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 action, namely: increasing awareness of the benefits of cultural diversity, fostering skills for intercultural dialogue and increasing the knowledge of the benefits of cultural diversity.
More precisely, key objectives of the Strategy include:
- To increase the interest of the population of Tenerife in intercultural living together based on the development of human rights, as essential elements for building an inclusive and peaceful society, which views diversity as a heritage that enriches and contributes to creating a prosperous and sustainable island.
- To deepen community action for the social, economic and cultural development of the island, generating meeting spaces in which coexistence is promoted over coexistence, as the optimal state of sociability of the most developed societies.
- To improve the networking of organisations and human resources that deal with social and cultural diversity on the island of Tenerife, with special interest in the cross-cutting and interdepartmental work carried out by the Cabildo of Tenerife together with the University of La Laguna and its General Foundation, in growing interaction with the municipalities of the island.
- To bring the management of cultural diversity closer to the municipal level from a participatory intercultural model, through 'Tenerife Lives Diversity' and the rest of the actions promoted by the project.
Stimulus/Rationale:
Together in the same direction Strategic Plan is based on the objective of 'increasing the interest of the Tenerife population in interculturality', a predominant focus of the work being carried out on the island in the field of cultural diversity management.
Participation is the driving force behind this strategy launched on this Canary Island in 2009 to build a cohesive intercultural society, proud of its cultural diversity, among all people and entities.
Process:
The strategy was developed by the Administrative External Action Service of the Cabildo in partnership with the immigration observatgory OBITen. This initiative has woven a broad network (of over 100 entities) that includes most immigrant associations that exist in Tenerife as well as institutions and social organisations who share the common goal of promoting intercultural dialogue and strengthen integration processes and social cohesion.
It is made up of 8 working groups, which are organised by themes: Tenerife Anti-Rumours Strategy, Tenerife Interreligious Dialogue, Group Against Gender Violence, and Social Participation Group; by ages: Youth for Diversity and Children's Participation Group 'Amiguitos y Amiguitas'; and by territories: Citizen Participation 'Taco para todxs' and Citizen Participation El Fraile.
Each group discussed and approved by consensus a Work Plan that defined clear objectives, specific actions to achieve those objectives, expected results and indicators of evaluation.
The strategy has financial resources for its implementation that provides the Cabildo and the Canary Islands Government through its calls for grants.
Recently, the Strategy has changed its name to 'Juntas En la misma dirección', making it a more inclusive project, because it refers to Juntas (all people).
The strategy of expansion of the Strategy is being carried out through the application of the Strategic Framework for the promotion of intercultural coexistence 'Tenerife Lives Diversity', both at the municipal level through the town councils of Adeje, Granadilla de Abona, Buenavista del Norte and Puerto de la Cruz; the educational centres: IES El Médano, CEIP Salamanca and IES Guaza; and the Canary Islands Foundation El Buen Samaritano.
Impact:
In the different spaces for intercultural participation generated by ‘Together in the same direction’ (e.g. working groups, training and awareness-raising actions or general actions), moments aimed at evaluating -both the process and the achievement- are implemented. It often goes beyond merely quantitative data to look at the small social transformations generated.
‘Together in the same direction’ increases its participation figures year by year. During 2021, a total of 2,508 participants, 104 entities and 154 activities were carried out to highlight cultural diversity on the island and generate intercultural coexistence. Last year, in 2022,
4,599 people participated in the more than 200 activities organised.
Key reference documents:
