From Suppressed Memories to Civic Action: Participatory Mapping of Fascist Detention Spaces in the Context of Emerging Legislation

Abstract

This paper presents a project proposal focused on the study and valorization of Fascist-era segregation sites in Italy, following Draft Law 2313 and Law 46/2025, which establish official mapping and public memory journeys. In a context shaped by silences, removals, and selective reinterpretations, the Memory Removed project proposes participatory mapping of POW, internment, and concentration camps, integrating heterogeneous sources and interdisciplinary methods. The initiative specifically seeks to promote geographical education capable of transforming these traumatic sites into memory landscapes, where official and marginal narratives intersect, revealing tensions and historical stratifications. Through workshops, participatory GIS tools, and educational activities, the project aims to foster a critically informed, shared understanding of contested and dissonant heritage, encouraging collective recognition, active territorial engagement, and responsible citizenship.