On 22 March 2018, Mohammed Zawahreh, head of the Local Development Unit of the city of Zarqa in Jordan, presented the day-to-day experience of his city that receives and hosts migrants and refugees building on the knowledge and experience gained through the Council of Europe Intercultural Cities programme. The aim of the programme is to support local authorities in the design and implementation of inclusive integration policies, such as refocusing the mind-set of its administration from a logic of deficiency to a logic of diversity advantage. Mr Zawahreh emphasised the crucial role of the Intercultural Cities Programme to make them realise the added benefit brought by the skills and experiences of people with a different background on both the economic and social sectors.

As a result, Zarqa is now focusing on further improving the social links among citizens, and increasing safety.

The city joined the framework of the Joint programme of the EU and Council of Europe - South Programme 2- in 2016. The meeting was held in the context of the Parliamentary Assembly Committee on migration session on the invitation of the Jordanian parliament.