Paris
“I enjoy to be involved in projects that welcome people from everywhere. In my opinion, the cultural and artistic voice of people is very important as it is the best way to share emotions and experiences”
(Sarah Clément, Specially Unknown coordinator)
Association Génériques was established in 1987 for the preservation, protection and promotion of immigration history in France and Europe. It is a research organization specialized in the history and memory of immigration in France from the 19th century. Beside running the Odiseo Portal – which gathers various resources around the history of immigration in France, it also organizes scientific and cultural activities. Génériques wants to make the general public aware of the rich contribution that foreign people have made to the French and European history.
Refugee communities that take part in Specially Unknown
Five refugee communities are involved with the Specially Unknown in Paris: Syrian, Afghan, Cambodian, Congolese and Bangladeshi.
Specially Unknown Team in Paris
Fieldworkers in the audio-visual archives room in the departmental archives centre of Bobigny in Seine Saint Denis.
(In order from left to right : Christine, Haitham, Fugel, Sultan, Wutibaal, Zied – in back Sebastien Colombo from the Archives centre)
Fieldworkers
Sultan Mahmoud Shirzad
Zied Hadfi
Haitham Karajay
Fuguel Khan
Augustin Tabo
Christine Huynh
Steering Committee for the creation of the artistic productions
- Archives and History departments of OFPRA (French Office for protection of Refugees and Stateless people)
- Archives of Paris
- Department for electronic and audiovisual archives (National archives)
- French Institute of International Relations
- Terre d’Asile (organization for the integration of refugees)
- Desk of the libraries and the reading (City of Paris)
- Cultural Action (City of Paris) department
- Cultural Affairs (City of Paris)
Project coordinator: Sarah Clément
Specialized in French as foreign language, with the work experience in Egypt and Syria as coordinator of French educational programs, since 2004 coordinates Génériques’ different local / European projects about heritage, history and memory of migrations.
Oral history trainer: Amar Nafa
Studied Journalism and Political science, worked in education on the concept of the knowledge society and the public diffusion of science, and at the French national anti-discrimination agency. Coordinates the projects of Génériques and is involved in several national networks dealing with the cultural diversity, history and memory of migrations.