Intercultural cities: good practice examples - Intercultural cities programme

Culture is the basis of community sustainable development

Ukraine Lutsk 2018

Purpose: Policy for promoting inclusive participation through culture, to encourage a tolerant society and to develop moral principles of common life in an intercultural environment through...

Mondinsieme’ Assembly

Italy Reggio Emilia 2011-ongoing

Purpose: Citizen engagement and citizen participation are key elements for the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. Calling itself “La Città delle Persone” (the City of the People), the administration of...

Actions of the City of Reykjavik to improve participation in local elections

Iceland Reykjavik 2017 & 20218

Purpose: The City of Reykjavik has initiated various practices to increase migrants´ participation in local political elections. One practice organised by the Icelandic Women’s Rights Association...

Women, Health and Violence

Spain Bilbao Since 2008

Purpose: This programme seeks to empower women from all origins and socio-cultural backgrounds in Bilbao through the promotion of health and the prevention of gender-based violence. It aims to...

(Re)Writing our neighbourhood

Portugal Braga Implemented for 3 years, from March 2017 to February 2020

Integrated Approaches for Active participation in social and civic life. Purpose: (Re)Writing our neighbourhood was a 3 year project implemented in three neighbourhoods in the city of Braga,...

Measure to promote the participation of people with diverse cultural and native backgrounds in Barcelona participation areas

Spain Barcelona Since 2016

Purpose: The main purpose of this Government Measure is to make active “citizenship” real, enabling participation for all inhabitants of the city. This action emphasises and draws attention on...

Bilbao Immigration Council

Spain Bilbao Since 2011

Purpose: The Immigration Council of the Bilbao City Council was created with the vocation of supporting immigrants in their capacity to organise, dialogue, and make proposals for the formulation of...

Intercultural Hub

Ukraine Vinnitsya

Purpose: Methodology and Tools for the Creation Intercultural Space to enhance intersectoral and inclusive participation in diverse communities Process: Vinnytsia (370,000 people) is the regional...

Improving participation in local elections 2018

Iceland Reykjavik Spring 2018

Purpose: to improve immigrants' knowledge about their voting rights and by this improve immigrants participation in elections; to produce accessible information about the elections in clear and...

Portimão Migrant Integration Plan

Portugal Portimão 2015 - 2017

Purpose: Enhance the integration of migrants through a set of articulated actions implemented by a consortium of relevant local partners. Stimulus/Rationale: One of the strengths of the plan is the...

Festival delle Culture

Italy Ravenna 2007-on going

Purpose: The project aims at fostering social participation and engagement and making the migrants’ association protagonists and responsible of the communication about the topic issues....

Neuchâtel Action Week against Racism

Switzerland Neuchâtel Each year in March

Raising awareness of diversity, equal opportunities and non-discrimination Every March for the last 20 years, the Service de la cohésion multiculturelle (COSM) (Multicultural Cohesion Service) and...

Adaptation of Internally Displaced

Ukraine Lutsk 2016 onwards

Purpose: Promote adaptation and participation in the city life of newcomers (IDPs) Process: As a part of its Intercultural Strategy, the city authorities pay particular attention to facilitating...

Geneva: the City tackles hurtful words

Switzerland Geneva 2018

At a time when social networks and digital communication are having a major impact on our everyday interaction, raising awareness of discriminatory remarks and speech is a real challenge for public...

Study in Lisbon programme

Portugal Lisbon 2018 - ongoing

Purpose: The website “Study in Lisbon” is directed specifically at foreign students, encouraging them to pursue their studies in Lisbon (“10 reasons to study in Lisbon”) as well as providing...

Building human rights and equality competency

Iceland Reykjavik 2018-2021

Purpose: to implement the City of Reykjavik Human Rights Policy; to enhance quality customer service with its emphasis on meeting the needs of a diversity of customers and with the creativity and...

Centre of Interculturality (“Núcleo da Interculturalidade”)

Portugal Lisbon 1993-ongoing

Purpose: Promoting intercultural integration in the city. Stimulus/Rationale: "Welcoming all communities with open arms does not make us feel less Portuguese, quite the contrary, because it reminds...

"Identity Map: the Language of Dissent"

Ukraine Lutsk 2018

Purpose: An artistic performance to minimise racial, gender or sexual discrimination and to promote tolerance and inclusiveness in the city community Process: Discrimination on the grounds of...

Conseil pour l’immigration de Berlin-Neukölln (« Migrationsbeirat »)

Germany Berlin-Neukölln à partir 2016

But : Un conseil spécial consacré aux migrants vivant à Neukölln. Structure: Processus : Berlin-Neukölln a créé une instance spécialement dédiée aux migrants qui vivent à Neukölln au sein de son...

Weeks of culture

Ukraine Melitopol 2018

Purpose: Fostering intercultural exchange and sharing traditions Process: The Council of National Communities of Melitopol usually holds a one or two-day Reporting Event annually as part of the...

Local Council for Religious and Life Stance Communities

Norway Oslo 2018 (permanent)

Purpose: The aim of the practice is to reflect the religious diversity in Oslo through The Local Council for Religion and Life Stance communities. This body is responsible for: The promotion of the...

Europe Island Festival

Ukraine Vinnitsya 2018

Process: An international festival "Europe Island" with 10 open-air locations in Vinnytsia, dedicated to "chamber" literature, languages of national minorities and local writings brought together...

Creative Orchestra

Portugal Santa Maria da Feira ongoing

Purpose: The Creative Orchestra is a community project that aims to bring forward the social dimension of music, promoting inclusion through music. Stimulus/Rationale: Casa dos Choupos is the local...

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...

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...

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...

Bradford’s People Library

United Kingdom Bradford 2020

Purpose: To show there is always more to a human ‘book’ than just its cover. Stimulus/Rationale: Process: Bradford’s People Library is an ever-growing and fascinating collection of human ‘books’,...

Reducing barriers to naturalisation through information campaigns

Switzerland Zurich 2021 (ongoing since 2017)

The Zurich City Council is concerned that as many Zurich residents as possible should be able to participate in the direct democratic process. The more people participate, the more alive democracy...

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...

Integrated Impact Assessment

United Kingdom Kirklees 2021

Purpose: Kirklees Council has developed an Integrated Impact Assessment process that is implemented when new services, policies or strategies are being developed or existing ones being changed or...

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...

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:...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...