Intercultural cities: good practice examples - Intercultural cities programme

Salut l'étranger-ère!

Switzerland Neuchâtel 2016

Acknowledging and rewarding the intercultural heroes of Neuchatel Since 1995 Neuchâtel State Council has been making an annual award of 7,000 CHF to a group or an individual who, through a work, a...

House of Peace and Human Rights

Spain Donostia-San Sebastian Since 2010

Purpose: The House of Peace and Human Rights aims at disseminating the culture of peace, the promotion of human rights, peace processes and the recovery of historical memory. It does so in...

Intercultural Museum

Norway Oslo 2016

Purpose: The aim of the museum is to exhibit and tell the history of diversity in Norway, conceptualizing the museum as a space of dialogue that involves as wide and diverse a range of people as...

Maio - Diálogo Intercultura / May Intercultural Dialogue

Portugal Setúbal 2008 - ongoing

Purpose: May – Intercultural Dialogue is affirmed in Setúbal as a moment of sharing and joint work, with the aim of promoting intercultural dialogue and coexistence, through the promotion of...

The Welcome App

Germany Erlangen 2016 onwards

Purpose: An App to help refugees organising their everyday lives in Germany - Helps overcoming the language barrier - Provides information regarding asylum law Stimulus/Rationale: A considerable...

Diversity in the workforce

Norway 2013-

Purpose: To ensure and encourage diversity in the workforce in Bergen municipality, by supporting and facilitating career development for people with a minority background. Stimulus/Rationale: The...

Having Faith in Lewisham

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2016 onwards

Purpose: Putting faith groups at the heart of community building Stimulus/Rationale: A large number of residents subscribe to a religion and of the rapidly growing number of faith groups (over...

Centre for Conflict Mediation

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: The intervention is aimed at managing conflicts arising from neighbourly relations and proximity between people and is intended to improve social relationships so there is an alternative...

School Approaches for Family Empowerment (SAFE)

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: SAFE aims to reach and involve public servants, intercultural mediators, school principals and families. It has been developed to give the school a central role in the process of social...

Johannes Learning Centre - a bilingual school which teaches and hires minorities

Norway Stavanger Running for several decades

Purpose: Johannes Learning Centre is Stavanger’s main vehicle for building language competence. Although originally all the staff were Norwegians, 40% are now of minority background. The school has...

Educational equality in Oslo. Tackling educational segregation through raising standards

Norway Oslo 2016-

Purpose: The aim of this project is to combat educational segregation through organizational structures, activities and curricula that increase diversity and intercultural learning in public school...

District Mothers

Germany Berlin-Neukölln 2016

Purpose: Migrant mothers reaching out to and integrating other migrant mothers Stimulus/Rationale: Process: The “Stadtteilmütter” (District Mothers) project is targeted at areas under Neighbourhood...

Young Mayor

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2018 onwards

Purpose: Putting power and responsibility in the hands of young people. Stimulus/Rationale: Lewisham Young Mayor is a robust attempt to put real power and responsibility in the hands of young...

Surf.Art

Portugal Cascais Since 2017 - Ongoing

Purpose: Cascais regularly organises intercultural activities not only to encourage social cohesion but also to help young people to improve their self-appreciation and self-esteem....

Lisbon’s ethnic economy

Portugal Lisbon 2016

Purpose: The study aimed to support the development of immigrant entrepreneurship initiatives in Lisbon, and the main objectives were the following: Provide some basic socio‐economic features about...

Urban art for Intercultural Interaction - “o Bairro i o Mundo”

Portugal Loures 2013-July 2023

Purpose: Regenerating a stigmatised neighbourhood through large-scale art project Stimulus/Rationale: Quinta do Mocho was for many years the most stigmatised of neighbourhoods in Loures, associated...

Local Assemblies

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2008 onwards

Purpose: A network of citizen forums which empower local decision making and action Process: This programme started in 2008 and consists in a forum during which the Council talks to the residents,...

Nachbarschaftsheim Neukölln

Germany Berlin-Neukölln 2016 onwards

Purpose: Community centre that encourages active and informed citizens Stimulus/Rationale: Process: Nachbarschaftsheim Neukölln is a community centre which aims to facilitate social cohesion and...

Intercultural Integration Plan 2015-2020

Ukraine Melitopol 2015-2020

Purpose: Despite inter-ethnic strife in Ukraine one city offers leadership in pursuit of an alternative way Process: Whilst war and interethnic conflict has raged to the east (Donbass) and south...

A city international policy

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: An aspiring intercultural city should have an international policy that seeks, at least in part, to promote a dynamic relationship with places of origin of major Diaspora groups. Such...

The Auckland Plan 2050

New Zealand Auckland 2019-2050

Purpose: ‘Fostering an inclusive Auckland where everyone belongs’ Stimulus/Rationale: The Auckland Plan 2050 outlines a 30-year strategy for Auckland to tackle three key challenges: Population...

Nga Kete Akoranga (NKA)

New Zealand Auckland 2018 onwards

Purpose: Promoting cultural competence amongst Auckland’s staff: A training programme for staff to respond effectively to Māori people. Stimulus/Rationale: The implementation of a refreshed Ngā...

Welcoming internationals to the city

Norway Stavanger Ongoing for several years

Purpose: Several years ago, the Stavanger Chamber of Commerce and Industries started a program to introduce international employees and their families to the city. The region’s Welcome Center is...

First Welcome

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: The city is applying an intercultural approach to dealing with welcoming newcomers, via a two-stage process. The First Welcome deals with the basic issues of identification, certification,...

Safer Alta de Lisboa

Portugal Lisbon 2009 - ongoing

A community-policing service based on intercultural principles Purpose: Since 2007, the Lisbon Municipal Police (LMP) has been developing a community policing strategy, seeking the maintenance of...

Give Something Back to Berlin

Germany Berlin 2012 onwards

Purpose: A social enterprise that treats refugees not as victims but bringers of diversity advantage Process: The “Give Something Back to Berlin” (GSBTB) foundation is a fine example of a civil...

Siemens’ program for integrating refugees

Germany Erlangen ongoing

Purpose: Erlangen shows that labour markets can open up to refugees under favourable circumstances Process: With a population of 100 000, the City of Erlangen is home to the University of...

An Anti-Racism Cockpit

Italy Turin 2019

Purpose: Internally focused activity is key to addressing systemic discrimination. It enables a focus on the priorities, processes and practices of an organisation. It can be difficult to secure a...

Employment and skills - Adult Learning Programme, BUILD programme, Leeds Anchors Network

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

In Leeds 24% of the working age population do not have a Level 2 Qualification. The city therefore runs an Adult Learning Programme which is targeted at residents with low-level skills and...

Community Connector Project

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

In July 2019, Leeds started the 15-month Community Connector project[1] which aims to support new migrants to connect with local services and existing community networks through building bridges...

The Leeds Migration Map

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Leeds has mainstreamed statistical and qualitative information about diversity and intercultural relations to inform the local/municipal council’s process of policy formulation. This is done...

Migrant Community Networkers – Creating links in the neighbourhood

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Leeds has a Migrant Access Programme (MAP) which aims to promote community cohesion and enhance resilience and sustainability of local communities in Leeds. The Programme uses asset-based...

The Language Hub Programme

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Based on the Culture Strategy 2017-2030[1] the city aims to change perceptions and attitudes towards culture and the arts, moving the focus from what they cost to what they create. All...

Political Literacy Sessions

Australia Maribyrnong 2020

The City of Maribyrnong hosted sessions by the Victorian Electoral Commission about the three levels that of government in Australia and addressed: keywords and concepts associated with the...

Fresh start – Learning English

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

As part of ‘Child Friendly Leeds’[1], the city recognises that starting school in a new location is daunting. The city has therefore established a weekly session for children aged 9-16 called...

DiverCidade Braga - An Intercultural Journey

Portugal Braga ongoing

Purpose: The City of Braga, Portugal, has created a specific website to present the city’s intercultural strategy and activities. The DiverCidade Braga Project - An Intercultural Journey aims to...

Bergen Inclusion Center

Norway Bergen 2024

Purpose: To create a new Inclusion Centre, bringing all essential activities under one roof at an attractive location. Stimulus/Rationale: To co-locate inclusion services, which have previously...

Valuing multilingualism

Spain Sabadell Since 2016

Purpose: The city of Sabadell provides a variety of services in the field of language competences. First, there are programmes targeting women and youngsters to improve language skills. In...

Evaluation of the City of Geneva's diversity policy for the period 2016-2020

Switzerland Geneva

The City of Geneva publishes the results of the evaluation of its diversity policy for the period 2016-2020. Geneva is unlike any other of the cities which are member of the Intercultural Cities...

Welcoming guide - communication

Portugal Amadora ongoing

Purpose: In order to further enhance the work on Welcoming, and to encourage a positive perception of diversity and a participatory approach to citizenship, the municipality of Amadora has prepared...

Il Centro per i giovani – an intercultural, educational project

Italy Turin 2009-ongoing

Purpose: Working with and for new generations is a priority for the Intercultural Centre of the City of Turin. That is why – back in 2009 - the city has launched “Il centro per i giovani” (the...

The public library: a place for social dialogue

Norway Bergen Ongoing

Purpose: The Public Library of Bergen aims to facilitate a learning hub centred around language and intercultural meetings between Norwegian residents and new-comers. Stimulus/Rationale: The...

Montreal launches a policy of non-discriminatory access to all municipal services

Canada Montreal

On June 5, Rosannie Filato, head of public security on the Executive Committee, and Magda Popeanu, vice-president of the Executive Committee and head of culture and diversity in Montreal, unveiled...

Place based cultural development within Kirklees – focus on textiles and music

United Kingdom Kirklees 2018-2023

Purpose: The City of Kirklees launched place based cultural development running from 2018 until 2023, dealing with public spaces and community engagement through arts and culture. It aims to...

Intercultural Council of Limassol

Cyprus Limassol 2017 - ongoing

Purpose: The purpose of the Limassol Intercultural Council is to foster inclusive integration and promote intercultural understanding within the city of Limassol. By bringing together...

Ongi Etorri Eskolara!

Spain Donostia-San Sebastian Since 2014

Purpose: The programme aims at: Mainstreaming an intercultural approach in schools, by valuing the different cultures present at the school and by working with all the school actors, from directors...

Equal provision of support services to ALL vulnerable groups

Greece Patras Ongoing

Purpose: The purpose is to provide support services to all vulnerable groups within Patras' population, promoting equality and respect for human rights and needs. The focus is on covering basic...

Covid-19 Working Group

United Kingdom Camden 2020

Concept Camden Council has a track record in seeking to address systemic discrimination and structural inequalities. This is not a new issue for the Council, but Covid-19 has both highlighted and...

The Inclusive Employer

United Kingdom Bradford 2022

Purpose: Bradford Council seeks to be an inclusive employer Stimulus/Rationale: This initiative is rooted in Bradford Council’s Equality Objectives 2016-2020. One objective is that the Council is...

The Sherbrooke Intercultural Encounters Week (SSRI), an annual event for intercultural dialogue and understanding

Canada Sherbrooke Since 2014

This week is a great opportunity to encourage intercultural dialogue and understanding between Sherbrooke residents of all backgrounds and origins. Each year, a wide range of free activities are...