Intercultural cities: good practice examples
The first step is the adoption (and implementation) of strategies that facilitate positive intercultural encounters and exchanges, and promote equal and active participation of residents and communities in the development of the city, thus responding to the needs of a diverse population. The Intercultural integration policy model is based on extensive research evidence, on a range of international legal instruments, and on the collective input of the cities member of the Intercultural Cities programme that share their good practice examples on how to better manage diversity, address possible conflicts, and benefit from the diversity advantage.
This section offers examples of intercultural approaches that facilitate the development and implementation of intercultural strategies.
Il Centro per i giovani – an intercultural, educational project
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
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...
Political Literacy Sessions
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...
Employment and skills - Adult Learning Programme, BUILD programme, Leeds Anchors Network
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
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...
Fresh start – Learning English
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...
The Leeds Migration Map
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
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
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...
Bradford for Everyone or how to create a more inclusive city for all
Purpose: To create an inclusive city for all Stimulus/Rationale: Bradford Council is pioneering new ways to end segregation by bringing together people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds...
Mainstreaming the intercultural perspective in Barcelona districts
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...
SCOUT: aSsessing Competences fOr fUTure
Purpose: The integration into the labor market is an essential prerequisite for migrants and refugees so that to be capable of building up a new life in their host countries. Within this process,...
Rights Respecting Schools Award
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
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
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...
City of Sanctuary – welcome and settlement
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....
The Ubuntu Bridges Programme in Lisbon (“Programa Pontes Ubuntu”)
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,...
The Fusion Market (“Mercado de Fusão”)
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
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...
Multilingual initiatives improve the intercultural dialogue and the inclusive integration
Purpose: The purpose of the activity is to foster intercultural dialogue and inclusive integration through multilingual initiatives. The city of Limassol, Cyprus, takes significant steps to...
Boosting the citizens’ social life with art and festivities
The City Council of Limassol promotes access to culture for the whole population with a broad programme of free events and activities. The City Council uses interculturalism as a criterion when...
DiverCidade Braga - An Intercultural Journey
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
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...
Refugee reception and integration policies- pilot project
Purpose: The purpose of the pilot project for Refugee reception was to offer answers to questions about how intercultural integration and reception should be handled in the city in order to promote...
Diverse Tenerife – Intercultural Strategy
Purpose: ‘Tenerife Lives Diversity’ is a strategic framework aimed at serving as a reference point for public administrations, associations and the citizens of the island of Tenerife, assisting...
OBITen - The Immigration Observatory of Tenerife
Purpose: The OBITen promoting scientific research into migratory movements on the island of Tenerife. It prioritises the need to apply theoretical knowledge to the planning and management of...
Together in the same direction (Juntas en la misma dirección)
Purpose: ‘Together in the same direction’ is a strategy for managing diversity that brings rigour and clarity to the actions to be implemented. This Strategic Plan also defines three main lines of...
Grupo de Diálogo Interreligioso (Group of Interfaith dialogue)
Purpose: The group of interfaith dialogue promotes spirituality through knowledge and understanding of different beliefs and religious or spiritual developments with a learning attitude. The...
The Diversity Lab
Purpose: The municipality launched the Diversity Lab programme to explore the advantages of cultural diversity, with reference to new plural economies and open innovation processes. An...
Intercultural Interaction: collective healing and memory of this time
Purpose: Using storytelling to build connections, address fears and ease anxiety. Stimulus/Rationale: In 2020 the Cities of Ballarat, Melton and Maribyrnong launched a Storytelling project...
Maribyrnong - Regeneration with a Focus on the Holistic Community
Stimulus/Rationale: The City of Maribyrnong is within the municipality of Melbourne, Australia, and is one of the most multicultural municipalities in Victoria. It aims to be an ‘Intercultural...
Salisbury develops inclusive welcoming and participation actions
Purpose: The “Welcome to Salisbury Information Booklet” and the “Community Engagement Framework” improves the intercultural profile of the Australian city. Process: The comprehensive city-specific...
Sister and Friendship City Policy
Purpose: The Australian City of Salisbury has an explicit policy to encourage international cooperation in the economic, scientific, cultural and other areas. Process: The “Sister City and...
Residents’ participation shows meaningful community engagement
Purpose: Salisbury seeks the participation of all residents through community workshops and surveys Process: The adoption of the Intercultural Strategic Plan 2017-2027 of the City of Salisbury was...
Statistics in help of city’s policy formulation
Purpose: The City of Salisbury’s Council policy formulation is heavily informed by demographic statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Stimulus/Rationale: Quantitative and qualitative...
Community Grants
Purpose: Encourage citizens’ participation and involvement in the city through access to public grants for community projects Process: Community Development is a process where community members...
Public Participation Networks (PPN)
Purpose: A Network to enhance community participation in local government - Promotes social inclusion - Links citizens with local authorities Stimulus/Rationale: Public Participation Networks (PPN)...
Intercultural Map of Melitopol
Process: One out of five main dimensions of the ICC Strategy of Melitopol is intercultural tourism and hospitality. It is along the lines of this dimension that the local ICC coordinator launched...
Educa programme
Purpose: To create a group of immigrant or immigrant descendent mediators (giving them training and support) in order to develop activities of animation and mediation in contexts signalled by the...
A pioneer plan to combat Islamophobia
Purpose: The City Council of Barcelona adopted a plan to prevent hate crimes, raise awareness and provide victim support services. The Plan aims at raising awareness on Islamophobia as a serious...
Peer-to-Peer Project Addiction Aid for Refugees
Purpose: Drug prevention for refugees Stimulus/Rationale: Process: The project targets refugees and provides training in drug prevention and addiction aid. The training programme is elaborated...
Career counselling for SPRAR beneficiaries
Purpose: The action aims to analyse the working background of refugees and asylum seekers taken in charge by the SPRAR programme and to give them useful information and advice for the job search....
Intercultural Education as a part of a School Curriculum
Purpose: To teach school kids values of tolerance, respect to different cultures, and ethnic conflicts prevention Process: In 2017, Sumy school #18 officially established intercultural education as...
The Successful Roma of Pavlohrad
Purpose: Integration of Roma population into the city's social life; encouraging Roma community, fighting negative stereotypes. Stimulus/Rationale: Pavlohrad has a large community of Roma people,...
Participation Scheme
Purpose: Working in partnership and residents’ consultations are at the core of Swansea’s way of planning and evaluating policies. Process: In Swansea priorities, plans, budget, social services,...
Supporting Culturally Diverse NGOs
Purpose: Support culturally diverse NGO to enhance participation of migrants, ethnic minorities and local citizens in the life of the city and to mainstream the intercultural approach. Process: The...
Households welcome migrants!
Purpose: The initiative is as an experiment of social innovation aimed at strengthening local community resilience: some of the migrants hosted in the City had the possibility of completing their...
Workshops, books, exhibitions, music, theater, workshops and sports against racism
Purpose: The Week stimulated a process of confrontation and exchange aimed at preventing and combating phenomena of intolerance, discrimination and racism. Stimulus/Rationale: On the occasion of...
The Human Rights Film Festival
Purpose: The Human Rights Film Festival is an initiative that uses the power of the cinema to promote a culture of peace and respect for human rights, becoming a great agent of social change. The...
Increasing awareness about Islam and reducing anti-Muslim stereotypes
Purpose: “Interpretation of Surahs of the Quran” is an initiative aimed to dismantle stereotypes about Islam and the Muslim world in general, to build a peaceful intercultural society in Ukrainian...