Intercultural cities: good practice examples - Intercultural cities programme

Together for Stronger Communities

United Kingdom Bradford 2019

Purpose: Encouraging a sense of belonging and connection so that everyone can play their part in achieving Bradford’s ambitions Stimulus/Rationale: A greater sense of belonging and connection...

La Rosa dei Venti - Mediation desk

Italy Novellara 2018-on going

Purpose: Enhance social inclusion of women - both foreign and Italian - through cultural and recreational activities. Stimulus/Rationale: Within the framework of gender equality and...

Education projects for interculturality

Spain Sabadell 2020

Purpose: Education projects are aimed at building students competences – including intercultural competences-, raising awareness about diversity and promoting critical thinking. The City and School...

Recognise and change

Italy Turin 36 months (01/10/2017 – 30/09/2020)

Purpose: The project aims to fight against discrimination and violence linked to the gender and cultural differences. Specific objectives: SO1: Increasing the awareness of the youth between 11 and...

Policies to decrease inequalities and structural issues

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Under the Equality Act 2010, the city runs Equality Impact Assessments. These ensure that they give due regard to equality, diversity, cohesion and integration when making key decisions on...

A common public space through cooperation

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

As part of the ‘Our Spaces’ Strategy[1], the city considers a number of principles, one of which is that ‘our spaces will be inclusive, designed for all ages, abilities and reflect Leeds’ diverse...

Participatory Processes to Ensure Equal Access

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Leeds organises an Equalities Assembly, participatory budgeting, intercultural dialogue platforms/round tables as well as MAP+ and the Migrant Community Networkers weekly drop-in. Additionally, the...

Equalities Assembly in Leeds

United Kingdom Leeds 2020 and on

Local authorities have statutory obligations to consider equality in the United Kingdom (UK). The Equalities Assembly was set up by Leeds to ensure all diverse communities are involved in the...

The role of libraries as drivers of integration and intercultural interaction

Canada Sherbrooke current

Public libraries can be a particularly helpful place for newcomers and play a key role in giving access to knowledge, remedying social inequalities and improving these people’s quality of life....

Want to make your workplace more inclusive?

Italy Reggio Emilia Novellara 2021

Purpose: Stimulus/Rationale: In 2021 the Italian municipalities of Novellara, Reggio Emilia, and the union of municipalities “Rubicone e Mare” were awarded an ICC intercity grant to develop...

Lublin, Krakow and Wrocław together against hate speech

Poland Lublin Krakow Wroclaw 2nd half 2021

Purpose: This public awareness-raising initiative was undertaken by the three Polish cities: Lublin, Krakow and Wrocław, to address the burning problem of hate speech targeting minorities by...

Intercultural and integration strategy for the five-year period 2021-2025

Ireland Dublin 2021-2025

The main activity consists in the development of an intercultural and integration strategy for the five-year period 2021-2025. The development of the strategy was entrusted to the Dublin City Local...

A Folk Doll’s Tale - Melitopol

Ukraine Melitopol 2018 onwards

Purpose: Fostering intercultural exchange and sharing traditions Process: Ms. Natalia Berenga, an artist of Belorussian origin from Melitopol, has been making rag dolls for quite some time but the...

ICC Strategies are in Place in all ICCUA Cities

Ukraine Melitopol Lutsk Odessa Pavlograd Sumy Vinnitsya 2021

Process: As of the end of 2021, all member cities of the ICC-Ukraine network had developed and four of them had officially adopted their ICC City Strategies, which represents a considerable...

Music of Words - Odessa

Ukraine Odessa 2021

Process: In 2021, ICC Odesa launched an inspiring new annual initiative, the literary and musical Festival "Music of Words", to celebrate the variety of artistic expressions and creative arts that...

Carrying out an Inclusive Economy Strategy for social and environmental value

United Kingdom Calderdale 2022

Calderdale, United Kingdom, has committed to social value creation through its Inclusive Economy Strategy. All its procurement activity must be in line with social value requirements and...

Campaigns and communication for inclusion

Portugal Lisbon 2016-2018

Purpose: Lisbon, Portugal, developed a programme (“Somos os Direitos que temos” – We are our rights) targeting more awareness towards diversity, human rights, and inclusion. The awareness of the...

The DIVERSITY = INNOVATION project

United Kingdom Kirklees 2022

Purpose: Monitoring the diversity of recruitment and promotion locally, and working with employers to champion diverse workplaces. Stimulus/Rationale: Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is...

Participatory mechanisms and initiatives encouraging all Camden residents to engage in political life and decision-making processes

United Kingdom Camden

Camden Council services work in a range of ways that enable all of Camden’s residents, in particular people with migrant/minority backgrounds, to voice their concerns, examples are: Communication...

Providing intercultural mediation in Camden: an efficient tool for a harmonious life in the borough

United Kingdom Camden

In Camden, intercultural mediation is provided in the neighbourhoods and on the streets actively seeking to meet residents and discuss problems. The Family Group Conference (FGC) offers a...

Camden’s residents and the authorities building together a safe and welcoming borough

United Kingdom Camden

Camden has been carrying out surveys on the feeling of security/safety with respect to people with migrant/minority backgrounds. The Council has a community lead response to supporting communities...

Gender equality: voices of the women in Camden

United Kingdom Camden

Camden Council put in place mechanisms to make sure that gender equality is respected in organisations that participate in the decision-making process on matters related to the inclusion of Camden...

Parks for Health: promotion of health assets for the local community

United Kingdom Camden

Camden is working with its neighbouring authority, Islington, on a joint project called Parks for Health. This major project seeks to change the passive focus of parks into active health assets for...

Recruitment practices in favour of diversity in the workforce

United Kingdom Camden

Camden is involved with many local, regional and national organisations promoting diversity and non-discrimination in the labour market, including: Stonewall, a charity that works with institutions...

Structural Racism in Bergen. Provoking debate, enabling understanding and stimulating action through research on structural racism in Bergen

Norway Bergen 2021

Purpose: The research initiative “Structural Racism in Bergen” was undertaken by Bergen Municipality to understand how minority ethnic populations perceived the way they were treated by the city’s...

Improving equality data collection in Belgium

Belgium 2021

The equality data strategy responds to the imperative for a precise picture of reality, an evidence base, to be available if policy solutions to inequality are to be effectively designed and...

Valladolid’s Plan for intercultural coexistence 2019-2023

Spain Valladolid 2019-2023 (ongoing)

Purpose: The Plan is a tool that develops a comprehensive policy of living together from an intercultural perspective and helps the city harness the potential of diversity. It also enables to...

Roma Strategy for the Bradford District (2021-2025)

United Kingdom Bradford 2021

Purpose: The aim of the Bradford District Roma Strategy is to improve engagement between statutory public services and the Roma community – through working with the community. Stimulus/Rationale:...

Roma school promoters

Spain Barcelona Since 2014

Purpose: To address the inequalities in the education system through a “school promoters” project. The School Promoters aims to achieve full schooling, school success and the socio-labour promotion...

Barcelona’s Neighbourhood Plan

Spain Barcelona Since 2017

Purpose: The Neighbourhoods Plan (Pla de Barris) is a municipal initiative that implements social, economic, and urban actions to reduce inequalities between the city's neighbourhoods. It is an...

Mediation is a priority in Barcelona

Spain Barcelona

Purpose: Different mediation services are in place with the aim of providing resources to municipal service professionals to facilitate intercultural communication and to prevent and resolve...

A welcoming app

Portugal Amadora Lisbon Loures Santa Maria da Feira Setúbal Cascais Portimão Braga Oeiras 2019-2021

Purpose: The Portuguese Network of Intercultural Cities (RPCI) has developed an app called Portugal Incoming. The app launched in 2019 is a major practical contribution to the integration of...

Migrant stories

Germany Erlangen 2020

Purpose: During COVID, the City of Erlangen, Germany, made a point of uplifting the stories of contributions by people with migrant backgrounds via their website and communications. These ranged...

Promoting cultural participation and equal access to culture in Neuchâtel

Switzerland Neuchâtel

This action promoting cultural participation was implemented in the frame of the intercultural strategy of the canton of Neuchâtel, which is based on the recognition of diversity, equality,...

The Leeds Learning Alliance

United Kingdom Leeds Since 2019

The Leeds Learning Alliance (LLA) is a consortium of organisations formed in 2019 by a group of leaders, aiming to improve education in Leeds, United Kingdom (UK). The Alliance is unusual in the UK...

Council for civil society development

Sweden Botkyrka 2018-

Purpose: Civil society organizations working in the social field and organised in the network “Platform for local NGOs’ in Botkyrka” and politicians from Botkyrka have established a joint Council...

Equality Planning

Sweden Botkyrka N/A

Purpose: The municipal council in Botkyrka has developed specific systems to advance the goal of an equal Botkyrka and give expression to its values that include: citizen-focus, diversity as an...

Bottkyrka: Anti-Discrimination Bureau

Sweden Botkyrka N/A

Purpose: Anti-Discrimination Bureaux are independent non-governmental organisations; the local Anti-Discrimination Bureau in Bottkyrka is funded by the municipality of Bottkyrka and offers...

Salisbury’s effective measures to combat discrimination

Australia Salisbury 2020

Purpose: The Australian City of Salisbury adopted “The Fair Treatment Policy” and signed the “Refugee Welcome Zone Declaration” Process: The City Council adopted a policy called “The Fair Treatment...

Equality Review & Action Plan

Ireland Dublin 2018

Purpose: Equality review of provision of social housing supports and homelessness services on the ground of racial or ethnic origin and action plan. Stimulus/Rationale: Foundation This initiative...

Towards an Inclusive Public Transport Service

Ireland Dublin 2014 onwards

Purpose: Long-term programme in Dublin to fight racism and discrimination in public transport Process: Dublin City Council in partnership with Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Equality Authority...

Intercultural Ambassadors

Australia Ballarat 2010 onwards

Purpose: A unique festival to encourage its citizens to meet and get to know each other Stimulus/Rationale: The Intercultural Ambassador Program aims to enhance community awareness and social...

Covid 19 practice

Australia Maribyrnong 2020

Purpose: Information and support for CALD businesses during COVID 19 Stimulus/Rationale: The Mayor of Maribyrnong initially announced that the City Council would be giving permit refunds and 50%...

Reconciliation Action Plan

Australia Ballarat May 2019 – May 2021

Purpose: Raising awareness about reconciliation, demonstrating commitment and raising the profile of reconciliation in the community. Process: The City of Ballarat have developed and Innovative...

Harmony Fest

Australia Ballarat 2010 onwards

Purpose: A unique festival to encourage its citizens to meet and get to know each other Process: Since it was launched in 2010, Harmony Fest has become the City of Ballarat’s vibrant diversity...

Intercultural Cities Policy and Strategy

Australia Maribyrnong 2018 onwards

Purpose: Developing an Intercultural Maribyrnong Strategy Stimulus/Rationale: In October 2018 Maribyrnong City Council officially started the process towards full membership of the Intercultural...

Refugee Week

Australia Maribyrnong 2020

Purpose: Welcoming Refugees through Refugee Week Stimulus/Rationale: “Refugee week” is Australia’s peak annual activity to inform the public about refugees and celebrate positive contributions made...

Reducing Racism

Australia Maribyrnong 2019 onwards

Purpose: Reducing racism Stimulus/Rationale: The City Council has an endorsed reducing racism statement and hosts a community reporting tool where reports can be logged about instances of racism to...

Urban Parks

Ukraine Odessa 2015 onwards

Purpose: Urban space creation for intercultural mixing (as a result of international cooperation) Stimulus/Rationale: Odesa joined the ICC-Ukraine network in 2017 but its policies have been always...

A path to build a United and Inclusive Society: The city of Turin adopts its "Guidelines for Interculture and participation"

Italy Turin 2018

Purpose: Inclusion of citizens in the political processes is not a challenge – it is the challenge the City of Turin has decided to face. In a time when social inequalities grow, the fear for “the...

Narrative for the inteculturality (Actions for the coexistence)

Spain Santa Coloma de Gramenet 2018 - ongoing

Purpose: INTERCULTURAL NARRATIVES, Lines of Action for Coexistence is a new commitment to consolidate the transversality of the intercultural approach with the commitment of the municipal services...

Guided tours of the Greatest Hits exhibition by members of Erlangen Refugee Forum : The best of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and today - from the Municipal Collection of Erlangen

Germany Erlangen 2016 onwards

Purpose: To ensure digital inclusion Process: For the duration of the exhibition Greatest Hits (December 2017 to February 2018) the Kunstpalais offered guided tours in Arabic, Armenian, Persian,...

Mescla’t

Spain Sabadell ongoing

Purpose: Mescla’t is a festive day that brings together the organisations that work in Sabadell for the culture of solidarity, active participation, and the promotion of living together. The...

Committee for Diversity and Inclusion

Norway Stavanger 2023-

Purpose: In December 2023 the city council of Stavanger decided to establish a Committee for Diversity and Inclusion (Norwegian: Utvalg for Mangfold og Inkludering) consisting of nine members (five...

Anti-rumour toolkit for young people

Spain Bilbao Since 2017

Purpose: This manual aims to provide a specific response to professional teams (educators, teachers, tutors, etc.) who work with young people in order to be able to develop anti-Rumour actions and...

Centre of language and literacy

Iceland Reykjavik From September 2017 onwards

Purpose: Centre of language and literacy is run by the Department of Education and Youth of the City of Reykjavik and implemented in co-operation with the Mother Tongue association. The main...

CLAIM – Migrant Integration Local Support Centre

Portugal Portimão ongoing

Purpose: Foster the intercultural integration of migrants through the provision of support and information on several areas. The Local Centre for Migrant Integration (CLAIM) mission intends to go...

The Intercultural Week of Portimão

Portugal Portimão Ongoing- once per year

Purpose: The Intercultural week was envisioned to promote the sharing of experiences and the relationships between diverse citizens of Portimão, thus stimulating intercultural dialogue and raising...

Extraordinary Reception Centres

Italy Ravenna 2017-2018

Purpose: The municipality’s management of the CAS aims at improving the quality level of the reception of asylum seekers. Stimulus/Rationale: The municipality’s management of the CAS aims at...

Participatory Budget

France Paris On-going since 2014

Enhancing the participation of citizens in the decision-making process. Launched in 2014 to implement actions of participatory democracy in Paris, the Participatory Budget aims at mobilising all...

“ARRIVAL CITIES”

Greece Patras Start: 1.9.2015 / End: 1.6.2018

Purpose: Women are the primary victims of the intertwined causes of conflicts, underdevelopment and migration. To address these issues, in a sustainable and humanitarian way, migrants should be...

Rights Respecting Schools Award

United Kingdom Swansea 2014 onwards

Purpose: Rights Respecting schools are safe and inspiring places to learn, where all children’s talents are nurtured and they are able to thrive. Stimulus/Rationale: UNICEF UKs Rights Respecting...

PROUD OSLO – Action Plan for Equality and Freedom regardless of Gender Expression, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Norway Oslo 2015–2023

Purpose: PROUD OSLO – Action Plan for Equality and Freedom regardless of Gender Expression, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation is an action plan launched in 2015 to increase respect for gender...

Guide on Equal Services: preventing discrimination through intersectionality

Norway Oslo 2018-

Purpose: The OXLO guide for equal services is a manual on the city’s internet and intranet webpages, with guidelines for the city’s agencies, districts and services on how to make Oslo a city for...

Tachles: Arab-Jewish Youth Club

Israel Haifa Ongoing activities (Since 2012)

Create a shared civic leadership while also bringing together diverse cultures. Tachles is a unique group in Haifa that brings together 150 Arab and Jewish teenagers, incorporating various groups...

Diversity-Day

Germany Erlangen 2013 onwards

Purpose: Promote diversity within organisations and societies Process: At the initiative of the Diversity Charter, “Diversity Day” was launched in 2013 and since then has taken place annually in...

Community – Police relationship

Israel Haifa Four months from March to June 2017 (pilot in one neighbourhood)

Mediation and conflict Resolution The goal of the programme is to increase the feeling of security among Haifa’s more vulnerable residents and neighbourhoods and to improve the police force’s...

Haifa Center for Dialogue and Conflict Management

Israel Haifa Ongoing activities

Mediation and conflict resolution, capacity-building The Haifa Centre for Dialogue and Conflict Management works to strengthen communities and improve the quality of life for all of Haifa’s...

Italian Language courses for migrant women

Italy Novellara October 2017-January 2018

Purpose: The goal of this project is to promote the participation of migrant women into the Italian Language courses organized in the city of Novellara. Stimulus/Rationale: The local administration...

The Ubuntu Bridges Programme in Lisbon (“Programa Pontes Ubuntu”)

Portugal Lisbon 2010-ongoing

Purpose: Tackling social exclusion and restoring human dignity, empowering young people to make a change and to fulfil their potential, building bridges and promoting a culture of care, respect,...

Mainstreaming the intercultural perspective in Barcelona districts

Spain Barcelona Since 2018

Purpose: Mainstreaming the intercultural perspective into the work of all the districts. Stimulus/Rationale: The Barcelona Interculturality Plan (2021-2030) states that Barcelona can only progress...

The Fusion Market (“Mercado de Fusão”)

Portugal Lisbon 2012 - ongoing

Purpose: In one of the areas of Lisbon with most foreign communities, the Fusion Market brings people from diverse origins closer together via a journey through its typical flavours....

International Migrants Day in the Lisbon City Hall

Portugal Lisbon 2017-2021

Purpose: Show political commitment towards interculturalism Stimulus/Rationale: It is important to show political commitment to Diversity and Migration, and a positive image of migrants as an asset...

City of Sanctuary – welcome and settlement

United Kingdom Swansea 2016

Purpose: Welcome and Settlement Stimulus/Rationale: Swansea Council has pledged its commitment to supporting its status as a City of Sanctuary – welcoming those fleeing from war/persecution....

Don’t Feed the Rumour

Portugal Amadora From September 2014 to May 2015 (still ongoing as part of the municipal strategy for promoting interculturality)

Fight against misconceptions, prejudices, rumours and stereotypes about migrants and the city of Amadora, and provide correct information on migration and ethnic and cultural diversity “Immigrants...