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.
Bottkyrka: Anti-Discrimination Bureau
Purpose: Anti-Discrimination Bureaux are independent non-governmental organisations; the local Anti-Discrimination Bureau in Bottkyrka is funded by the municipality of Bottkyrka and offers...
Data collection and analysis to counteract discrimination: the case of Barcelona Discrimination Observatory
Purpose: The Barcelona Discrimination Observatory works, since 2018, to make visible any situations of discrimination in the city, and to contribute to the scale and design of the actions...
Shared Values
Purpose: Identifying shared values to build stronger communities Stimulus/Rationale: Values were identified as key by Bradford Council given how they underpin and motivate behaviours. They are...
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)...
Lisbon’s ethnic economy
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...
Urban art for Intercultural Interaction - “o Bairro i o Mundo”
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...
Local Assemblies
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,...
Educational equality in Oslo. Tackling educational segregation through raising standards
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...
District Mothers
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...
Nachbarschaftsheim Neukölln
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...
A city international policy
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...
Welcoming internationals to the city
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...
First Welcome
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,...
Young Mayor
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...
School Approaches for Family Empowerment (SAFE)
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...
Johannes Learning Centre - a bilingual school which teaches and hires minorities
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...
Don’t Feed the Rumour
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...