Co-financed by the EU Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF), the EU-Belong project wants to improve the socio-economic inclusion and migrants’ sense of belonging through innovative regional integration strategies. By utilising both intercultural and multi-stakeholder approaches, this groundbreaking initiative aims to set a new standard for inclusion.
The first step to achieve the project goals requires a significant investment in education and awareness programs, able to demonstrate the benefits of interculturality among multiple sectors, advancing the Skills for the Future. This Handbook wants to facilitate this learning process, by collecting practical guidelines to organise and run capacity-building activities, based on the experiences of EU-Belong partners.
The process
Intercultural competences, as defined by the Council of Europe, encompass the ability to mobilise and implement psychological resources effectively in response to intercultural demands, challenges, and opportunities. Developing these competences is essential for fostering social cohesion and positive interactions in intercultural societies, ultimately leading to mutual learning, innovation, and meaningful change.
Within the EU-Belong project, regional authorities coordinated extensive educational programs aimed at enhancing the intercultural competencies across their territory. Aligned with the project’s multi-stakeholder approach, the programs equipped public authorities, private sector actors, and civil society organisations with relevant knowledge, tools, and strategies.
The educational programs were executed through a combination of online capacity-building and in-person learning labs sessions, successfully reaching more than 2,000 individuals. The effective learning methodology employed operates on two interconnected levels: it integrates a transnational perspective while addressing the specific needs and priorities of individual regions. The knowledge gathered has been compiled into a Handbook, making it accessible for other regions interested in replicating these successful practices.
The publication
The EU-Belong “Building Intercultural Competences: A handbook for Regions and Stakeholders” is structured into four distinct sections, each designed to guide practitioners through the complexities of intercultural integration.
In the first section, readers are introduced to a comprehensive framework that emphasises an intercultural approach to integration, based on the core principles of diversity, equality, interaction, and participation. The relevance of a multi-level and multi-stakeholder approach to policy-making is shown, highlighting how collaboration among various actors can enhance the effectiveness of integration strategies.
Moving to the second section, the Handbook dives into the regional-based methodology used for developing and organising online capacity-building programs. This methodology is essential for ensuring that the training offered is relevant and responsive to the unique needs of different regions, thereby promoting a tailored approach to intercultural training.
The third section focuses on twelve key thematic areas of policy, shedding light on the main challenges that each area presents. It explores the various stakeholders that can be engaged and outlines the topics that should be addressed during capacity-building activities. This section also showcases practical examples of intercultural training modules developed by the EU-Belong project partners, offering valuable insights into effective practices.
Finally, the fourth section provides key recommendations for organising similar actions, as well as additional resources.
Through these sections, the EU-Belong Handbook serves as a comprehensive guide, equipping practitioners with the tools and knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities of intercultural policies and enhance related competencies. The content strictly aligns with the Skills for the Future Knowledge Transfer Cluster, which aims to foster essential skills for a diverse and evolving European landscape.
About the project
EU-Belong is a 3-year project co-funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund of the European Union. Coordinated by the Assembly of European Regions (AER) within the framework of its Intercultural Regions Network (IRN), it is implemented in partnership with ten regional authorities from seven European countries: Arad and Timiș in Romania; Catalonia and Navarra in Spain; Donegal in Ireland; Emilia-Romagna in Italy; Leipzig in Germany; Pomerania and Poznan in Poland; Salzburg in Austria; and two technical partners: ART-ER Attrattività Ricerca Territorio and Istituto Economico Cooperazione Internazionale (ICEI).
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For questions, please contact Emanuela Pisanó, EU-Belong Project Manager at e.pisano@aer.eu
