A decolonization tour in in Seville: Urban traces of Spanish colonization from the 16th century in South America and the mid-19th century in North Africa.

On the 9th of July 2024, we hosted a unique public space mapping activity in Seville, Spain, designed to delve into the city’s colonial legacy with a group of 19 young participants aged 16-18, 8 boys and 11 girls from migrant backgrounds. Led by two educators from INClusion, the walk took the group through neighbourhood streets rich in colonial history, marked by street names, monuments, and sculptures that often go unnoticed in daily life. The goal? To reframe these spaces with an anti-colonial and anti-racist lens, fostering a deeper understanding of their historical significance.

We kicked off the event by introducing the UDEW project and the concept of urban decolonisation. We discussed the broad strokes of Western colonialism, focusing on Spanish colonialism in South America from the 16th century and in North Africa from the mid-19th century. This set the stage for our activity, ensuring that everyone had a shared understanding before diving into the mapping exercise.

Participants were then presented with a shortlist of thirteen key colonial sites in Seville. Together, they reviewed, discussed, and selected five sites that resonated most with their personal experiences and backgrounds.

As we walked, participants began to see the city through a new lens. They reflected on how colonial history is woven into the urban fabric—often unnoticed. Street names, statues, and monuments that once seemed mundane now sparked conversations about their deeper meanings and the legacy of colonialism.

The tour also introduced participants to historical figures and events they were only vaguely familiar with, if at all. By exploring these stories and discussing their relevance today, the group gained a richer understanding of Spain’s colonial past and its ongoing impact on modern cities.

To wrap up the tour, we engaged in a quiz, which confirmed that the participants had not only absorbed new knowledge but were also beginning to critically reflect on the colonial footprint in their surroundings. The experience was captured in photos and videos, serving as a reminder of the day’s insights and discussions—a step towards reimagining these urban spaces in a way that honours a more inclusive history.