Avenue de l'Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex
Tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 20 00
www.coe.int

Intercultural cities: good practice examples

The Intercultural city aims at building its policies and identity on the explicit acknowledgement that diversity can be a resource for the development of the society.

The first step is the adoption (and implementation) of strategies that facilitate positive intercultural encounters and exchanges, and promote equal and active participation of residents and communities in the development of the city, thus responding to the needs of a diverse population. The Intercultural integration policy model is based on extensive research evidence, on a range of international legal instruments, and on the collective input of the cities member of the Intercultural Cities programme that share their good practice examples on how to better manage diversity, address possible conflicts, and benefit from the diversity advantage.

This section offers examples of intercultural approaches that facilitate the development and implementation of intercultural strategies.

Template for collection of Good practices >>

Young Mayor

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2018 onwards

Purpose: Putting power and responsibility in the hands of young people. Stimulus/Rationale: Lewisham Young Mayor is a robust attempt to put real power and responsibility in the hands of young...

Read More

Lisbon’s ethnic economy

Portugal Lisbon 2016

Purpose: The study aimed to support the development of immigrant entrepreneurship initiatives in Lisbon, and the main objectives were the following: Provide some basic socio‐economic features about...

Read More

Urban art for Intercultural Interaction - “o Bairro i o Mundo”

Portugal Loures 2013-July 2023

Purpose: Regenerating a stigmatised neighbourhood through large-scale art project Stimulus/Rationale: Quinta do Mocho was for many years the most stigmatised of neighbourhoods in Loures, associated...

Read More

Local Assemblies

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2008 onwards

Purpose: A network of citizen forums which empower local decision making and action Process: This programme started in 2008 and consists in a forum during which the Council talks to the residents,...

Read More

Welcoming internationals to the city

Norway Stavanger Ongoing for several years

Purpose: Several years ago, the Stavanger Chamber of Commerce and Industries started a program to introduce international employees and their families to the city. The region’s Welcome Center is...

Read More

First Welcome

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: The city is applying an intercultural approach to dealing with welcoming newcomers, via a two-stage process. The First Welcome deals with the basic issues of identification, certification,...

Read More

Having Faith in Lewisham

United Kingdom London-Lewisham 2016 onwards

Purpose: Putting faith groups at the heart of community building Stimulus/Rationale: A large number of residents subscribe to a religion and of the rapidly growing number of faith groups (over...

Read More

Centre for Conflict Mediation

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: The intervention is aimed at managing conflicts arising from neighbourly relations and proximity between people and is intended to improve social relationships so there is an alternative...

Read More

House of Peace and Human Rights

Spain Donostia-San Sebastian Since 2010

Purpose: The House of Peace and Human Rights aims at disseminating the culture of peace, the promotion of human rights, peace processes and the recovery of historical memory. It does so in...

Read More

Intercultural Museum

Norway Oslo 2016

Purpose: The aim of the museum is to exhibit and tell the history of diversity in Norway, conceptualizing the museum as a space of dialogue that involves as wide and diverse a range of people as...

Read More

Maio - Diálogo Intercultura / May Intercultural Dialogue

Portugal Setúbal 2008 - ongoing

Purpose: May – Intercultural Dialogue is affirmed in Setúbal as a moment of sharing and joint work, with the aim of promoting intercultural dialogue and coexistence, through the promotion of...

Read More

Educational equality in Oslo. Tackling educational segregation through raising standards

Norway Oslo 2016-

Purpose: The aim of this project is to combat educational segregation through organizational structures, activities and curricula that increase diversity and intercultural learning in public school...

Read More

School Approaches for Family Empowerment (SAFE)

Italy Reggio Emilia 2016

Purpose: SAFE aims to reach and involve public servants, intercultural mediators, school principals and families. It has been developed to give the school a central role in the process of social...

Read More

Johannes Learning Centre - a bilingual school which teaches and hires minorities

Norway Stavanger Running for several decades

Purpose: Johannes Learning Centre is Stavanger’s main vehicle for building language competence. Although originally all the staff were Norwegians, 40% are now of minority background. The school has...

Read More

Don’t Feed the Rumour

Portugal Amadora From September 2014 to May 2015 (still ongoing as part of the municipal strategy for promoting interculturality)

Fight against misconceptions, prejudices, rumours and stereotypes about migrants and the city of Amadora, and provide correct information on migration and ethnic and cultural diversity “Immigrants...

Read More

Safer Alta de Lisboa

Portugal Lisbon 2009 - ongoing

A community-policing service based on intercultural principles Purpose: Since 2007, the Lisbon Municipal Police (LMP) has been developing a community policing strategy, seeking the maintenance of...

Read More

Give Something Back to Berlin

Germany Berlin 2012 onwards

Purpose: A social enterprise that treats refugees not as victims but bringers of diversity advantage Process: The “Give Something Back to Berlin” (GSBTB) foundation is a fine example of a civil...

Read More

Siemens’ program for integrating refugees

Germany Erlangen ongoing

Purpose: Erlangen shows that labour markets can open up to refugees under favourable circumstances Process: With a population of 100 000, the City of Erlangen is home to the University of...

Read More

District Mothers

Germany Berlin-Neukölln 2016

Purpose: Migrant mothers reaching out to and integrating other migrant mothers Stimulus/Rationale: Process: The “Stadtteilmütter” (District Mothers) project is targeted at areas under Neighbourhood...

Read More

Intercultural Integration Plan 2015-2020

Ukraine Melitopol 2015-2020

Purpose: Despite inter-ethnic strife in Ukraine one city offers leadership in pursuit of an alternative way Process: Whilst war and interethnic conflict has raged to the east (Donbass) and south...

Read More

Topic
0 International outlook
Year