Intercultural Cities

Circular & Intercultural Cities

Intercultural Cities. (2021). Policy brief: Circular and Intercultural Cities: Including Migrants and Diversity in Circular, Green and Inclusive Economic Models. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe.

Diversity is a reality which we should celebrate and benefit from. (p. 5)

“The Intercultural Cities (ICC) programme of the Council of Europe has commissioned Nordic Sustainability to develop this policy brief. The aim is that it can be used as a resource for cities on how best to integrate the agendas of interculturalism and green development through the lens of the circular economy concept…Taking the core principles of the intercultural approach into account, green sustainable development policies and actions should also ensure equal rights and opportunities for all.” (p. 3)

This brief explains “how the intercultural and the circular economy development agendas are interrelated” and shares examples of best practice for moving forward with both agendas simultaneously, while pursuing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (p. 3).

CFP: Building Structures for Intercultural Integration (Cyprus)

Call for proposals: Building structures for intercultural integration in Cyprus. Deadline: November 21, 2021.

The Council of Europe is looking for consultants to undertake the development of a prototype methodology to monitor social cohesion at the local level in Cyprus in the framework of the project “Building structures for intercultural integration in Cyprus”. This project aims to support the Republic of Cyprus in implementing its National Action Plan on the Integration of Third-Country Nationals 2020-2022, by empowering local authorities, NGOs, and migrant organisations to be part of the integration process.

The project will use the COE’S Intercultural Cities tools to address the challenges of migrant integration, in particular related to building trust, fostering community cohesion and managing diversity as a resource…A Provider is to be selected to develop a methodology and test it via a prototype tool to monitor social cohesion at the local level in Cyprus. The goal of this methodology is to enable the project stakeholders to measure the impact of integration actions.

I Belong (Australia)

I belong, a film made by the Melton City Council, Melton, Australia, to document how residents, who have come from 130 countries, are comfortable as neighbors, due to the welcoming environment.

I just love it when I see everyone gathered together and they come together and they have like different identities but they come together for one thing and that is the community event.

Alternative Narratives and Intercultural Communication

Alternative Narratives and Intercultural Communication: Building Bridges Between Intercultural Policies and Communication, An Intercultural Cities Academy, Council of Europe, 12-21 April 2021, Online.

What story does your city tell? All cities have a history; a sequence of concrete facts that are known, and that have brought us to where we are today. However, how we tell the story of our city, how we choose to frame it, the narratives we choose, will impact how that story is perceived and understood. Our story is but a puzzle of many small, diverse and intertwined pieces with different shapes and forms. The story of our city is in fact not one, but many. Do you know what stories are told and listened to? How are they told, and by whom? Is the same story told by everyone, in the same way? Herein lies the art of narrative – while we cannot change facts, we have the power to choose how we communicate about them, ensuring all stories of our city are told. We understand we can enrich our communication with multiple perspectives, fill it with many voices and value the diversity of our city. Through this, we share our history while adding more pieces to the puzzle.

When to tell that story? For intercultural inclusion to occur, city authorities shall adopt a clear and well-publicised message emphasising their commitment to intercultural principles, on all occasions, in all their communication. Every story is intercultural in a diverse city and can contribute to achieving a climate of public opinion more conducive to positive intercultural relations.

Who should that story target? All residents, regardless of their nationalities, origins, languages, religions/beliefs, sexual orientation and age group. This is not to say that every communication needs to be intended for every resident, as the most effective communications are those that target audience segments defined by particular core values and daily concerns.

Target group? Communication staff, press officers, coordinators and other relevant city representatives of cities that are members of Intercultural Cities Programme.

Creating Inclusive Cities (Belgium but Online)

Creating Inclusive Cities: Everyone can make a difference, International Association of Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP), Brussels, Belgium. Webinar on June 18, 2020, 14:00-15:30 CEST.

More than 61 per cent of the world’s refugees and 80 per cent of internally displaced people live in urban areas. The role of towns, cities, counties and provinces in creating inclusive communities and promoting hope has never been as important. They offer safety and shelter and can enable access to local services, education and job opportunities.

The Global Compact on Refugees aims to implement a more holistic approach in responding to refugee displacement and recognizes the important role that local authorities play as first responders to large-scale refugee situations.

Intercultural Cities (ICC) is a Council of Europe policy development and implementation programme that supports local authorities around the World in comprehensive approaches that are inclusive of migrants and refugees. Join the ICC and UNHCR on 18 June, 2020 at 2 pm CEST for a webinar two days before World Refugee Day to hear how cities in Europe are making their cities spaces where everyone can live in safety, become self-reliant, and contribute to and participate in their local community.

Intercultural Cities and Quality of Life

Since 2008, the Council of Europe, through its flagship programme Intercultural Cities, has supported more than 120 local authorities in Europe and around the world, in designing and implementing inclusive policies and strategies for migrant and refugee integration according to the Intercultural approach. Based on the notion of “diversity advantage”, these strategies are founded on the assumption that diversity can be an asset for communities if managed in a positive and competent way; they mobilise leaders, policy officials, professionals, businesses and civil society towards re-shaping city policies and services to make them more effective and engage citizens in building an understanding of the societies’ diversity(ies) as a competitive advantage for all.

A new study by the Migration Policy Group enquires whether the Intercultural integration approach advocated by the Council of Europe, leads to a better quality of life in diverse cities. The results confirm a strong statistical link between local intercultural policies and local well-being.

Continue reading “Intercultural Cities and Quality of Life”

Intercultural cities: governance and policies for diverse communities

Joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission

The Intercultural cities programme emerged from the Council of Europe’s significant experience of projects that focus on issues concerned with the management of diversity. Considerable reflection has been undertaken in relation to the principles and practices of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.

Intercultural cities is a capacity-building and policy development field programme which has been implemented by the Council of Europe in partnership with the European Commission. It runs complementary to many other current projects and events (conferences, research, exchanges, and campaigns). The programme’s long-term, comprehensive approach will contribute to the sustainability of the political impetus of one of the Council of Europe’s declared priorities concerning the practice of diversity in today’s world.

An intercultural city has people with different nationality, origin, language or religion / beliefs. Political leaders and most citizens regard diversity positively, as a resource.

The city actively combats discrimination and adapts its governance, institutions and services to the needs of a diverse population.

The city has a strategy and tools to deal with diversity and cultural conflict. It encourages greater mixing and interaction between diverse groups in the public spaces.

For further information, including comparison of different cities, see the original post.

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