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.
The Quality of Life Framework
Purpose: Monitoring public perceptions of quality of life, including community, culture and social networks. Stimulus/Rationale: Auckland Council collaborates with other New Zealand councils to...
Auckland’s intercultural elections
Purpose: Initiatives to encourage minority communities to engage in political life. Stimulus/Rationale: Local elections take place in New Zealand every three years. Since 2016 Auckland’s election...
Auckland’s minority advisory bodies
Purpose: Advisory bodies in Auckland to represent cultural minorities and deal with diversity matters. Stimulus/Rationale: The Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) is mandated through...
Auckland Council as an Inclusive Workplace
Purpose: Auckland Council has an inclusive workplace where all people can feel valued and respected, work flexibly and be part of an organisation that acts as a champion of diversity and inclusion....
Neukölln publishes "Normalising Integration - Living together in an intercultural metropolis"
Purpose: Policy and principles for an intercultural city Stimulus/Rationale: Process: "Normalising Integration - Living together in an intercultural metropolis" is both a comprehensive policy...
The Inclusive Auckland Framework
Purpose: Fully committed to the principles of the Intercultural Cities Network. Stimulus/Rationale: Auckland Council's Inclusive Auckland Framework outlines an organization-wide change programme...
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)
Purpose: A celebration of the culture and language of the 700,000 Māori people living in New Zealand. Stimulus/Rationale: As an intercultural City, Auckland celebrates and encourages the use of...
Creative anti-rumour writing
Purpose: To raise public awareness, prevent and address the formation of prejudices and stereotypes linked to migration and cultural diversity through creative writing. Rationale: This initiative...
Espai Avinyó
Purpose: The Espai Avinyó aims to be a dialogue and a meeting space for promoting reflection on what cultural diversity implies in every sphere of society and on the challenges involved in...
Promoting multilingualism
Purpose: A language learning programme recognising and promoting the linguistic diversity in Barcelona’s neighbourhoods was launched to: foster multilingualism in the city and within the...
Intercultural Week
Purpose: The festival INCONTRI DI MOnDI is developing within the intercultural strategy of the Municipality of Casalecchio di Reno. The initiative, that is renewed every year since 2009, consists...
The “Second chance”: work qualification centre for migrants
Purpose: To give a “second chance” to refugees and other migrants who do not succeed in completing the professional, social and language training within the two years of the introduction programme...
The programme for unaccompanied minors (UAM)
Purpose: The purpose of the programme is to provide ongoing support and housing for unaccompanied children and young people, e.g. to include them in the Norwegian education system and help them...
Together for Stronger Communities
Purpose: Encouraging a sense of belonging and connection so that everyone can play their part in achieving Bradford’s ambitions Stimulus/Rationale: A greater sense of belonging and connection...
Women’s House
Purpose: The Casa de las Mujeres de Donostia is a space for women to meet, debate and reflect in order to influence policies, programmes and projects that aim to advance towards real and effective...
Participation and interaction through renovation of public spaces: the example of Tabakalera
Tabakalera is a former tobacco factory that was converted into a contemporary culture centre. Located in the Egia district, the building is an impressive space (13,277m2) that organises, since...
Interreligious policies - Interfaith Dialogue
Purpose: The Department of Civil Rights and Citizenship develops public policies for the protection of freedom of religion, belief, and conviction and to guarantee an enriching coexistence. These...
A global welcoming vision
Purpose: Reception is a fundamental stage in working towards more inclusive and cohesive societies in which people arriving from other countries can obtain the information, knowledge and skills...
Building a culture of human rights
Purpose: Improve capacities and raise awareness of Human Rights among citizens and organisations and mainstream a Human Rights approach within the City Council. Stimulus/Rationale: Sabadell...
Education projects for interculturality
Purpose: Education projects are aimed at building students competences – including intercultural competences-, raising awareness about diversity and promoting critical thinking. The City and School...
Welcome guide ¡Hola!
Purpose: To improve the welcoming and social integration of migrants and refugees through education and art. This was done through the elaboration of a Guide, providing key information and advice...
La Rosa dei Venti - Mediation desk
Purpose: Enhance social inclusion of women - both foreign and Italian - through cultural and recreational activities. Stimulus/Rationale: Within the framework of gender equality and...
Recognise and change
Purpose: The project aims to fight against discrimination and violence linked to the gender and cultural differences. Specific objectives: SO1: Increasing the awareness of the youth between 11 and...
Stronger communities – The Schools Linking Network
Purpose: Supporting children and young people to explore identity, build connections & strengthen communities so everyone can live well together. Stimulus/Rationale: Bradford works with primary,...
Database of refugees
Purpose: A database to protect private data and speed up the stream of information between different departments. Stimulus/Rationale: For a long time, data about refugees in Erlangen were...
XEIX
Purpose: The XEIX project aims at promoting commercial associations as a meeting point and generation of neighbourhood identity. The project is about fostering intercultural relations in...
The Copenhagen Host Programme
Purpose: The aim of Copenhagen’s Host Programme is to facilitate encounters between newly arrived migrants and Copenhageners who wish to volunteer as hosts to promote integration into Danish...
Action Plan for Inclusion and Diversity
Purpose: The city council of Bergen wanted to formally adopt a public statement of its intentions as an Intercultural city. Stimulus/Rationale: The primary driver for this initiative was political...
Intercultural public space
Purpose: The purpose of these actions is to encourage the creation of spaces and opportunities for positive interaction and the generation of ties and relationships on equal terms....
Setúbal - Office for Immigrants and Ethnic Minorities
Purpose: A transversal approach to managing intercultural issues on a municipality Stimulus/Rationale: The City Council, for more than a decade, has been working on the integration of immigrants,...
The Big Lunch
Purpose: A big lunch to promote community, friendship and fun Stimulus/Rationale: The Big Lunch is an idea which has grown in popularity across the UK, but the London Borough of Lewisham is...
Amadora Empreende
Entrepreneurship programme to encourage minorities business The Programme “Amadora Empreende” seeks to identify, in association with the youth and people in situations of social vulnerability,...
Campus Rütli
Purpose: A segregated and failing school is transformed into a centre of educational excellence Stimulus/Rationale: The Rütli school had become notorious all over Germany in 2006, when the...
EMPO Multicultural Resource Center
Purpose: The EMPO Multicultural Resource Center acts as a resource centre for migrants through providing information and counselling that enable participants to develop their own resources to...
Barcelona Centre for Linguistic Normalisation
Purpose: The Consortium for Linguistic Normalisation (CPNL) is a public body created from the common will of the Regional Government and numerous local, county and provincial councils with the aim...
Reggio Emilia – Burkina Faso: the true spirit of co-development
Purpose: In Reggio Emilia, the migrant inclusion is enhanced through projects for development cooperation with countries of origin. Creating thousands of workplaces for the agricultural development...
DNA Cascais: a creative approach to promote entrepreneurship
Purpose: DNA is a business incubator to: Develop innovative potential of young people Promote entrepreneurship Support the creation of new companies, organisation of seminars and conferences DNA...
Local Social Assessment (Diagnóstico social)
Purpose: To monitor citizens’ well-being, promote a participative and cohesive municipality and establish Networks that promote social development, fight poverty and social exclusion....
The Counsellor for Gender Equality
Purpose: The “Conselheira para a Igualdade” (Counsellor for Equality) is a person of reference appointed by the Cascais City Council to defend Gender Equality. Stimulus/Rationale: Gender Equality...
”Engage in Copenhagen” – a three year inclusion programme
Purpose: ”Engage in Copenhagen” was a three year inclusion programme, designed to function as a catalyst for the Municipality of Copenhagen’s new inclusion policy and vision for the city, from...
Immigration City Erlangen
Purpose: Revising the relationship between migrants and receiving societies Stimulus/Rationale: There is a popular fallacy that dominates Europe's immigration discourse: understanding immigration...
Barka
Purpose: Barka creates opportunities to return home for people facing homelessness or difficult social and economic situation, and they run a Social Economy Centre, supporting migrants on their way...
Measuring cultural empathy
A sociological study on cultural competences in Ukraine, leading to policy development Melitopol is a city of the Azov region where, for more than 225 years, there has been a harmonious coexistence...
Anti-Rumour Web App
Purpose: A game to raise awareness of rumours and stereotypes that negatively affect coexistence in Bilbao. Rationale: Awareness-raising and the fight against discrimination is a priority line of...
BizFeira - Bilateral overseas business development
Purpose: An online platform - BizFeira - that enhances entrepreneurship and internationalisation through establishing links between local business owners of all backgrounds with the Portuguese...
The Danish Centre for Arts & Interculture (DCAI)
Purpose: The aim of the Danish Centre for Arts & Interculture (DCAI) is to create a national platform that reflects the diversity of Danish society in the cultural sector, by building intercultural...
A Smile of a Child
Purpose: Therapeutic hospitality for refugees Process: Melitopol has taken in very many Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) as a consequence of the troubles in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine. “A Smile...
Close to Culture: Art, music and theatre prevent social exclusion and promote the democratisation of culture
Purpose: Apropa Cultura (Close to Culture) is a network of cultural facilities, such as theatres, concert halls, festivals and museums, whose main purpose is to encourage inclusiveness promoting...
Schilleria Girl´s Café - PolitTalk (Schilleria Mädchentreff)
Purpose: Promotion of the political participation of young women Stimulus/Rationale: Process: The Schilleria Girl´s Café is addressed at girls and young women, most of whom have a migrant...
241FE- 241 Female Entrepreneurship
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...
Culture is the basis of community sustainable development
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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”)
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"
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 »)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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...
Përmirësimi i mbledhjes së të dhënave për barazinë në Belgjikë
Strategjia e të dhënave të barazisë i përgjigjet imperativit për një tablo të saktë të realitetit, një bazë dëshmish, që të jetë e disponueshme nëse zgjidhjet e politikave për pabarazinë duhen...
Roma Strategy for the Bradford District (2021-2025)
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:...
Provokimi i debatit, mundësimi i të kuptuarit dhe stimulimi i veprimit përmes hulumtimit mbi racizmin strukturor në Bergen
INICIATIVA TË SYNUARA PËR TË DHËNAT E BARAZISË Qëllimi: Kjo iniciativë kërkimore u ndërmor nga Komuna e Bergenit për të përcaktuar se si popullatat etnike të pakicave e perceptuan mënyrën se si u...
Mediation is a priority in 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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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...