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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 >>

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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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Lisbon’s ethnic economy

Portugal Lisbon 2016

Purpose: The study aimed to support the development of immigrant entrepreneurship initiatives in Lisbon, and the main objectives were the following: Provide some basic socio‐economic features about...

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Urban art for Intercultural Interaction - “o Bairro i o Mundo”

Portugal Loures 2013-July 2023

Purpose: Regenerating a stigmatised neighbourhood through large-scale art project Stimulus/Rationale: Quinta do Mocho was for many years the most stigmatised of neighbourhoods in Loures, associated...

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Local Assemblies

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2008 onwards

Purpose: A network of citizen forums which empower local decision making and action Process: This programme started in 2008 and consists in a forum during which the Council talks to the residents,...

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Educational equality in Oslo. Tackling educational segregation through raising standards

Norway Oslo 2016-

Purpose: The aim of this project is to combat educational segregation through organizational structures, activities and curricula that increase diversity and intercultural learning in public school...

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District Mothers

Germany Berlin-Neukölln 2016

Purpose: Migrant mothers reaching out to and integrating other migrant mothers Stimulus/Rationale: Process: The “Stadtteilmütter” (District Mothers) project is targeted at areas under Neighbourhood...

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Nachbarschaftsheim Neukölln

Germany Berlin-Neukölln 2016 onwards

Purpose: Community centre that encourages active and informed citizens Stimulus/Rationale: Process: Nachbarschaftsheim Neukölln is a community centre which aims to facilitate social cohesion and...

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A city international policy

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: An aspiring intercultural city should have an international policy that seeks, at least in part, to promote a dynamic relationship with places of origin of major Diaspora groups. Such...

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Welcoming internationals to the city

Norway Stavanger Ongoing for several years

Purpose: Several years ago, the Stavanger Chamber of Commerce and Industries started a program to introduce international employees and their families to the city. The region’s Welcome Center is...

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First Welcome

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: The city is applying an intercultural approach to dealing with welcoming newcomers, via a two-stage process. The First Welcome deals with the basic issues of identification, certification,...

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Young Mayor

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2018 onwards

Purpose: Putting power and responsibility in the hands of young people. Stimulus/Rationale: Lewisham Young Mayor is a robust attempt to put real power and responsibility in the hands of young...

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School Approaches for Family Empowerment (SAFE)

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: SAFE aims to reach and involve public servants, intercultural mediators, school principals and families. It has been developed to give the school a central role in the process of social...

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Johannes Learning Centre - a bilingual school which teaches and hires minorities

Norway Stavanger Running for several decades

Purpose: Johannes Learning Centre is Stavanger’s main vehicle for building language competence. Although originally all the staff were Norwegians, 40% are now of minority background. The school has...

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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...

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Having Faith in Lewisham

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2016 onwards

Purpose: Putting faith groups at the heart of community building Stimulus/Rationale: A large number of residents subscribe to a religion and of the rapidly growing number of faith groups (over...

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Centre for Conflict Mediation

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: The intervention is aimed at managing conflicts arising from neighbourly relations and proximity between people and is intended to improve social relationships so there is an alternative...

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Intercultural Integration Plan 2015-2020

Ukraine Melitopol 2015-2020

Purpose: Despite inter-ethnic strife in Ukraine one city offers leadership in pursuit of an alternative way Process: Whilst war and interethnic conflict has raged to the east (Donbass) and south...

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Salut l'étranger-ère!

Switzerland Neuchâtel 2016

Acknowledging and rewarding the intercultural heroes of Neuchatel Since 1995 Neuchâtel State Council has been making an annual award of 7,000 CHF to a group or an individual who, through a work, a...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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“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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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