The Spanish cities of Bilbao and Valencia have been awarded one of the Intercultural Cities grants for inter-city work.

Through their project “DIVERSITOURS”, the two cities will develop a methodology for intercultural visits, tours and interaction experiences in neighbourhoods with high representation of migrant population. The project will also contribute to increase the intercultural competence of the participating cities by:

• Gathering knowledge on the socio-educational fabric of the neighbourhoods where present and past migrations are most deeply rooted.
• Promoting the co-creation of an educational programme of intercultural visits and experiences in the concerned territories.
• Analysing the impact of the pilot action on intercultural coexistence, under its socio-economic aspects.

The project will involve:

• Research and analysis of case studies of the European MIGRANTOUR programme.
• Mapping and analysis of the historical memory of the targeted neighbourhoods, involving city officials, citizens of foreign background, research centres and civil society actors.
• Designing the visits’ routes.
• Training community agents in each neighbourhood to conduct the intercultural visits and experiences.
• Designing a communication and marketing campaign.
• Carrying out a pilot visit.
• Conducting the evaluation of the impact.

Within the project, two case studies will be developed and include the history of migrations, the social transformation of the neighbourhoods, highlights on the contribution of the diversity to their development, and the identification of spaces and milestones linked to the intercultural construction of the neighbourhoods. At the end of the project, two intercultural routes will be designed and local migrants will be trained as key community agents.

It is expected that the project will contribute to the inclusive urban regeneration of the targeted neighbourhoods by valuing the local present and historical significance of the migrations and the cultural diversity in the cities. It will further increase Bilbao and Valencia’s commitment towards the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities programme principles. And finally, it will contribute to the development of an intercultural narrative for the neighbourhoods with a high presence of migrant population.

The departments of economic promotion and development at municipal level Bilbao Ekintza and Valencia Activa could help the two local organizations to develope the start up project in their specific entrepreneurship services.

Congratulations to the project team!