The Caravan of Exile, a Counter-Narrative Tool Against Polarization: On How Face-to-Face Dialogue in Public Spaces Can Rehumanize the Conversation on Migration

An article written by Wejdane Ben Chaabane

We live in a world where the overwhelming surplus of information and hyperconnectivity doesn’t necessarily equate with well-informed individuals or fact-based, constructive exchanges. We sit comfortably within the confines of our echo chambers¹, consuming unverified content at the flicker of a thumb curated on our screens, unable to process the influx of information, and lacking the tools to sift fact from myth. Our world views become more and more rigid, reinforcing our biases and therefore leading to increased polarization.  

Among the most polarizing subjects manipulated in this environment is migración². Across Europe, it has become a recurring, often hackneyed talking point, yet remains a powerful winning card for far-right movements³. By stoking fears and peddling conspiracy theories that portray migrant people as threats, from myths about “stealing benefits” to the so-called Great Replacement, these narratives continue to reinforce prejudices and fuel division, across different demographics. Younger⁴, middle aged and older users ⁵alike are differently impacted by the exposure to such extremist rhetoric online, depending on the platform and their respective engagement patterns. 

What would it actually take to break this cycle? Could moving away from digital spaces to meet people in real life and talk face-to-face rehumanize the conversation on migration? 

That’s a challenge the Caravan of Exile set out to tackle. This initiative, created by la Cruz Roja Francesa in the years after the pandemic, is a mobile awareness-raising campaign which travels across different parts of France during the summer holiday period and is designed to engage members of the public in conversations about migration.

What is the Caravan of Exile ?

The Caravan of Exile’s mission is to debunk myths and stereotypes on migration and open a space for dialogue with members of the public who would otherwise not be given the opportunity to have such conversations. Quite an unorthodox approach, but one that yields its fruits. This summer, the Caravan embarked on its fifth edition, completing five rotations in various regions across France and reaching 3,757 people through awareness-raising activities, achieving 130 hours of engagement, 19 event dates, and the mobilization of over 100 volunteers. 

Our Journey Through la Provence :

The Caravan of Exile is reaching a new milestone: the project will embark on its first trans-border journey to Spain in 2026, in collaboration with Open Cultural Center (OCC). To prepare for this next step, three OCC team members  joined forces with the French Red Cross this year, participating in  the second rotation of the Caravane, alongside 3 Red Cross volunteers. We travelled to four French cities : Arles, Apt, Salon de Provence, and Aix en Provence, and although only separated by a few kilometers, each city had its own touch, specificity and demographics. In the span of 4 days, we were transported into different realities. In total, these activities reached 688 individuals, averaging 172 per day, with the support of 13 local volunteers.

A number of factors, such as timing, our location in each city, and the current events happening, all shaped our experience. We not only got to interact with locals, but also tourists and inhabitants from other parts of France, as these cities attracted different kinds of visitors depending on the events of the time. For example, our visit to Arles, one of the largest cities on our rotation, coincided with the International Photography Festival, attracting art aficionados from all around the world. Apt, on the other hand, being the smallest city that we visited, brought us into contact more with small local business-owners. In Salon-de-Provence, as the Carvane was parked in front of the Town Hall, we got to witness from our very own tents, three civil marriages. Our last stop in Aix en provence was the calmest, with families and tourists rambling slowly through the town, enjoying a hot summer Sunday before the city geared up for its 14th of July activities.

The activities of the Caravan :

Every morning the Caravaners would arrive in a new city, unload the truck, install the tents and different activity stands to start the day, with the aim of reaching as many people as possible. The Caravan offers a wide range of interactive activities adjusted to children and adults : 

• Spokesperson activity 
• Wheel of fortune quizzes 
• Virtual Reality headsets
• Jenga quizzes 
• Giant interactive board game

One of the activities that struck me as the most challenging was the Spokesperson activity.  Armed with hand-written placards and big smiles, the Caravaners roam the streets and spark conversations with strangers, acting as dialogue facilitators. The objective behind this activity is to feel the pulse of the public opinion on topics related to migration. The placards  carry different questions designed to provoke conversation and reflection, such as  :  “ If you were forced to leave your home, what would be the one object that you would take with you?” ,” Have you ever felt like a foreigner? ”,  “How can we live together?”, translated as “Vivre ensemble, on fait comment?” 

In fact, the concept of Vivre ensemble goes beyond the literal translation of “living together”, as it encapsulates the idea of social cohesion, and the “harmonious coexistence between individuals or between communities”, according to Larousse⁶. Nonetheless, it’s important to flag the complexity of this concept. Seen as a cornerstone of the political French values, and used in different legal contexts (e.i as a basis for the antiseparatism law⁷ in France in 2021, and cited in the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights on several occasions), it remains ambiguous, defined case by case⁸, when social cohesion is deemed threatened. Which begs the question: Is this concept a social ideal, unattainable by definition, or worse, a compromise between cultural diversity and “European Universalism”? but that’s a whole other conversation for another article.

The answers from the people that we interacted with varied : from generic and pragmatic to philosophical. The tone of the replies also differed, from people answering lightly and almost in passing, to others taking time and sharing very analytical and well-informed replies. 

As Red Cross volunteers, the Caravaners should don the gloves of neutral, non-judgmental dialogue mediators, letting the public lead the conversation but remaining attentive to redirect the conversation, ask questions and show curiosity, even when faced with inappropriate or shocking comments. 

Wheel of fortune and Jenga Games : both of these games are quizzes dedicated to debunking myths and providing facts around the theme of migration. The quizzes cover various topics ranging from International Humanitarian Law and migration law, to geography, interculturality and history. Some of the questions were centered around the common misconceptions about newcomers living in France, and were designed to lead the participants to think beyond clichés and engage with facts. Questions included : “What is the monthly amount of the allowance received by a single asylum seeker hosted in France?”, and  “True or False: A person seeking asylum has the right to work in France” 

The caravan, a space for creating social bonds :

What would make people stop and engage in a conversation about migration on a random summer day? It turns out that months of preparation, thoroughly planned itineraries, municipal permissions, coordination with volunteers across locations, webinars and training would not do the trick on their own. A Caravaner also needs a mix of social skills and situational awareness to be able to navigate the complexities of real life interactions with strangers. Charlotte Grimont, Migration Dynamics Officer at the French Red Cross, noted:

We encountered more people closed off to dialogue compared to previous years, but the experience was wonderful and full of optimism. The Caravan shows that dialogue is possible when we create a safe, non-judgmental space.

Indeed, after the numerous encounters that I made in the Caravan, coupled with the feedback from fellow volunteers and organizers, I came to the conclusion that there is a real need for face-to-face awareness-raising in the public space. Joana Purves, Communications Officer at OCC, also underlined the importance of these “spontaneous dialogue spaces” that the Caravan created. The lack of rigid formal structures, combined with reflective questions and the interactive activities entice dialogue and makes it accessible to the average passerby. 

Beyond raising awareness, I also couldn’t help but notice the social dimension of the Caravan. It creates a space for human connection : some passers-by stopped by the Caravan to feel heard, to share, or simply to feel less alone. One visitor, recently arrived from Cameroon, told a colleague that it was his first meaningful interaction in days. People experiencing homelessness also confided their daily challenges with us. A lady of a certain age, spent around an hour sitting under the tent to express her support for our project and her indignation towards the discriminations migrant and refugee individuals face. Some passers-by would approach us directly with interest and curiosity, others would need to be convinced first, some showed suspicion and avoidance, but in every case, a social link was established. 

Facing Challenges:

While the Caravan was undoubtedly a place for fruitful exchanges, it was also at times hard to reach common ground or have constructive conversations when the counterpart limited themselves to stereotypes and hollow generalities. Some of the recurrent misconceptions that were voiced were particularly around what is meant by “integration’’ and “assimilation”,  often perceived as responsibilities falling exclusively on migrant people. In addition, during their interactions with passers-by, several Caravaners mention instances of pervasive and overt racism, misinformation and a lack of general knowledge on the subject. Clara Florensa, European Project Manager at OCC observed : 

there were still some very stark and openly expressed racist and fascist views, things I wouldn’t have imagined people saying so freely in the street just a few years ago.”

At the same time, many volunteers also reported hopeful signs: open-mindedness among young people and the commitment of parents who engaged alongside their children in the activities of the Caravan.  

Caravan as an Exercise on Empathy

Evidence shows that empathy is one of the most important factors in constructive dialogues  on migration⁹. The activities of the Caravan hinge on humanizing migrant individuals through sharing their lived experiences. 

Yasmine, another Caravan volunteer, reflects : "Many people struggle to put themselves in others’ shoes. Empathy, curiosity, and the ability to see different perspectives are fully at stake.” 

This reflection echoed an experience of mine during the Spokesperson activity: a woman initially showed indifference toward migrant and asylum-seeking individuals at the beginning of the conversation, but after being asked the question ‘Have you ever felt like a foreigner?’, she revealed her vulnerability by sharing her own feeling of exclusion in social settings, particularly as a woman of a certain age. Even though her reality was very different from that of migrant people, the question prompted her to think how isolation and exclusion could feel like and therefore sparked empathy where none seemed possible at the beginning. As Clara Florensa puts it, these spaces are “really important to foster understanding, open-mindedness, and empathy toward each person’s situation.” 

What’s next for the Caravan?

Building on lessons and reflections from this summer’s experience, the OCC and the French Red Cross teams will prepare for the Caravan’s first trans-border journey in summer 2026. This collaboration includes translating and adapting existing materials into Spanish, English and Catalan, co-creating a new activity with a broader European focus, and a pilot event on the 18th December for International Migrants Day.

The Caravan was a rich human experience, and a much-needed tool that helped us meet people on the ground and feel the pulse on topics related to migration and asylum through spontaneous exchanges within the public space. What stays with me is also the encounters with the volunteers and the organizers of the Caravan, their generosity, unwavering support, and the daily debriefs at the dinner table at the end of our long days. 

CARAVANE is a project co-funded by the European Union through Erasmus+ and implemented by Open Cultural Center and the French Red Cross.

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