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Intercultural cities: good practice examples

The Intercultural city aims at building its policies and identity on the explicit acknowledgement that diversity can be a resource for the development of the society.

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.

Template for collection of Good practices >>

Ciga Giro Project

Portugal Vila Verde Since 2021 - ongoing

The Ciga Giro Project – People and Identities, Answers and Options is a social intervention, in the municipality of Vila Verde, focusing on the fight against the social segregation of the Roma...

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Welcoming guides

Portugal Vila Verde 9 months – April to November 2022

Purpose: This activity had the purpose of improving the welcoming of people with an international protection status coming from Ukraine. The city wanted to ensure access to information for everyone...

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Castelló Intercultural City Plan

Spain Castellón de la Plana 2019 - ongoing

Purpose: As part of the actions of the Council of Social Welfare – Social Mediation and Intercultural Department, the city of Castelló de la Plana launched the “III Castelló Intercultural City Plan...

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Office for Non-Discrimination (OND)

Spain Barcelona Since 1998

Purpose: The Office for Non-Discrimination is accordingly designed as the municipal service for dealing with, advising on, mediating over and penalising (where legally possible) discriminatory...

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Knowledge Cartography

Spain Barcelona Since 2012

Purpose: The project ‘Cartografía de Conocimientos’ (Knowledge Cartography) was born in 2012 aimed at approaching health and education from an intercultural perspective. It is a project that works...

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Bilbao, City of Values

Spain Bilbao From 2016 - ongoing

Purpose: Bilbao, City of Values is a project that aims to generate a space for analysis, dialogue, reflection, and collaborative work among institutions, social entities, companies, media, schools,...

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Inclusive Housing in Bergen

Norway Bergen ongoing

Purpose: This overall intention by the city and municipality of Bergen is to provide residences for migrants and refugees by ensuring access to both social housing and private sector housing....

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Women participation and interaction

Spain Sabadell Since 2008

Purpose: To empower women from all origins and socio-cultural backgrounds by creating relational spaces where women meet and learn and supporting them in the acquisition of skills....

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Small Theater – Great Place for Inspiration

Ukraine Pavlograd 2015-2020

Purpose: The “small theatre -a great place for inspiration” improves community engagement through arts and culture as well as leisure and heritage. Process: The social and cultural atmosphere...

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Anissa programme

Spain Barcelona Since 2014

Purpose: The Annisa programme is a project focused on the participation and interaction of Pakistani communities and the Besós neighbourhood in the district of Sant Martí. The programme is funded...

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#BCNvsODI

Spain Barcelona Since 2017

Purpose: #BCNvsODI is nowadays a platform for dissemination and awareness-raising in the fight against hate speech, both online and offline, with information, materials and pedagogical, informative...

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Local Forum for religious diversity

Spain Bilbao ongoing

Since 2012, the Local forum for religious diversity promotes the exercise of freedom of conscience and religion in a context of citizens’ coexistence in diversity and in human rights’ promotion....

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BragaIncoming Programme

Portugal Braga 2018

Purpose: In 2018 the city of Braga launched the “Bragalncoming Programme”, a digital tool that aims to help newcomers (those that come either to live, to visit or invest) with much-needed...

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Table on Interreligious dialogue

Spain Salt Since 2009

Purpose: The main focus of the Interreligious Table is to improve the knowledge and recognition of the city’s religious plurality. In addition, the Table organises events and initiatives to promote...

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An international policy in Leeds

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Leeds have a policy to encourage international cooperation in economic, scientific, cultural, or other areas. The policy further has a specific financial provision and the city actively takes...

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Intercultural Mediation in Leeds

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Leeds provides intercultural mediation in a number of ways: Equalities Assembly: forum up of Equality Hubs, helping ensure the council engages/involves diverse communities. Public Sector Equality...

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Housing policy in Leeds

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Creating sustainable communities is one of the six Leeds Housing Strategy themes. Housing Leeds officers have worked with community based Housing Advisory Panels to support a number of...

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A Strategic, Coordinated and Inclusive Approach to Migration

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

The development of the city’s Strategic, Coordinated and Inclusive Approach to Migration was the result of a year’s consultation and research over 2016 - 2017. The process included focus groups...

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The Leeds Citizens Panel

United Kingdom Leeds 2020

Leeds has implemented the Leeds Citizens Panel[1], to ensure broad consultation and engagement in co-design involving people with diverse backgrounds in policy formulation. The panel enables the...

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Anti-discrimination tools

Spain Sabadell 2020

Purpose: To offer support to victims of discrimination, to monitor and intervene in cases of assault or discrimination, to raise awareness and build capacity on topics related to discrimination....

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Ensuring political and public participation in Sabadell

Spain Sabadell 2020

Purpose: The City Council deploys different Initiatives to encourage people with migrant/minority backgrounds to engage in political and public life. Stimulus/Rationale: The Sabadell Intercultural...

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Promoting multilingualism in a multicultural city

South Korea Ansan 2020

Ansan City offers Korean language education for non-nationals. The city itself runs Korean language education programmes while commissioning private organisations to complete the offer. There is a...

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Anti-Racism as an Urban Common

Italy Turin 2016

Purpose: The concept of “the commons” draws from the English legal term for common land and traditionally refers to shared resources held in common. The commons tend to be understood as material...

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Listening Circles on ‘Race’, Racism, and Inequalities

United Kingdom Kirklees 2020

Purpose: Kirklees Council has identified and pursued the potential in Listening Circles to contribute to addressing systemic discrimination. Listening Circles are to provide time and a safe space...

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An Equality Infrastructure

Mexico Mexico

Concept Mexico City has established an internal infrastructure to express and sustain its commitment to equality and non-discrimination. This encompasses a Constitution for the City of Mexico...

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Complaints of Discrimination

Switzerland Geneva

Concept The City of Geneva funds and works with the Centre – Écoute contre le Racisme (C-ECR), which defends, advises and assists people affected by racism. The Center-Écoute contre le Racisme is...

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The Intercultural acceptance survey to build intercultural competence skills

South Korea Ansan 2020

The Republic of Korea conducts a triannual survey of locals on their intercultural acceptance. The findings from the survey serve as reference data for policy development. To ensure even more...

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The anti-radicalisation programme

Norway Bergen 2015-2020 / 2021-25

Purpose: The aim of the programme is to prevent radicalisation, hate crimes and violent extremism. Through providing correct information, the municipality endeavours to avoid religious...

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Inclusive Public services

United Kingdom Bradford 2022

Purpose: Ensuring inclusive public services for newcomers Stimulus/Rationale: The Bradford for Everyone strategy is based on everyone in Bradford being valuable and that everyone is enriched and...

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Reinvigorating Employee Networks

United Kingdom Kirklees

Purpose: Kirklees Council has identified that equality related employee networks play an important role in informing decision-making and enabling innovation. In doing so, they contribute to...

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Planned and Systematic Approach to Equality

Ireland Galway 2019 onwards

Purpose: Galway City Council (GCC) is progressing a planned and systematic approach to equality and human rights. This is based on developing an internal infrastructure to drive its implementation...

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Conscious Inclusion

United Kingdom Camden

Concept Camden Council has adopted a process of ‘Conscious Inclusion’ to ensure all staff ‘can be their best self at work’. The approach taken involves a focus on leadership, staff, and systems in...

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Research Circles

Sweden Botkyrka

Concept A research circle is a methodology to enable in-depth, participative, and longer-term examination of an issue. It was piloted in Botkyrka to examine issues of racism and discrimination, in...

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Limassol’s Intercultural Council helps the city to handle challenges with an Intercultural Strategy

Cyprus Limassol 2023 – 2025

Purpose: The purpose of the intercultural integration strategy in Limassol is to foster diversity as a source of strength and prosperity by promoting inclusive interactions, empowering all...

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Diverse interaction on display in Cascais

Portugal Cascais 2021

Purpose: This initiative aims to celebrate the local diversity by showcasing the diverse interactions in the City. Stimulus/Rationale: Cascais is now a municipality of the world, with according to...

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Akadimia - an Intercultural Centre for Social Integration

Greece Ioannina 2021 - Ongoing

Purpose: The purpose of the Intercultural Centre for Social Integration in Ioannina is to provide support and assistance primarily to refugees and migrants residing in the area. It aims to improve...

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Human Libraries

Portugal Braga ongoing

Purpose: Within the project "Braga: an Intercultural Journey", Human Library sessions are promoted in the schools of the municipality, until December 2021. The Human Library is a strategy of social...

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Community action plan — community development (CAP-CD 2022-2023) of the city of Sherbrooke

In the interest of the residents’ quality of life, Sherbrooke wants to support community organisations in delivering projects related to the fields of activity identified in the Community and...

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Integrating and supporting the ethnic minorities in Camden’s businesses

United Kingdom Camden

Camden takes action to encourage businesses from ethnic minorities to move beyond the ethnic economy and enter the mainstream economy and higher value-added sectors. Good Work Camden has partnered...

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Cultural projects reflecting and promoting the diversity of Camden’s communities

United Kingdom Camden

Culture is at the centre of Camden Council’s work. It aims to deliver inspiring arts projects on Camden’s estates and neighbourhoods that are co-created, engage with the most disadvantaged...

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"Citizen Coin Bradford"

United Kingdom Bradford 2020

Purpose: The city of Bradford (United Kingdom) has developed a project called “Citizen Coin Bradford” as part of the “Stronger Communities Partnership’s Strategy and Delivery plan” as one of its...

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Involvement of Camden’s communities in its urban planning

United Kingdom Camden 2022

Camden always takes into account the diversity of the population in the design, renovation and management of new public buildings or spaces. The Camden Local Plan (2017) is the key strategic...

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Information sharing with civil society and grassroots organisations on intercultural inclusion goals

United Kingdom Camden

Camden collaborates with civil society and grassroots organisations that are active in the various fields concerned by intercultural inclusion, through regular meetings but also information sharing...

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Initiatives of hospitality in Camden

United Kingdom Camden

Camden is currently welcoming a number of Afghan evacuees for support from the Council, such as housing, health care, food and education (see Asylum Seekers and Refugees - Camden Council). The...

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School Participatory Budgeting - Vinnytsia

Ukraine Vinnitsya 2021

Purpose: School participatory budgeting for community participation Stimulus/Rationale: Citizen participation in government decision-making is one of the common democratic principles of the Council...

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Employment opportunities as a factor of cohesion

United Kingdom Manchester Ongoing

Purpose: Employment supporting cohesion Stimulus/Rationale: Process: In Manchester (United Kingdom), the Manchester International Festival’s Factory Academy partnered with the construction firm...

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The Inclusive Anchors Network

United Kingdom Leeds 2022

In Leeds (United Kingdom), a group of the thirteen largest (primarily) public sector employers, including the city council, local universities and Yorkshire Water, have formed the Inclusive Anchors...

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III Bilbao Intercultural City Plan

Spain Bilbao From 2021 to 2027

Purpose: The III Bilbao Intercultural City Plan aims to guide public policies, from an intercultural perspective, in order to strengthen social cohesion and urban development in the city. To this...

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Collaborating to change local food systems

Italy Milan 2019- ongoing

Purpose: Milan is combating food waste by making the most of its food resources while supporting the regeneration of natural systems and the inclusion of migrants. The city has developed circular...

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Integration project for newly arrived refugees with urban farming

Norway Bergen 2019-2023

Purpose: The project aims to create sustainability through urban farming and distributing the harvest of urban farming to restaurants, and to integrate newly arrived refugees by involving them in...

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“Lublin for All” Project for strengthening intercultural approaches in collaboration with Canton of Neuchâtel

Switzerland Poland Neuchâtel Lublin 2012-2014

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to design and test a participatory system of diversity management in the city of Lublin and to learn from the experience of the Swiss canton ofNeuchâtel in...

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Barcelona Municipal Immigration and Refuge Council

Spain Barcelona Since 1997

Purpose: The Barcelona Municipal Immigration Council (Consell Municipal d'Immigració de Barcelona, CMIB) is an advisory and participatory body of the Barcelona City Council and was established in...

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Lublin’s Civic Dialogue Committee

Poland Lublin 2021 - ongoing

Purpose: Lublin’s Civic Dialogue Commission for the City Support System for the Integration of Migrants constitutes a key element of Lublin's participatory system for managing cultural diversity....

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“Faces of Lublin” awareness raising campaign

Poland Lublin 2014

Purpose: This public awareness campaign was undertaken by the City of Lublin to strengthen the image of Lublin as an intercultural city by promoting the diversity of its residents through an...

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Erlangen: Digital inclusion in the time of crisis, while extending life of IT products

Germany Erlangen 2020

Purpose: With the Covid-19 pandemic, the topic of digitisation has become even more important. At times, participation was only possible digitally. However, the need for digital equipment is not...

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Utilising waste land to build community, local resilience, and employment

United Kingdom Calderdale 2022

The largest employer in one of the most deprived areas of Calderdale, United Kingdom, is a voluntary organisation that has created a green kitchen building in a community garden on a piece of...

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The inclusive employers toolkit

United Kingdom Bradford 2022

  Purpose: Bradford Council champions inclusive business practices Stimulus/Rationale: Process: In Bradford (United Kingdom), the accountancy and consulting firm Grant Thornton have developed an...

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Everyone different, Everyone matters

United Kingdom Calderdale 2022

In Calderdale (United Kingdom), the local authority has led the development of a social cohesion strategy, produced in consultation with the local public, under the banner of ‘everyone different,...

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The Office for Religious Affairs: a comprehensive approach

Spain Barcelona Since 2005

Purpose: The Office of Religious Affairs (OAR) of the Barcelona City Council is a municipal service whose main objective is to serve as a reference point for religious and spiritual matters, as...

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Barcelona Intercultural Plans

Spain Barcelona 2010 - ongoing

Purpose: The Barcelona Intercultural Plan (2010) was a mandate of the City Council’s Immigration Working Plan 2008 and its main goal was to define a clear intercultural policy strategy about how...

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Creating the conditions for an equality data strategy in Ireland

Ireland Since 2020

Equality data is of critical importance and significant interest to all those involved in this initiative. It is required to feed into the policy cycle to enhance evidence-based policy making in...

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Reaching a point from which to take action in Oslo

Norway Oslo 2022

Purpose: Oslo Municipality undertook a research initiative to gather data on experiences of discrimination, alongside an initiative to develop indicators to measure progress made in response to the...

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Territorial and cultural equity in Montréal – Population focus

Canada Montreal 2020

Targeted Equality Data Initiatives Purpose: Population data is gathered and analysed to inform and guide the design and implementation of city interventions, ensuring they are as just and...

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