TO Edinburgh tourists can discover the city through a unique and authentic point of view, thanks to the initiative Invisible Cities. This organization, founded in 2016 by the French Zakia Moulaoui Guery, trains former homeless people to become tour guidesoffering them the opportunity to reintegrate into society and visitors the chance to explore the city beyond the classic attractions.
Among the protagonists is Sonny Murray, 45, who leads tours that focus on crime and punishment in the history of Edinburgh. One of its routes begins at the former site of a gallows and includes fascinating stories such as that of Deacon Brodie, an 18th-century character who inspired The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
During the tour, Murray doesn’t just tell legends, but he shares personal experiences, showing places that are significant to his lifeas the home of The Simon Community, a charity that helped him through his most difficult times.
The initiative has so far trained around 130 people
Murray, who has struggled with addiction and been homeless, emphasizes the importance of have access to essential services like a shower or laundry room. His story represents a direct testimony of how initiatives like Invisible Cities can transform people’s lives. Now, Murray is the main leader of the association and is also involved in training new recruits, creating opportunities for other formerly homeless people.
Zakia Moulaoui Guery explained that the project does not just create jobs, but is committed to rebuild social networks and positive environments for those in difficulty. The guides, currently 18 in Edinburgh alone, are trained to describe the city in an authentic way, going beyond the postcard image.
Tourists, by participating in these tours, can discover not only famous monuments, such as Edinburgh Castle or Victoria Street, but also complex and real themessuch as the fight against social exclusion. The initiative, which has also been extended to other cities in the United Kingdom such as Manchester, Liverpool and Cardiff, has trained so far around 130 people.
For tourists it is an opportunity to explore the city from a new angle, while for guides it represents a springboard towards a new lifedemonstrating that it is possible to create value through solidarity and inclusion.
