From September 17 to 30, 2023, Tanzania hosted the first edition of Giramondi – Journeys of Memory and Commitment, promoted by Libera in collaboration with the local association Tengeneza Generation. This initiative is part of the wider international networks supported by Libera: ALAS (América Latina Alternativa Social) in Latin America and PLACE (Peace and Liberation in Africa through Change and Engagement) in Africa.
The goal was simple yet profound: to enter communities, territories, and social realities from within, meeting the people who every day commit themselves, often with courage and against great obstacles, to defending human rights, supporting victims, and fighting organised crime, corruption, and violence.
Arrival in Dar es Salaam
The journey began in Dar es Salaam, where participants were welcomed by local partners and visited the Nafasi Art Space Community Centre. In this vibrant hub, young artists use creativity to foster civic awareness and environmental responsibility. Later, the group explored the Makumbusho Village Museum, an open-air space showcasing the cultural diversity of Tanzania’s many tribes and traditions.
Morogoro and Tengeneza Generation
The road to Morogoro, six intense hours through the Tanzanian landscape, led the group to meet the association Tengeneza Generation, co-organisers of Giramondi. In the village of Choma, high in the hills, local activists shared their work to protect the land and promote sustainable agriculture while preserving community traditions.
Conversations unfolded in a spirit of exchange and mutual recognition, highlighting both the shared challenges and the differences that enrich collaboration. Nights were spent in tents near village homes, deepening the sense of immersion and connection.
Dodoma and Chamwino Arts Centre
Next, the group travelled to Dodoma, Tanzania’s political capital. On the vast central plateau, scattered with majestic baobabs, they visited the Chamwino Arts Centre, which promotes peace, tolerance, and interreligious coexistence through education and artistic expression.
In Nzali village, the community offered a warm welcome with traditional Wagogo music and dance, performers who once opened the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Their songs included messages against harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, showing how culture and art can become tools of social change.
Mwanza and Women’s Rights
Flying north, participants reached Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria. Here, they met the WoteSawa Domestic Workers Organisation, a courageous group supporting women survivors of domestic violence and helping them denounce abuse and reclaim dignity. Their testimony revealed both the challenges and the determination of grassroots organisations confronting entrenched injustices.
Bagamoyo: History and Farewell
The journey ended in Bagamoyo, once a key city under German colonial administration and a historic crossroads of trade and migration. Visiting its streets, monuments, and coastline, participants reflected on the layers of history – of oppression and resistance, that continue to shape Tanzania today.
As Athos Turchi, one of the travellers, wrote:
“We came to see what makes us human.”
Beyond the Savanna
Giramondi is more than travel. It is a journey of memory and commitment, rooted in Libera’s mission to connect struggles across continents, Italy, Latin America, and Africa, through networks like PLACE and ALAS. By meeting communities on the frontlines of social change, participants return home with renewed awareness: the fight for truth, justice, and human dignity knows no borders.
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