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Czech Republic/ 4.2 Specific policy issues and recent debates  

4.2.7 Intercultural dialogue: actors, strategies, programmes

See also  chapter 3.3 and  chapter 3.4.5.

In 2007, the Arts and Theatre Institute was appointed as the national co-ordination point by the Ministry of Culture for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 in the Czech Republic (CR). It was the main organiser for the national project Together across Cultures in 2008. A national strategy for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue in the CR was established and a national project organised on its basis. The project priorities were:

  • promotion and highlighting of issues connected with intercultural dialogue towards a change of thinking in Czech society and in minorities, communities and immigrants with an emphasis on school and out-of-school education of young people; and
  • integration of foreigners and the Romany community using cultural and artistic activities.

The objective of the activities of the Year of Intercultural Dialogue in the CR was expanding awareness and deepening the knowledge about the importance of intercultural dialogue that would lead to mutual enrichment, tolerance, being more open in society and the overall improvement in quality of life. A long-term objective is to change from a multicultural society to an intercultural society – in other words, to change from a situation where various ethnic minorities live separately in society to one where mutually positive dialogue and interaction really happens. On the basis of this strategy, seven projects by six non-governmental organisations were directly supported from EU funds and state sources within the national project. There were projects of an educational nature like the project by People In Need entitled Programmes of Multicultural Education in the Czech Republic or the project Intercultural Education – extension and updating of the handbook for teachers. For more on intercultural education projects in the CR, see also chapter 8.3.3.

Other cultural projects were Babylon Fest by Brno Cultural Centre and Colour Planet Festival by the Counselling Centre for Integration in Ústí nad Labem.

In 2008, as part of the national project Together Across Cultures, the Portal of Intercultural Dialogue was founded, the purpose of which was to serve as the main communication channel for the year. The portal was maintained and at present serves as an open platform mainly for NGOs and for NGO activity in the field of culture and education directed at intercultural dialogue, which contribute to fulfilling the objectives of migration and integration policy in the CR. The portal is designed as an open forum offering space for discussions, publishing opinions and comments, and promoting events by organisers themselves. By presenting activities in the fields of culture, art and education the portal is intended to foster the integration of foreigners and the Romany community. The portal also takes the European framework into account and maps activities at the level of the EU and other member states (e.g. strategies, best practices, European networks). It is funded by the MC and run by the Arts Institute. http://www.mezikulturnidialog.cz

The International Year of Convergence of Cultures 2010 was an opportunity for UNESCO to include ten projects from the Czech Republic that are positive examples and original projects that encourage cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue.

The projects are:

Additional Resources:

Government's overall approach to intercultural dialogue

Database of Good Practice on Intercultural Dialogue

Key Resources


Chapter published: 05-09-2012

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              Council of Europe/ERICarts, "Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, 14th edition", 2013 | ISSN 2222-7334