Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue
(2007 04 03 12:32)
The European Forum for the Arts and Heritage in partnership with European Cultural Foundation in Amsterdam created in November 2006 a strong 'civil society' voice which should actively feed into the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008. So far, over 80 organisations across various sectors have responded to our invitation to join this initiative.
THE PLATFORM & DIVERSITY
Activities will focus on increasing the appreciation of diversity among EU citizens, and on enabling them to cope with and benefit from this diversity. The platform will approach the topic of diversity on two fronts. It will explore Europe's diversity as it has been fashioned by history and demography as well as the ‘new diversity' resulting from recent migration. Special attention will be given to urban contexts where diversity is most directly experienced.
WHO
While the platform is an initiative of the cultural sector, organisations from the fields of education, youth, social affairs, human rights, migration, anti-discrimination, etc., are invited as equal partners to shape the platform. Cross-sectoral collaboration is key to the platform's aim of advancing the practice of intercultural dialogue.
KEY OBJECTIVES
• heighten the impact and effectiveness of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue and ensure it has a legacy
• share the concepts and practice of intercultural dialogue
• work towards integrated strategies for intercultural dialogue
• mobilise all sectors concerned so that they have a voice
• contribute to policy analysis and development
• influence cultural policymaking
On latest meeting (5 March 2007) Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue, Brussels more than 80 people from European and national organisations of the culture, education, youth, minorities, and anti-discrimination sectors, joined forces and advanced the Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue to the next level.
After defining the goals and outcomes of the platform, the participants attended workshops on themes related to intercultural dialogue. Outcomes of these workshops contributed to shape best conditions for practice exchange, exploration of fruitful collaborations and the formulation of political recommendations in the months to come.
Read more about Civil Society Platform for Intercultural Dialogue.