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Assembly of European Regions

Connecting regions, inspiring Europe since 1985

You are here: Home / Intercultural Regions Network

Intercultural Regions Network

About

Europe is becoming more diverse. The key to fostering inclusion is adopting an intercultural approach based on strong coordination among all levels of government and other relevant stakeholders. 

Inspired by the Intercultural Cities Programme of the Council of Europe, the Intercultural Regions Network aims to provide a platform for regions to share knowledge, resources and experiences to promote intercultural integration at regional level.

The Network will provide support for regions to design, implement and evaluate diversity and inclusion strategies based on the principles of equal opportunities, recognition of diversity and positive interaction between people from different origins.

Principles and objectives of the Network

  • Guarantee equality of rights and duties for all residents. Regions will work to balance the rights and obligations in guaranteeing equality of rights and obligations for all citizens, and will also work to guarantee access to public services, such as education and health for all citizens, regardless of their administrative situation.
  • Guarantee equality of opportunities for all citizens. Regions will promote social mobility opportunities to ensure all inhabitants have the chance to advance via employment, entrepreneurship, education, voluntary work, political engagement, and cultural pursuits. 
  • Recognize and acknowledge diversity. Regions will promote actions and policies that help all citizens understand the value of diversity, embrace pluralism and deal with difference in a constructive manner. 
  • Promote interaction among all citizens. Regions will facilitate meaningful intercultural dialogue between all citizens, regardless of their country of origin or other elements of identity. 
  • Promote a shared common culture. Regions will promote the creation of a shared public culture based on democratic values, respect, human rights, and also gender equality. 
  • Fight against racism, xenophobia, hate, and any kind of discrimination. Regions will actively fight against all forms of hate violence at all levels. 
  • Work towards increasing the sense of social belonging of all citizens. Regions will work towards achieving that all citizens feel part of the society without having to renounce to their cultural identity. 
  • Involve citizens of diverse background in the decision-making process. Regions will involve all citizens affected by specific public policies, regardless of their origin and nationality, to participate in the design and implementation process, including via modern deliberative and participatory processes. 
  • Work towards full citizenship for all citizens. Regions will actively work to enable all citizens to obtain citizenship in the countries where they are living. 

Roadmap and activities

Below can be found the four main key action of the Intercultural Regions Network, as well as the roadmap for the development of these activities. The activities of the Intercultural Regions Network have been established by the member regions and key actors involved: the Council of Europe and the Assembly of European Regions in synergy with two projects: REGIN and INCLUD-EU.

  1. Development of a generic policy framework and a multi-stakeholder governance model for intercultural integration at the regional level, based on the Principles of the IRN, as well as adapting it to the Intercultural integration policy approach and the Intercultural cities INDEX benchmark to the regional level in order to monitor policy progress.
  2. Organisation of capacity-building sessions for regional officials (elected and non-elected).
  3. Development of regional intercultural strategies.
  4. Embedding regional intercultural strategies in action – commitments by stakeholders

Members

  • Catalunya (ES)
  • Värmland (SE)
  • Västra Götaland (SE)
  • Västerbotten (SE)
  • Emilia Romagna (IT)
  • Innlandet (NO)
  • Murcia (ES)
  • Navarra (ES)
  • Valencia (ES)
  • Arad (RO)
  • Basque Country (ES)
  • Council of Europe

If you are interested to join our network, please fill in this expression of interest and send it to Gisela Guari Cañada at [email protected]

News

Interculturalism for Intercultural Regions to be!

Interculturalism for Intercultural Regions to be!

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How To Foster An Intercultural Approach To Education & Training- Highlights From Includ-EU Webinar

On 24 May 2022, AER organised, within the framework of the Includ-EU project and in cooperation with IOM (International Organisation ...
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Inclusive Housing: Why And How?

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Includ-EU and the Agenda 2030- Two Days of Exchange at the Heart of Europe

On 28-29 October, the INCLUD-EU Project held its Second Regional Workshop in a series of 5 thematic sessions facilitating knowledge ...
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The project in a nutshell: The Includ-EU Project is funded by the European Union's AMIF- Asylum Migration and Integration Fund ...
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Active Participation & Social Inclusion To Harness The Diversity Advantage

Active Participation & Social Inclusion To Harness The Diversity Advantage

On 16th February 2021, the Assembly of European Regions in cooperation with IOM and the Intercultural Regions Network hosted the ...
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Intercultural Regions: Active Participation & Social Inclusion

Intercultural Regions: Active Participation & Social Inclusion

On 16 February AER will organise a webinar on how regions can foster active participation & social inclusion of third-country ...
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Intercultural Regions: Improving Labour Market Inclusion

Intercultural Regions: Improving Labour Market Inclusion

On November 10th, the Assembly of European Regions in cooperation with IOM and the Intercultural Regions Network hosted the webinar ...
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Webinar on Improving Labour Market Inclusion: save the date!

Webinar on Improving Labour Market Inclusion: save the date!

We are pleased to invite you to a webinar on how regions can improve labour market integration policies and practices, ...
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Opportunity: Capacity Building Of City Services For The Inclusion Of Migrants

Opportunity: Capacity Building Of City Services For The Inclusion Of Migrants

Helping city services to fight gender-based violence The EU-funded project Equalcity is supporting local services to better identify, prevent and ...
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AER and Intercultural Regions Network meet with Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson

AER and Intercultural Regions Network meet with Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson

On 10 July, the AER President, Magnus Berntsson, and the Chairs of the Intercultural Regions Network (IRN), Oriol Amorós, Secretary ...
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The intercultural approach: a key for better service provision

The intercultural approach: a key for better service provision

Regional and local authorities are at the forefront when it comes to addressing integration needs in practice. The Covid-19 pandemic ...
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Improving access to public services: Join the webinar!

Improving access to public services: Join the webinar!

Hosted and moderated by AER in cooperation with IOM and the Council of Europe, the webinar “Intercultural regions: improving access ...
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Intercultural Regions Network set for launch!

Intercultural Regions Network set for launch!

European regions have agreed to establish an Intercultural Regions Network to better work together to develop comprehensive intercultural strategies to ...
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Intercultural Regions - Where to Next?

Intercultural Regions – Where to Next?

Building on the impetus generated at the AER’s Spring Bureau Meeting in Larnaca (CY) on 6 June 2019, Catalonia has ...
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Building Intercultural Regions

Building Intercultural Regions

AER’s General Assembly and Spring Bureau Meeting in Larnaca (CY) on 5-6 June 2019 brought together regional leaders from across ...
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