Rituals, serving as established practices that foster inclusion within the city and operate outside formal migration and integration policies, play a vital role in enhancing the sense of belonging and coexistence between established residents and newcomers. In our project, 'UNIC - Unexpected Inclusion,' rituals constitute one of the three key focal points of analysis. However, what happens when these rituals, due to extraordinary circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic, are cancelled and unable to take place? This unexpected situation affects both researchers and participants, forcing us to adapt our approach. Given the circumstances, we opted for an analysis conducted in absentia, relying on recorded documents and memories, with a particular emphasis on understanding the participants' experience of lacking rituals.

From this perspective, we present a case study examining the impact of the pandemic on the Escalade of Geneva. The Escalade represents Geneva's history of independence and serves as a celebration of the city's openness, where participants reinterpret the official narrative through their own diverse personal stories. The visible effects resulting from the absence of this event serve as a reminder that even what might be considered 'social nothingness' holds significance, despite being a domain often neglected in sociological research. However, it is precisely from this void that our analysis has revealed significant elements of inclusion for newcomers.