Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue
While societies are culturally diverse and intercultural dialogue is increasingly recognised as an asset, distrust, fear of the other and intolerance persist. Despite greater access to information and learning opportunities, many young people in culturally and religiously diverse societies still feel excluded and not fully integrated, highlighting the need to strengthen competences for intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Global education can fill this gap, adding the value of reflective learning, multiperspectivity and the development of critical thinking as a main goal of the education process.
To introduce key concepts, principles and methodologies of Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue (ICD/IFD), to explore the interrelations among them and their contextualisation in global dimension.
To analyse relevant notions related to ICD/IFD, such as culture, discrimination, racism, majority/minority, inclusion/exclusion, etc., and their interlinkages with human rights.
To develop competences focused on defusing and recognising potential conflicts, thus actively promote a culture of peace and non-violence, and mutual understanding between peoples of different cultures and religions.
To promote active participation of young people in global actions on advancing Intercultural - Interfaith Dialogue.
The training is open to young people aged between 18 and 30 years old from Council of Europe member states (with priority given to North-South Centre member states) as well as from Africa and the Middle East, with the potential to act as multipliers, in particular:
- Members of Civil Society Organisations and Faith-Based Organisations (among others):
- Members of informal groups; grassroot movements; coalitions; local, national and regional youth organisations.
- Organisations working with migrants, refugees and Asylum seekers.
- Cultural operators and mediators.
- Faith actors and religious leaders. - Media practitioners (among others):
- Young journalists.
- Communication officers.
- Bloggers; social media content creators. - Education practitioners in the formal and non-formal sector (among others):
- Teachers; trainers; educators; academia; etc.
80 participants will be selected for this activity; application content will be the basis of the selection's procedure. Priority will be given to candidates active in a CSO or a youth organisation/platform/youth-related institution, with the potential to act as multipliers. Candidates should be able to communicate in English, working language of the course.
The selection will be carried out by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe together with partner organisations, seeking gender and geographical balance. The Council of Europe welcomes applications from all candidates who fulfil the specific profile of the activities, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief or sexual orientation.
Rationale of the course
Societies in general have always been culturally diverse; over the last two decades interculturalism has replaced “exclusive” approaches. In Europe and in other regions of the world there has been a clear international commitment towards intercultural dialogue: the official discourse is to acknowledge cultural and religious diversity as an asset to society and individuals, recognising the role that culture plays in the development of social and personal identities, and the extent to which the recognition, or its denial, affects individual self-esteem and sense of belonging to society.
Despite the fact that people nowadays have easier access to information and learning opportunities than ever before, yet we observe continued distrust and fear of the other, hate crimes, intolerance based on religion or belief and prejudice: there is an increasing number of young citizens who represent the cultural and religious diversity of societies, who describe a sense of detachment from their peer community, and consider that they do not feel fully integrated in the school environment.
Generally speaking, education practitioners from formal and non-formal education sector do not feel always and fully prepared when addressing cultural and religious diversity, they are lacking competences for the development of intercultural and interfaith dialogue, which is fundamental in achieving quality education for all. As a part of a comprehensive approach towards the development of competences for democratic culture, the capacity to engage in intercultural and interfaith dialogue is fundamental: there is an explicit need to explore the nature of the intercultural and interfaith dialogue, its components, the critical knowledge and understanding it requires, the values it represents, the attitudes it expresses, and finally the skills that are associated with it and are needed for its implementation.
Global education can fill this gap, adding the value of reflective learning, multiperspectivity and the development of critical thinking as a main goal of the education process. A process which also deals with the challenges posed by the new forms and the new ways of communication, and with the emergence of a generation of digital natives.
The HEY online training course on Intercultural - Interfaith Dialogue is part of iLEGEND III: Intercultural Learning Exchange through Global Education, Networking and Dialogue (2022-2026), Joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe: co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe. The overall objective of the project is to increase the active engagement of EU member States, candidates and potential candidate countries’ citizens (in particular young people) in safeguarding sustainable development and confronting global challenges and inequalities at local and global level.
Next edition
10 June to 7 July (in English)
Deadline for applications:
31 May 23:59 23:59 UTC/GMT +1 – Lisbon time
The activity is fully free of charge.
Please note that, due to the large number of applications, only the selected candidates will be contacted. Individual requests and follow-up questions will not be addressed, unless considered as assistance to the application process. The selection results will be announced on 5 June 2026. After the communication of the selection results, the selected participants must confirm their participation to the North-South Centre within the given deadline; failure to do so will result in them being replaced by candidates on the shortlist.
Tutored course, fully online, hosted on HEY Programme e-learning platform, based on MOODLE WORKPLACE.
Asynchronous online training. Participants learn at their own pace and schedule completing activities and exercises. However, a certain regularity is required, in order to properly follow the group’s learning process. Synchronous tutoring sessions are intended to facilitate group activities.
Structure: 4 modules (1 module per week). The expected workload is approximately 30 hours in total.
Working methods include different kinds of collaborative and interactive activities and exercises that meet the different learning styles of participants.
A team of tutors accompany participants during the activity, supporting their learning process, providing feedback, moderating discussion, giving inputs, and promoting further reflections on the main topics of the training.
Certificate of participation awarded upon completion of the course.