Intercultural cities: Newsletter N° 25

Newsletter N° 25 - January 2013

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.

Diversity opportunities flourish in Oslo Extra Large

In October 2012 the Norwegian city of Oslo welcomed a group of international experts to review its intercultural policies. This has been the third expert visit to the city since its joining the Intercultural Cities programme as a pilot city in 2008. The visit coincided with the adoption of decision 152/12 by the City Government, aiming to strengthen the central Oslo Extra Large (OXLO) diversity campaign launched in 2001 and to raise awareness thereof among the residents.

The implementation of the Eurocities Charter on Integrating Cities as well as the Norwegian integration policies were also on the agenda. Amongst larger cities that have completed the ICC Index, Oslo has posted the most impressive result. The group were keen to observe how this had been achieved and, in particular, how Oslo translates its wide range of policies into practice. (more...)

ICC Tools

Asia-Europe Intercultural cities summit in Hamamatsu (Japan)

On 25 and 26 October 2012, Mayors and practitioners from intercultural cities of Europe and Asia gathered in Hamamatsu City (Japan) for the second "Asia-Europe Intercultural Cities Summit". They exchanged experience and discussed challenges facing cities in their task for managing diversity as a resource. They discussed the ways of adapting their governance and policies to an increasingly diverse citizenry, in particular in the fields of education, partnerships with business and civil society, and engaging citizens in building the intercultural city. The "Hamamatsu Declaration" was presented by Yasutomo Suzuki, Mayor of the host city Hamamatsu, as a summary of the summit, and was adopted with the approval of participants.

Asserting the diversity advantage

On The city of Copenhagen has raises awareness of diversity advantage at several levels: they demonstrate to public opinion that there are a lot of people interested and willing to work for diversity: a diversity charter has been issued and various organisations have been invited to sign it in order to declare their commitment to diversity. Within a year, 400 associations and companies have signed up. They receive the offers of the city, and get branding as socially responsible organisations with their logos on posters and publications, and they can participate in the city diversity projects. (more...)

Fourth meeting of RECI – Spanish Intercultural cities network

Sabadell, 20 September 2012

Quim Carné, Councillor for Civil Rights and Citizenship of Sabadell City Council, opened the meeting. He made on overview of the migration history of the city of Sabadell and the development of a transversal discourse on interculturalism in the city. Olga Jimenez, Officer of the Department of Civil Rights and Citizenship of Sabadell City Council, presented the good local practice called "Building Citizenship", which wants to stop ignorance about interculturality and promote solidarity in neighbourhoods through interaction, interactivity, information and circulation of knowledge, as the key elements. (more.....)

GRITIM-UPF Numbers 13 and 14 are online !

The Autumn issues (Numbers 13 and 14) of the GRITIM-UPF Working Paper Series are now available online. Further information on the GRITIM-UPF Working Paper Series: GRITIM-UPF Website. (more...)

Standing for Intercultural Mixing and Participation among Migrants in Italy

On 19-20 November 2012 the Italian Network of Intercultural Cities, “Città del Dialogo”, held a school of best practices in Reggio Emilia (Italy). Based on the recognition of the diversity advantage, the event was dedicated to sharing lessons learnt by Italian cities in terms of intercultural dialogue, governance and living together. (more...)

ICC: Facebook and Twitter

The ICC programme is proud to note that its Facebook "friends" have increased to 374 and its Twitter followers have increased to 456. They are kept informed regularly on ICC progress. Please remember to check out the Facebook page and Twitter.