Terre dell’incontro. Il giardino come dispositivo ecosociale per l’integrazione tra le culture

Abstract

This paper explores how urban gardening practices can serve as a tool to foster transcultural integration and support migrants in the process of redefining their identity in a new context. Through the shared care of a cultivated space, it is possible to overcome cultural barriers, fostering respect for differences while simultaneously creating a common ground for interaction, where newcomers and local communities develop a shared vision that can be extended to everyday life and public spaces. The transcultural gardens often develop in uncertain open spaces, which are therefore able to accommodate otherness and allow the emergence of alternative models of collective space. Through the analysis of established case studies, this paper highlights the different possibilities offered by these practices and demonstrates how these experimental spaces address the social and cultural needs of a global society, proposing a model of authentic integration based on dialogue and mutual respect.