The intercultural approach has proven to be efficient in creating trust in public institutions as well as acting as a deciding factor in how residents perceive the diversity of their societies. For successful implementation of the intercultural principles, the Intercultural Cities Programme (ICC) offers a wide range of tools for cities to apply within their strategies, policies, projects and actions. The approach of the programme is broad, offering peer-to-peer learning on both a general level, as well as within specific policy fields. Available resources include benchmarking, policy reviews and recommendations, peer and expert advice for policy innovation, tested methodologies in specific policy fields, impact evaluation and communication.

However, for member cities to fully benefit from the whole set of opportunities offered by the intercultural integration approach, it is important that a majority of their staff is trained to understand and apply the intercultural principles broadly and within all relevant sectors, across all municipal departments. This is particularly true for new cities joining the programme that have little experience with migrant integration and diversity management and are looking to develop and implement intercultural policies as well as for cities who wish to develop competence within a particular policy area or for staff within a particular field.

In order to help build knowledge and capacity in cities and streamline the process, the Intercultural Integration Academy is a useful space where to find all basic information, as well as to be presented with all the services and tools of the programme.

They are capacity-building sessions customized based on the needs of the selected target group and combine practical exercises with theory on the main features of intercultural inclusion. The largest benefit is achieved when participants have the opportunity to prepare beforehand and the training can integrate real life examples from the cities involved.

 

 Participants

Participants in each Intercultural Integration Academy may vary depending on the topic chosen and the target group. Academies can target Mayors and members of their cabinet; City Council representatives in charge of integration/diversity/equality/inclusion/social cohesion/public space/safety and security and other related issues; key policy officers (Heads of department etc.); community services representative(s), including for cultural and arts policy and initiatives; municipal staff from different directorates, notably project managers of relevant related programmes or initiatives (including city planning, education, housing, economy/employment, public services etc.); appointed manager/coordinator for the Intercultural Cities programme (applicable only if the city is already an Intercultural Cities member); key NGO representatives (eg. members of the intercultural consultative bodies); communication officers and officials in charge of media and public relations.

 

 Activities

The Intercultural Integration Academy is structured over two to three days as an intensive and immersive programme replicable in different cities and with the goal of streamlining the process of appropriating concepts and tools. The offer range, from more general topics to the more specific ones, and focus areas can include the following:

General intercultural topics:

  • Intercultural competence
  • Intercultural strategies and policymaking
  • Intercultural narratives and inclusive communication
  • Multi-level governance of intercultural integration

Suggested specific areas:

  • Anti-rumours
  • Business and diversity
  • Public spaces (including sustainable cities and minimising gentrification)
  • Preventing and identifying (systemic) discrimination

Academies are organised by the ICC programme upon request from a group of member cities, and subject to availability of human and financial resources.

 

 Focus areas