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Garrison conference uncovers ‘the true Gibraltarian identity’

A three year study on Gibraltarian identity, ‘Bordering on Britishness’, is presenting its findings at an international conference which opened yesterday at the Garrison Library.
The project that covers a century of Gibraltarian identity involved research with over 400 interviews conducted with people from a cross section of local society aged 16 to 101.
The two day event and features close to 20 speakers from across the globe and was officially opened by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia yesterday morning.
The oral history project was led by Professor Andrew Canessa from the University of Essex and Dr Jennifer Ballentine Perera from the Gibraltar Garrison Library and researched languages and ethnicities in Gibraltar. It received a grant of just over £400,000 which was awarded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Joseph Garcia, thanked the research team – leaders and researchers - for their hard work.
He told the large audience he believed there were several factors which had contributed to the formation of the Gibraltarian identity including the evacuation, the border closure and the UKs “ambivalent attitude” towards Gibraltar after the death of General Franco.
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