Intercultural cities: Newsletter N° 14

Newsletter N° 14 - April 2011

Can cities learn to perceive cultural diversity not as a threat but as an opportunity? How can they make diversity work to their advantage? Can the city become the focus of collective identity bridging ethnic and religious identities? In the context of the Intercultural Cities programme several pilot cities will review their policies through the "intercultural lens" and develop intercultural strategies in order to meet the challenges of a world in motion.

The Intercultural cities family expands!

Ten new cities have joined the second phase of the Intercultural cities programme: Amsterdam South East (the Netherlands), Botkyrka (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark), Geneva (Sitzerland), Dublin (Ireland), Lisbon (Portugal), Limassol (Cyprus), London Lewisham (UK), Pécs (Hungary), San Sebastian (Spain).

The first expert visits have started and they will involve some of the 15 new experts which have taken part in the Intercultural cities training session in Brussels on 16-18 March. Some of the highlights of the 2011 programme are the planned study visits to Izhevsk and Dublin, as well as a meeting in Oslo for teachers and headmasters from member cities for a seminar on schools as intercultural communities. The work schedule is regularly updated and available on the ICC web site.

In order to support a larger number of cities in their efforts to apply the Intercultural Integration model, we are encouraging the setting up of national networks – two are already in existence, in Italy and Ukraine, and a Spanish network is under construction.

ICC Tools

Meetings and events

2011 work plan

ICC Index

Intercultural strategy

Thematic papers

City profiles

Step-By-Step guide

The interactive Intercultural cities index is now on-line

Interested cities are invited to join the Intercultural cities index.

The Intercultural Cities Index illustrates visually the level of achievement of each city in relation to the 10 key elements of the intercultural integration model, how they progress over time, and how they compare with other cities. The INDEX is based on 66 questions grouped in 14 indicators with three distinct types of data. The INDEX makes it easier to identify and communicate where a city stands in relation to intercultural integration, where effort should be focused in the future and which other cities could be a source of good practice in these particular areas.

A report will be prepared for each city entering the INDEX and the results will be included in the interactive graphs. The INDEX will also serve as a tool for research on the impact of the intercultural approach on the development and well-being of cities.

Reggio 3.0 - A platform to voice all of the inhabitants opinions!

Reggio Emilia launched its new intercultural publication 'Reggio 3.0' at a major press conference It is a joint initiative between the municipality of Reggio Emilia and the Centro Interculturale Mondinsieme, an intercultural training centre. Reggio 3.0 is a monthly publication which is translated into Russian, Arabic and Urdu. It is distributed both in a traditional magazine format and in an online newsletter. It covers a wide range of issues concerning migrants' life, work, education, training and community well-being. Paolo Ligabue, owner of Studio Ligabue, a translation service, volunteered to make this publication available in all three languages.

David Kait, the publication's editor and Marcello Stecco, the managing editor collaborated to create and launch Reggio 3.0. "In the City of Reggio Emilia there are over 65,000 migrants, which I prefer to call 'new Reggiani', coming from over 130 different countries" –said Stecco- "Our territory is one of rapid and increasing migration. It is for this reason that we need to give a voice to these newly arrived inhabitants which are increasingly characterising the city".

In order to fulfil the concept of citizenship, every member of a local community who makes up a city's social fabric must be able to have a voice in his/her community. (more...)

Intercultural cities on social media

Join us at the new Intercultural cities on-line community. Write a weblog about the intercultural challenges for your city or organisation, share your ideas about new intercultural strategies or share evidence about the impact of intercultural integration. You can seek partners for a project and advertise an event. The community is new but very active and rapidly growing. Follow us on Twitter and get hints about useful articles and exceptional artistic projects and policy initiatives.

Intercultural cities connects with the USA

The Centre for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) in Washington which has followed Intercultural city developments in 2010 and brought to the programme their experience with community-based results accountability, will explore the potential of the Intercultural Cities approach in the USA. With financial support by the California Endowment, a study will be commissioned on the application of Intercultural Cities in the USA. CSSP intends to bring together Federal and state government partners along with other USA institutions and organisations that are committed to improving results in cities and addressing the needs of newcomers and immigrants and look into the possibility of establishing an Intercultural cities community in the USA.