The Intercultural Cities Symposium 2024 in Hamamatsu, held on 10-11 October 2024, brought together a diverse range of participants to discuss topics centred around intercultural inclusion and urban vitality. The discussions focused on nurturing future generations, fostering intercultural exchange through sports, and strengthening international collaborations between cities.
The symposium included workshops, discussions, and panels aiming to facilitate an exchange of ideas on integrating interculturalism into city development and creating environments where everyone is welcome and has the opportunity to contribute, prosper and thrive.
During the symposium, participants made a joint declaration highlighting their commitment to advancing interculturalism within their cities. The “Hamamatsu Declaration” outlines three key commitments:
- Promoting the principles of the Intercultural Cities (ICC) Programme: Cities will share the four principles of equality, diversity, interaction and participation with their citizens and develop practical action plans to implement them.
- Encouraging mutual exchange and dialogue: Cities will foster meaningful interaction and dialogue among people of diverse backgrounds, aiming to create a sense of belonging.
- Embracing interculturalism as a strength: Cities will promote interculturalism as a defining strength of their cities, sharing best practices and building vibrant communities where all individuals can thrive.
The symposium strengthened intercultural networks among cities and promoted further collaboration in making diversity a cornerstone of urban life. While there is a geographical distance between the continents, the cooperation and exchange between intercultural cities are a great enrichment for the entire network.
An overview of the discussions by ICC experts Bob White (Australia) and Keizo Yamawaki (Japan)
