On 18th February the city of Modena (Italy) has joined the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities Network, becoming its 135th member.

As of today, the Italian city of Modena becomes the 135th municipality to take part in the Intercultural Cities programme, after the Mayor signed the agreement officialising the city’s membership to the Italian network of Intercultural Cities.

Under the name “Città del Dialogo” (Cities of Dialogue) the Italian Network is the biggest national network under the Intercultural Cities programme, bringing together 28 participating cities and the Italian Association of Municipalities. Under the technical coordination ICEI (International Institute of Economic Cooperation), the Italian Network recognises and promotes interculturalism and the diversity advantage concept, as principles to be mainstreamed in policy-making and policy implementation in diverse societies. The cities of the Network foster intercultural dialogue, equality and inclusion, exchange of good practices, innovation and knowledge-sharing, involving all strategic actors in this field.

Modena is a city of 185.000 inhabitants, located in Emilia Romagna region, particularly known for Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati factories, as well as for its reputed University. Around 15% of its residents are foreigners. By joining the Intercultural Cities Programme and Network Modena commits to make diversity an advantage for the whole society by adopting interculturalism as a policy framework for achieving community cohesion, equality, inclusion and prosperous development in culturally diverse societies.

About Intercultural Cities

INTERCULTURAL CITIES (ICC) is a Council of Europe capacity-building and policy development programme to support local authorities (across Europe and beyond) in the design and implementation of inclusive integration policies and strategies based on the intercultural integration policy model. Tested with cities and local authorities, the intercultural integration policy model has been endorsed – back in 2015 - by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers through the adoption of a specific Recommendation addressed to the 47 Member States. The recommendation recognises the ICC model as an effective policy approach to amplifying and managing as a resource the socio-economic benefits that diversity brings to European societies.

More information: www.coe.int/interculturalcities