Holy See/ 4.3 Recent policy issues and debates  

4.2.3 Intercultural dialogue: actors, strategies, programmes

Intercultural and Interreligious dialogue are important issues for the Holy See, in order to ensure a better understanding among people. Initiatives in cooperation are important in this twofold area, such as the Study Day of 4 December 2008 dedicated to "Cultures and Religions in Dialogue".

Intercultural dialogue is enshrined in the Pontifical Council for Culture Foundation letter written by John-Paul II (see at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/cultr/index.htm). One of its core missions is to foster intercultural dialogue and it encourages all entities working in collaboration with it to also promote this issue (i.e. the Episcopal commissions for culture and local cultural centres claiming links with the Catholic Church).

Although its range of action is worldwide, the Pontifical Council for Culture is also responsible for promoting intercultural dialogue inside the Vatican. It does so through its own publications, by organising annual interdicasterial meetings, in its contributions to the consultative processes for documents of other internal entities and by promoting premieres, exhibitions, film awards, etc. Other institutions actively involved in this intercultural dialogue are the media directly linked to or depending upon the Vatican: i.e. L'Osservatore Romano, L'Editrice Vaticana (Vatican Publishing House), and Vatican Radio. Due to the special status of the Vatican, there are no private actors in the field of culture, with the exception of patrons who occasionally sponsor some cultural initiatives.

Additional Resources:

Database of Good Practice on Intercultural Dialogue

Key Resources