2008: European Year of Intercultural Dialogue

„Together in diversity“

Monica Urian de SousaDG EAC, European Commission

Budapest, 23 April 2008

CONTEXTCultural diversity is at the heart of the EU project

Successive enlargements have increased diversity within the EU

The free movement of people in the Single Market increases diversity within EU Member States

The EU is faced with old and new migratory flows

Globalisation facilitates increased interaction between cultures, languages, religions, ethnicities

EU faces new challenges

CHALLENGES

We want to go beyound multicultural societies, where cultures and cultural groups simply coexist

Tolerance is not enough anymore

In an intercultural EU, cultural diversity is a source of creativity, innovation, and prosperity

CHALLENGES

Respectful exchange between different worldviews, mutual understanding, intercultural competence are paramount in an intercultural society

European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008

GENERAL EYID OBJECTIVES

• Promote intercultural dialogue as a process of integration in a more open and more complex world

• Encourage cultural diversity

• Develop a European citizenship open to the world

EYID KEY MESSAGES

Intercultural dialogue contributes to:

• mutual understanding and a better living together

• exploring the benefits of cultural diversity

• fostering an active European citizenship and a sense of European belonging

THE YEAR IN A NUTSHELL

10 M€ for European and national projects, communication, studies and evaluation

7 European flagship projects, launch and closing events: 3 M€

1 project per Member State: 3 M€

Information and communication campaign: 3,3 M€

Studies and evaluation: 0,7 M€

Moreover, mainstreaming of intercultural dialogue in other EU programmes:

“Youth in Action”, “Lifelong Learning”, “Europe for Citizens”, “Culture”

THEMES OF THE YEAR

Topics selected for a special focus during 2008:

• Culture and the arts

• Education

• Migration and integration

• Multilingualism

• Inter-faith dialogue

• The workplace

• Media

Sustainable strategy for intercultural dialogue in Europe beyond 2008, part of the European Agenda for Culture

PARTNERSHIP APPROACH

EYID2008

Youth features

Civil Society

Media Partnership

CAMPAIGN DRIVE FOR EYID EUROPEAN STRATEGY

AN EMERGING EUROPEAN

STRATEGY FOR INTERCULTURAL

DIALOGUE DRIVEN BY:

• Continuous input from civil society @European and national levels

(Rainbow paper of Civil Society Platform for intercultural dialogue,

input from EYID partners during 2008)

• Mobilisation of Member States

(network of National Coordination Bodies)

• Mobilisation of the European Parliament

OBJECTIVES OF THE CAMPAIGN

• Raise awareness of the Year among the broad public, especially young people

• Increase visibility of the Year‘s activities

• Communicate the results of Community and Member States actions

• Foster networking between stakeholders across Europe

EUROPEAN YEAR ONLINE• Official website launched in 23 languages on 07 January 2008

GET INVOLVED IN ICD:

www.dialogue2008.eu

Partners’ section = network of civil society actors involved in intercultural dialogue where you can:

- present your profile and work

- network with more than 1.000 colleagues involved in ICD

- share your best practices & learn with others

- get Europe-wide visibility for your events, projects and contents

- brand your activities with the official image of the Year (Toolbox)

- get information about policy debates and initiatives

“Cultures on my street”- PHOTO INITIATIVE

• Pan-European photo competition for all European residents,

regardless of age or origins: www.street-cultures.eu

• Task: “Capture your vision of intercultural dialogue”

• Objective: Generate high-quality photo material to be

used to promote the Year

• Selecting the winners:

- Public‘s favourite award through online voting

- Three winners selected by professional jury

• Prizes worth 15,000 Euro: professional cameras and study trips

BRUSSELS DEBATES• Seven debates, held on every first Wednesday of the month (March –

November)

• Objectives:- To provide a platform for reflection and exchange of ideas on

intercultural dialogue- To generate media interest

• Upcoming topics: • interreligious dialogue • Workplace• multilingualism • education• role of the media

• Online forum

TO CONCLUDE

The success of the Year depends on

you!

Thank you for your attention!Monica.Urian-de-Sousa@ec.europa.eu