Oral History: Preserving Lisbon’s collective memory through Memórias de Lisboa

Case study 

Lisbon City Council’s Memórias de Lisboa (Memories of Lisbon) programme is a community-based cultural initiative dedicated to collecting, preserving and promoting the collective memory of Lisbon’s residents. More than 500 residents across different districts of Lisbon have taken part since 2015. By placing oral history at the centre of cultural policy, the community memory workshops are reducing social isolation while reinforcing intergenerational exchange, and ensuring lived experiences of citizens are documented, valued and made available for future generations. 

Community workshops as cultural participation 

Through community memory workshops, residents share personal stories and neighbourhood experiences from years gone by. Hosted in municipal libraries or within the Um Teatro em Cada Bairro (A Theatre in Every Neighbourhood) network, these workshops run weekly or fortnightly over two to three months. Their participatory format positions citizens as co-creators of intangible cultural heritage.  

Creating a library of lived experiences 

Memórias de Lisboa records urban, social, economic and cultural transformations from the perspective of those who experienced them, generating first-person oral testimonies as primary sources for historical research. Over 150 interviews and 300 video testimonials have been collected, offering unique insights into community life, migration stories, and the evolution of Lisbon’s urban landscape. A 45 mins documentary has also been created.  

While some of these materials are shared on YouTube and the programme’s Facebook page, the long-term goal remains the creation of a consolidated virtual museum to ensure wider public access. The project consolidates the role of libraries as community centres by enriching their collections with recorded memories. 

Strengthening local identity while combatting social isolation 

Beyond documentation, Memórias de Lisboa plays a key role in fostering cultural participation and social inclusion. By inviting citizens – particularly older residents – to actively contribute to Lisbon’s cultural memory, it reduces social isolation while reinforcing intergenerational exchange. Visible changes to the city’s cultural landscape, and invisible heritage, are revealed through personal testimonies that span geography and time. 

The Memórias de Lisboa programme demonstrates how participatory approaches to memory and heritage can strengthen identity, inclusion and local democracy. By combining oral history with community engagement, it illustrates a sustainable model for cities seeking to integrate cultural policy with social innovation.