Intercultural Conference 2026
Intercultural Dialogue in the age of AI:
Education for democratic and inclusive digital societies
Artificial intelligence is changing how we access information, communicate and interact. While it offers new opportunities for education and innovation, it also raises important questions about human rights, democracy and cultural diversity.
AI systems can reproduce existing biases and inequalities, while many languages, communities and perspectives, particularly from the Global South,remain underrepresented in their development. In increasingly AI-mediated societies, education can help people use technology critically and responsibly, engage with different perspectives, and foster inclusive intercultural dialogue.
The North-South Intercultural Conference 2026 will explore how education, youth initiatives and public policies can help ensure that AI supports dialogue, inclusion and mutual understanding rather than division and exclusion.
The conference marks the conclusion of iLEGEND III — Intercultural Learning Exchange through Global Education, Networking and Dialogue. It will take stock of the project’s achievements and lessons learned, and consider how its work can inform future priorities for education, youth engagement and intercultural co-operation.
Through initiatives such as Global Education Week, the Youth Summer Universities and the HEY Tutored Online Course on Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue, iLEGEND III has explored themes including digital transformation, inclusion, global citizenship, intercultural dialogue and democratic participation.
Tuesday 3 November 2026
08:30 Registration of participants
09:00 Welcoming words
- H.E. Ms Imma TOR FAUS, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Andorra
- Mr Claus NEUKIRCH, Director of Directorate of Programme Co-operation, Council of Europe
09:30 Group picture
09:45 Keynote Speeches
- Ms Irene KITSOU-MILONAS , Special Representative of the Secretary General on antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and all forms of religious intolerance, Council of Europe
- Ambassador Josep DALLERES, Publisher and writer - Former Ambassador of Andorra to the Council of Europe
Followed by a session of Q&A moderated by Ambassador Andreu JORDI TOMÁS, Permanent representation of Andorra to the Council of Europe
11:00-12:30 Roundtable
How to engage constructively with cultural diversity and inclusion in AI age: AI Literacy, the role of education and education providers.
Moderator: Ms Nadira BACHIR MOUSSA, Secretary General of Stand for Life and Liberty S2, Niger
Experts:
- Ms Charlotte GILMARTIN, Head of the Policy Unit - Secretary to the Gender Equality Commission - Gender Equality Division (DGII), Council of Europe
- Mr Xavier CAMPUZANO IBÁÑEZ, Director of Higher Education, Research and Technological Innovation Department, Ministry of Institutional Relations, Education and Universities of Andorra
- Mr Ahmed SAAD, Co-founder and Programme Manager of Educuality, Egypt
- Ms Sofia ALMEIDA, Research Fellow and Knowledge Broker, Centre for Research and Intervention in Education (CIIE) - University of Porto
14:30-16:30 Parallel Workshops
The Global Education Network (GEN) brings together representatives of civil society organisations, government authorities and academia. The Network supports the implementation of the Global Education activities of the North-South Centre in the framework of the iLEGEND III programme, with members notably playing a key role in promoting the Global Education Week at international, national and regional levels.
The Parallel Workshops are a space for the GEN to showcase their expertise and experience in the field of education, a moment for sharing their best practices related to the main topic of the NS Intercultural Conference.
Rapporteurs:
- Mr Henry Jerome VARFEE, Director of Press and Public Affairs of Liberia National Students Union, Liberia
- Mr Khalil JBEILY, Facilitator at Mouvement Social, Lebanon
18:00 Cultural programme
Kindly offered by the Government of Andorra
Wednesday 4 November 2026
09:00 Welcome back words
09:15-11:00 Roundtable
Intercultural / Interfaith Dialogue and Artificial Intelligence. The role of young people in promoting a genuine dialogue for peace in AI times.
The roundtable will include a presentation of the main results achieved by iLEGEND III programme.
Moderator: Ms Lynda NKECHI EMMANUEL, Peacebuilding, Gender and Intercultural Dialogue Practitioner, Nigeria
Experts:
- Mr Rahim KASSAM, Executive Director - Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Portugal AKDN-Aga Khan Development Network
- Mr Mike WALTNER, Head - Global Capacity Building Section, KAICIID - International Dialogue Centre
- Msgr. Lucio Sembrano, “Youth in Dialogue” sector, Dicastery for the Interreligious Dialogue of the Holy See
- Ms Tamar SHUALI TRACHTENBERG, Head of the European Institute of Education for democratic Culture, Universidad Católica de Valencia -European Institute of Education for Democratic Culture (ECUDEM-UCV) (tbc)
11:30-12:00 Report from the Parallel Workshops
Few inputs and reflections coming from the practices of CSOs in the field of AI and education.
Rapporteurs:
- Mr Henry Jerome VARFEE, Director of Press and Public Affairs of Liberia National Students Union, Liberia
- Mr Khalil JBEILY, Facilitator at Mouvement Social, Lebanon
12:00-12:15 Closing remarks
- H.E. Mr Marc ROSSELL SOLER, Minister for the Civil Service and Digital Transformation of Andorra
3-4 November 2026
Andorra la Vella, Andorra
In partnership with:
The North-South Intercultural Conference is an initiative launched in alignment with the Reykjavik Declaration. The initiative is designed to bridge the growing divide between the North and the South and serve as a platform for discussion on the state of North-South relations and opportunities for mutual development, around key Council of Europe standards.
The North-South Intercultural Conference 2026 is partially supported by iLEGEND III: Intercultural Learning Exchange through Global Education, Networking and Dialogue (2022-2026), joint project 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.
