outdoors, as well as for academia. That work is inedit and brand new.
A forgotten historical heritage in Europe stands on the historical associations born in the 19th century. I have documented numerous associations that exist in Europe to this day. Since 1997, I focused on studying the surviving ones in Spain, compared to Portugal since 2013. There, I began the roots of this project:
I have been actively working to disseminate my research results among the community to promote their active life and encourage them to reevaluate their past. My visits, exhibitions, talks, and documentaries mostly empower them, besides rescuing their past and helping preserve them, revealing the actors' cultural heritage made by their community and ancestors. Those initiatives are essential since those historical associations are disappearing in Spain and Portugal because they are private (formed by working-class to aristocratic groups), and they were considered socially trivial or politically dangerous.
This initiative to open the doors of associations seeks to help protect these collective spaces by valorising their cultural heritage and raising awareness of their richness.
A forgotten historical heritage in Europe stands on the historical associations born in the 19th century. I have documented numerous associations that exist in Europe to this day. Since 1997, I focused on studying the surviving ones in Spain, compared to Portugal since 2013. There, I began the roots of this project:
I have been actively working to disseminate my research results among the community to promote their active life and encourage them to reevaluate their past. My visits, exhibitions, talks, and documentaries mostly empower them, besides rescuing their past and helping preserve them, revealing the actors' cultural heritage made by their community and ancestors. Those initiatives are essential since those historical associations are disappearing in Spain and Portugal because they are private (formed by working-class to aristocratic groups), and they were considered socially trivial or politically dangerous.
This initiative to open the doors of associations seeks to help protect these collective spaces by valorising their cultural heritage and raising awareness of their richness.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
his project is focused on Portuguese and Spanish 19th-century associations. To analyse them and develop the initiatives of this project, we have used a transdisciplinary approach. From arts and decorative arts, we discover the furniture and artistic objects from the day-to-day use of these collectivities. Most of them were modest, so Social History was essential to recover their significance. The symbolic perspective, from Social Psychology, was necessary to reach how they created social collective Identities that are still present today. From Social and Cultural History, Zozaya analysed sociabilities and the social meaning of joining collectivities, focusing on union elements (promoting fraternity, alliance, and friendship). Writing books, papers and articles, she explored the names, symbols and philosophy of union, ways to promote solidarity, social networks, and coalitions among social classes. She studied the creation of symbols of identity throughout the architecture, decorations, furniture (elegant, modest), using servants or carriages, and how the implementation of technology created a social representation of cosmopolitan identity. Based primarily on unexplored documents, implementing an interdisciplinary approach, her research received several awards. Her books and writings followed interdisciplinary authors: M.Agulhon, E.P.Thompson, P.Bordieu, P.Nora, J.Huizinga's Homo Ludens.
Since 2013, Zozaya has worked in Portugal, focusing and projecting studies "to real life", to the cultural heritage and life of remaining associations. She joined the historical associations of Évora, and interacted with their communities, establishing a rich dialogue with all social classes' clubs, which Zozaya reveals international conferences, inventory, documentary directed and exhibition curated on their material cultural significance.
Since 2013, Zozaya has worked in Portugal, focusing and projecting studies "to real life", to the cultural heritage and life of remaining associations. She joined the historical associations of Évora, and interacted with their communities, establishing a rich dialogue with all social classes' clubs, which Zozaya reveals international conferences, inventory, documentary directed and exhibition curated on their material cultural significance.
Methodology used
The methodology accompanies this chronogram, with the outputs of the project:
1998-2016: Research work & books on Spanish associativism related to European clubs.
2013: Research in Portugal and actions to showcase its cultural heritage began at the Harmony Society, founded in 1849.
2016: Publications surrounding the symbolic meaning of material heritage: archives, sculptures, ephemera documents, theatre pieces. Book "Identidades en juego", focuses on Spain compared with Portugal in European Context.
2016/18: GULBENKIAN PROJECT: Material culture of sociabilities: https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/1147
2016/18: Organizing INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SOCYHUME: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/final-inscription-and-payment-eng/2016-conference
2021/23: Book compilation about local sociability creating modest cultural heritage. "From sociability to cultural heritage": https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/2491
2017/22: DOCUMENTARY: looking for historical sound and photos, and documents. Recording in the associations. Edition. 2022/23: Projected in Spain and Portugal, at NEI: open space and indoors.
2020: ACTIONS to disseminate association's cultural heritage. Open-doors sessions to the general public.
2016-23: CONFERENCES TALK & VISITS: Organizing sessions with the community; international meetings with specialists, writings in collective books with Specialists (France, Italy, Spain).
2022: CUMES project: an inventory of the most representative associations in Évora, with 4 students. https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/projeto-cumes
2020/23: Enhancing OPENEDITION SITES:
1-Sociability: https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/
2-Cultural Heritage of sociability: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/
2022/23: Conceiving the EXHIBITION: material culture research on the houses of associations; selecting objects; permissions; production of the exhibition to be (I) on a Public Institution and (II) to itinerate on the associations, converting them into a "live Museum".
1998-2016: Research work & books on Spanish associativism related to European clubs.
2013: Research in Portugal and actions to showcase its cultural heritage began at the Harmony Society, founded in 1849.
2016: Publications surrounding the symbolic meaning of material heritage: archives, sculptures, ephemera documents, theatre pieces. Book "Identidades en juego", focuses on Spain compared with Portugal in European Context.
2016/18: GULBENKIAN PROJECT: Material culture of sociabilities: https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/1147
2016/18: Organizing INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SOCYHUME: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/final-inscription-and-payment-eng/2016-conference
2021/23: Book compilation about local sociability creating modest cultural heritage. "From sociability to cultural heritage": https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/2491
2017/22: DOCUMENTARY: looking for historical sound and photos, and documents. Recording in the associations. Edition. 2022/23: Projected in Spain and Portugal, at NEI: open space and indoors.
2020: ACTIONS to disseminate association's cultural heritage. Open-doors sessions to the general public.
2016-23: CONFERENCES TALK & VISITS: Organizing sessions with the community; international meetings with specialists, writings in collective books with Specialists (France, Italy, Spain).
2022: CUMES project: an inventory of the most representative associations in Évora, with 4 students. https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/projeto-cumes
2020/23: Enhancing OPENEDITION SITES:
1-Sociability: https://sociabilidad.hypotheses.org/
2-Cultural Heritage of sociability: https://socyhume.hypotheses.org/
2022/23: Conceiving the EXHIBITION: material culture research on the houses of associations; selecting objects; permissions; production of the exhibition to be (I) on a Public Institution and (II) to itinerate on the associations, converting them into a "live Museum".
How stakeholders are engaged
For those activities, Zozaya established partnerships with official cultural institutions of Portugal, regional (DRCA, UFE) or national (BPE, MNFMC), mostly from the CIDEHUS research centre. We signed 5 University official Protocol accords with civil society through associations (SHE, CE, SUE, SOIR JAA, Mocidade). Local associations began to enter in connection with more expansive projects and general sights. Joining those communities, most of them with a directive head (50 years old), was possible thanks to previous years of local connection with the community, links of friendshi and trust building that allow a university person to enter all those associations. Join some associations was thanks to the of 80-year-old head's confidence in this team.
The authentic cost of this initiative is 30.000€. It was paid 8.370€*; services: 6.800, and the rest: non-paid work, volunteers and collaborators. Funding comes from Public University (CIDEHUS: 4.470*), Univ. Évora (3.000), Heritales (2.000*), Public Institutions: FCT-CUMES (2.000*), DRCA, UFE (600*), CME photos and old typography (300*), Spaces and workers of BPE, MNFMC, SHE (1200), Scientific Committee (2000), voluntary work of Heritales members (Valued 4000) and Maria Zozaya's (Valued 20.000), Voluntary work of members of associations (priceless), 2 Volunteers CME (VJovem= 400€*), 3 Volunteers (Univ. Évora). Five students linked to the project CUMEs. Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (and with my friends, time of vacation and pocket). Many alliances were made thanks to European minds people who understand the importance of continuing real links with the community, going outside of the walls of the university (as our partner Heritales promotes), entering the collectivities to value their cultural heritage, always putting the local Community in the centre of the project interest.
The authentic cost of this initiative is 30.000€. It was paid 8.370€*; services: 6.800, and the rest: non-paid work, volunteers and collaborators. Funding comes from Public University (CIDEHUS: 4.470*), Univ. Évora (3.000), Heritales (2.000*), Public Institutions: FCT-CUMES (2.000*), DRCA, UFE (600*), CME photos and old typography (300*), Spaces and workers of BPE, MNFMC, SHE (1200), Scientific Committee (2000), voluntary work of Heritales members (Valued 4000) and Maria Zozaya's (Valued 20.000), Voluntary work of members of associations (priceless), 2 Volunteers CME (VJovem= 400€*), 3 Volunteers (Univ. Évora). Five students linked to the project CUMEs. Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (and with my friends, time of vacation and pocket). Many alliances were made thanks to European minds people who understand the importance of continuing real links with the community, going outside of the walls of the university (as our partner Heritales promotes), entering the collectivities to value their cultural heritage, always putting the local Community in the centre of the project interest.
Global challenges
This project recovers the logic of working together in a community and the old values of fraternity and union, which were transversal to all social classes and structured Europe in the XIXth century. Nowadays, the community faces relational dissolution, especially with new technologies and the embeddedness of virtual ideals of "modernity". Recovering the importance of the societies in the past and their collective legacy through cultural heritage that recovers the aesthetics of the Arts and Crafts movement is an essential aesthetic root for the future.
Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (and with my friends, time of vacation and pocket). I would be grateful to win the award to continue doing that kind of project with cultural funds from European people who understand the importance of continuing real links with the community, going outside of the walls of the university (as Heritales promotes), entering the collectivities to value their cultural heritage with their people.
Another challenge is the need for more money to develop those initiatives in the Alentejo region. Also, some associative people need to understand the objective of protecting their living cultural heritage (for them, it's private furniture, and they sell it frequently). They are private, and this is a limitation. As they hardly answer emails, we approach using the traditional contacts of locals, going in person, and talking through compromise of words.
Most activities are produced without money interchange, based on services, community collaborators, volunteer work, or volunteering, some as my own with time (and with my friends, time of vacation and pocket). I would be grateful to win the award to continue doing that kind of project with cultural funds from European people who understand the importance of continuing real links with the community, going outside of the walls of the university (as Heritales promotes), entering the collectivities to value their cultural heritage with their people.
Another challenge is the need for more money to develop those initiatives in the Alentejo region. Also, some associative people need to understand the objective of protecting their living cultural heritage (for them, it's private furniture, and they sell it frequently). They are private, and this is a limitation. As they hardly answer emails, we approach using the traditional contacts of locals, going in person, and talking through compromise of words.
Learning transferred to other parties
It is feasible in all European territories that have historical associations. Implementing the principles explained in the book From Sociability to Cultural Heritage (Comares, 2023, Zozaya, introduction free online).
There is a clear possibility of replicating the activities (documentary, visits, inventory items of associations) in any regional place in Europe with associations. There have already been local replicas directed by Zozaya, visits made by students (CUMES project visits as European Researchers Night; those students Working independently, replicating inventories for local associations of her community neighbourhood. Older people in Canaviais Neighbourhood have already asked for orientation to repeat it.
The exhibition has already begun its itinerancy, considering for Portugal and Spain (the central countries our panels explain).
Firstly, to promote the replicas, we led a considerable campaign to communicate to all society, from the community to international academics, a job which was made with regional journals (Diario do Sul, Brados do Alentejo and all the Evora press) to spread those initiatives of the book and exhibition. Also, I went to Spanish TV (Onda Cádiz) to promote the documentary and the book that we presented in Spain (Ateneo de Cádiz & Madrid) and Portugal (BPE, Évora).
Secondly, from an international view, three sites, OpenEdition open to the European Academia, have been spreading that initiative to give a decisive impulse among the European community. The sites "Socyhume", "Sociabilidad" and "Corporativo" extended the information in Spanish, Portuguese and English to make all the community aware of the possibilities of preserving the cultural heritage of those sociability spaces, echoing and promoting the initiatives and results: documentary free online, visits of associations (presential and online), book with the main lines, CUMES inventory of associations and Cultural Heritage of associations exhibition.
There is a clear possibility of replicating the activities (documentary, visits, inventory items of associations) in any regional place in Europe with associations. There have already been local replicas directed by Zozaya, visits made by students (CUMES project visits as European Researchers Night; those students Working independently, replicating inventories for local associations of her community neighbourhood. Older people in Canaviais Neighbourhood have already asked for orientation to repeat it.
The exhibition has already begun its itinerancy, considering for Portugal and Spain (the central countries our panels explain).
Firstly, to promote the replicas, we led a considerable campaign to communicate to all society, from the community to international academics, a job which was made with regional journals (Diario do Sul, Brados do Alentejo and all the Evora press) to spread those initiatives of the book and exhibition. Also, I went to Spanish TV (Onda Cádiz) to promote the documentary and the book that we presented in Spain (Ateneo de Cádiz & Madrid) and Portugal (BPE, Évora).
Secondly, from an international view, three sites, OpenEdition open to the European Academia, have been spreading that initiative to give a decisive impulse among the European community. The sites "Socyhume", "Sociabilidad" and "Corporativo" extended the information in Spanish, Portuguese and English to make all the community aware of the possibilities of preserving the cultural heritage of those sociability spaces, echoing and promoting the initiatives and results: documentary free online, visits of associations (presential and online), book with the main lines, CUMES inventory of associations and Cultural Heritage of associations exhibition.
Keywords
Sociability
Asociations
Community
Social-Sustaintability
Cultural Heritage
