The Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) adopted on 22 September 2026 the “10 Principles for Inclusive Societies and Stronger Democracies”.

The 10 Principles show how intercultural inclusion helps build trust, strengthens cohesion and support democracy in diverse societies. They raise awareness of the benefits of inclusion and mobilise public authorities, organisations and citizens to take action so that everyone can contribute, belong and thrive.

Developed jointly by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Intercultural Inclusion (ADI-INT) and the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE) which chaired the ADI-INT in 2025, the Principles build on the Council of Europe’s intercultural inclusion approach. They provide a practical framework for fostering inclusive societies and strengthening democratic resilience in increasingly diverse societies.

The 10 Principles underline the importance of equality, participation, meaningful interaction, diversity and a sense of belonging in building trust, societal cohesion and stronger democracies. They are intended to support policymakers and practitioners in translating shared democratic values into concrete policies and action across different contexts and levels of governance, while mobilising a broad range of actors around a common vision of inclusive societies.

The Principles also contribute to the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe, linking the intercultural inclusion approach with the broader efforts to strengthen democracy across Europe.

The 10 Principles will be presented and officially launched at the high-level event “Inclusive Societies, Stronger Democracies – Building a shared future where everyone can contribute, belong and thrive”, organised by ADI-INT in cooperation with OBERAXE on 15 October 2026 in Madrid, Spain.