City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

Tone Skodvin

Chief AdviserDepartment of Educationand Cultural AffairsCity of Oslo

–The city of Oslo, Norway

–Moving towards an intercultural city

Interacció 2008 Barcelona

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

Oslo:Population 560 000

• 20% minorities (non-western)• 30% adults with immigrant background• 40% of the children

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

VISION

AND LEADERSHIP

Oslo aims to be an inclusive city – without racism and prejudice – Oslo Extra Large OXLO

To succeed, the city must make use of the advantages of diversity, and make space for the ambitions and talents of all citizens -

without regard to race, ethnicity, religion or cultural background

City Chief Commissioner

Erling Lae

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

The Intercultural city:

Sharing the old

symbols of belonging

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

“Diversity and tolerance

may give Oslo an edge

in the competition

with other cities”

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

2007 Statistics

Work

5% unemployment (2% 4%)

60% in jobs (70 %)

Education

40 % drop out secondary level (25 %)

20 % in higher education (30 %)

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

2007 Public survey

Minorities feel– less optimistic about opportunities in work and education– less feeling of belonging– less contentment

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Minority

Majority

Minority 55 30 50 60

Majority 65 60 70 70

Belonging Work Education Contenment

Improvements from

2004 public survey

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

VALUESRESPONSIVE

SERVICESRESPECT

INTEGRITY INVOLVEMENT

City council mission statement:

Diversity enriches the city and makes it stronger.

Immigrants shall feel welcome, and they and their descendants shall feel that they belong

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

OUTCOMES

EVIDENCE COLLECTION

– Equal opportunities

– Inclusive public services

– Just recruitment policy

– Antidiscrimination action plans

– Contingency plans against

hate crime and organized racism

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

Campaign against racism

• OXLO-prize

• Week of tolerance

• Roundtable workshops

• Interference programs in schools

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

Future questions to be handled

• Oslo (and Norway) has only 35 years experience of including migration populations

• New meaning and connotations to the term ”Norwegianess”

• Improving public services to a diverse population

• Recruitment policies - recruiting leaders from a diverse population

City of OsloDepartment of Education and Cultural Affairs

Future questions to be handled

• Mobilizing the resources of minority groups and their organizations in renewing the OXLO policy

• Moving from ”mere” tolerance to interaction between diverse groups

Intercultural dialogue

Promoting interreligious dialogue between churches and communities ?