A new report has been published today, analysing the results of the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities (ICC) index in Reggio Emilia (Italy), based on data collected by the city in 2023.

Reggio Emilia is to be congratulated on the range and quality of the steps it has taken as an intercultural city and the clarity of purpose and commitment in this. The framework of the intercultural city will hopefully continue to serve the city well in realising its ambitions of equality, diversity, interaction and participation. This is the third time Reggio Emilia has gone through the index process, and the improvements in the fields of business and labour market, education and neighbourhoods, are very encouraging. The suggestions and recommendations made in this report will be a resource in achieving visible and tangible results in Reggio Emilia as an intercultural city, building on the progress already achieved.

Particularly notable good practices developed in the city include the Reggio città Ditutti strategy, encapsulating Reggio Emilia's strategy to embrace diversity and foster inclusivity. It envisions the city as a vibrant hub where diverse voices, cultures, and backgrounds converge. Led by the Municipal Administration and the Mondinsieme Foundation, Reggio città Ditutti is a collaborative strategy to expand networks and foster intercultural dialogue in the region. Additionally, the ITACA project seeks to address discriminatory practices and aids victims in seven municipalities within the Italian Intercultural Cities Network (Città del Dialogo). By promoting inclusive practices and assisting victims of discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, or gender, the project aims to enhance inclusivity and social cohesion within these communities.

The Council of Europe’s ICC Programme provides assistance to public authorities willing to implement the intercultural integration approach in communities with culturally diverse populations. The members of the programme commit to reviewing their governance, policies, discourse and practices from an intercultural point of view. Composed of 83 indicators, the intercultural cities index is the benchmarking tool that allows to assess where a city stands in relation to intercultural integration, where efforts should be focused in the future and which other cities can be a source of good practice in each of the policy areas monitored by the index.

 Reggio Emilia Intercultural Cities Index analysis 2024