Practice Exchanges for Intercultural Capacity-Building An activity format of the Platform for Intercultural Europe with local partners

Transcription

1 Practice Exchanges fr Intercultural Capacity-Building An activity frmat f the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe with lcal partners An Intrductin and Hsting Invitatin T Member And Partner Organisatins Octber 2010 Backgrund Practice Exchanges fr Intercultural Capacity-Building are an activity frmat f the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe which is based n the plicy paper it elabrated thrugh public cnsultatin in the curse f 2007/8: The Rainbw Paper. Intercultural Dialgue frm Practice t Plicy and back 1. This dcument cntains fur chapters f recmmendatins which the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe put frward at the end f the Eurpean Year f Intercultural Dialgue 2008 and aims t implement prgressively thrugh its wrk plan. The Practice Exchanges are designed t address the issues f the Rainbw Paper s chapter II n building capacity fr intercultural dialgue in (civic) rganisatins. They examine questins relating t reviewing staff cmpsitins and gvernance structures, serving cnstituencies, grwing intellectual resurces and advancing thrugh cmparisn in a Eurpean perspective. The cre tpic f Practice Exchanges is therefre the intercultural adaptatin f civic rganisatins. Hwever, depending n lcal specificities, intercultural prject wrk, especially if it is cnceived as a cntributin t systemic change can als be the subject f Practice Exchanges. Given the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe s plitical rle in the EU cultural plicy dmain, we are particularly interested in relevant practice in the cultural sectr, but especially where cllabratins with ther sectrs are evident. The practice f nn-cultural sectrs can be in fcus where the hst can carry a significant part f the activity cst, r where specific fundraising fr the Practice Exchange is undertaken. A number f Practice Exchanges have already taken place: 1 See 1

2 In Malmö, suthern Sweden n 15/16th July : This brught tgether prfessinals frm artistic and cultural rganisatins frm acrss the Nrdic regin. It was hsted by the Nrdic Frum fr Interculture. In Vienna, Austria n 20/21 st Nvember 2009: This brught tgether representatives frm the cultural sectr and frm minrity and migrants rights rganizatins. It was hsted by IG Kultur Österreich. In Rme, Italy n 28/29 th May 2010: This brught tgether representatives frm trade unins as well as the civil sciety. It was hsted by the Italian Trade Unin CGIL. The Platfrm plans t hld at least tw activities f this kind per year in the freseeable future and is lking fr rganisatins t hst them in lcatins nt yet cvered 3. This utline is intended t infrm ptential partner rganisatins abut the tasks invlved in hsting a Practice Exchange. Basic Cncept The cncept f Practice Exchanges recgnises the urgent need t enable and facilitate dialgue abut hw different peple and grups make sense f their experiences. This cncept builds n the principle that intercultural dialgue is a demcratic prcess that requires and enhances participants cmpetences fr demcratic engagement. Furthermre, the Practice Exchanges reflect the bligatins and aspiratins f the Eurpean Unin by valuing diversity and by seeking cmmn slutins, which can be als adapted t lcal situatins. During a Reginal Practice Exchange, representatives f civic (i.e. nn-gvernmental r at least arms-length) rganisatins frm ideally a variety f sectrs f activity (and, if pssible, frm a reginal set f cuntries, which share a cmmn plitical and scial framewrk) and representing different cultural backgrunds cme tgether. Fr ne t tw days they exchange experiences, practice and methds n intercultural strategies, plicies and pssibilities. The Practice Exchanges are aimed at practitiners wh have sme track recrd f wrking with intercultural issues. In ther wrds, they are nt intended t bring tgether prfessinals wh are nvices r wh still need t be cnvinced f the need t take interculturalism n bard. Central t the prgramme can be the presentatin f case studies r practice examples, which are then discussed. What is mst imprtant is t fcus n specific issues where disagreement 2 T get inspired yu can read the reprt n (scheduled fr end July). 3 Given the rules applying t ur current funding under the EU Culture prgramme, we are primarily lking t partner with rganisatins lcated in an EU Member State. Occasinally, hsts can als be lcated in EU applicant cuntries (Cratia, Macednia and Turkey) r in EU assciated cuntries (Serbia). 2

3 exists and discussin based n empirical research can play a rle t find cmmn pints. The purpse f this exchange is t draw ut cmparable knwledge, which can infrm the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe s plicy wrk r even lead directly t recmmendatins, which can be addressed t plicy-makers at lcal t Eurpean level. An additinal ptin is t bring relevant plicy-makers (pliticians and civil servants) int the prgramme f a Practice Exchange (n the secnd day, fr example). The Rle f the Hst Organisatin The first mtivatin fr any rganisatin interested in hsting a Practice Exchange must be t help facilitate learning abut ways t make rganisatins in all their aspects reflect and serve the diversity f the ppulatin in which they are embedded, r in what way intercultural prject wrk enhances participatin in diverse ppulatins. Hst rganisatins must als be mtivated t cntribute t the larger exercise f infrming intergvernmental plicy making at Eurpean level with the aggregated insights f practitiners and thus t supprt the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe in its plitical rle under the EU Structured Dialgue 4. T hst a Practice Exchange it is nt a prfit-making prpsitin; rather a hst makes at least in kind (nn-mnetary) cntributins and ideally cvers part f the activity csts. Hsts d, in either case, gain valuable inspiratin and can receive internatinal attentin thrugh a Practice Exchange. Because f the idealistic cmmitment invlved, members f the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe are given pririty amngst interested hsts (prvided their prpsals is f the necessary quality). The rle f the hst rganisatin cmprises the fllwing principal tasks (details can be negtiated). Prpsal f a shrt event descriptin and prgramme, which: shws hw the basic cncept f the Practice Exchanges is adapted t the specific situatin f a particular lcatin r regin, utlines any histry f cllabratins which the hst rganisatin might have with the ptential participants, describes any relevant public plicy initiatives f recent years f the cuntries in questin, cntains a prpsed date and venue, and sets ut all envisaged practical arrangements. 4 Fr details n the Platfrm s plitical rle, please g t: 3

4 Identificatin f a minimum f 30 suitable participants wh: If pssible, cme frm at least 3 cuntries, which culd be cnsidered t belng t the same regin in Eurpe. Wrk in any dmain with an interest in intercultural actin (arts & culture, educatin, yuth wrk, scial wrk etc), but are able t cntribute t the Practice Exchange in English unless the hst rganisatin is able t prvide simultaneus interpretatin (r the Platfrm fr Intercultural Eurpe can cver this cst). are willing t cver their wn travel cst. (If the hst rganisatin can design a prgramme, which cntains an interesting prpsitin fr participants, we have n general bjectins against charging a participatin fee t cver sme expenses. Hwever, a first cnsideratin wuld be that participants cver their wn expenses rather than charge them a fee.) Tw further pints: It is desirable that the participants d nt cme frm ne dmain alne, but that the event als helps the exchange acrss sectrs (fr example that arts & culture rganisatins are brught tgether with representatives frm rganisatins which deal with anti-discriminatin r minrity issues). Crss-sectral wrk is a funding principle f the Platfrm because interculturalism needs brad alliances. The activity must be pen t previus participants f the Platfrm r indeed actively invlve them. The Platfrm secretariat makes prpsals accrdingly. Issuing f invitatins and handling f the registratin management (this can be negtiated if it pses a prblem). Taking charge f the event rganisatin (venue, catering and htel arrangements, etc) (sme help frm the Platfrm secretariat negtiable). There shuld be n venue hire csts (this wuld be in kind spnsrship by the hst rganisatins). Drawing up a draft budget fr the meeting expenses based n written qutes frm any third parties invlved (htels, caterers, etc.). Catering chices shuld be mdest. Accmmdatin shuld nt nrmally exceed three star standard. The rle f the Platfrm is t: 4

5 Cver the travel expenses f the staff f the hst rganisatin, ne night s htel accmmdatin fr all participants, sme venue csts (technical cst and service charge), and all catering csts. The financial supprt f the Platfrm shuld be in the regin f EUR. We are f curse interested in mderate spending, s that we can hld mre rather than fewer practice exchanges. Prvide the mderatr, a cmmentatr, nte-taker(s) and a reprt writer fr the event. Prmte the results f the Practice Exchange and their inclusin in Eurpean level plicy discussins. Prcess And Timing Interested rganisatins shuld submit their prpsal in writing n later than 5 mnths befre the envisaged date fr a Practice Exchange Applicatins shuld be addressed t dialgue@intercultural-eurpe.rg. Prpsals (including applied cncept descriptin, prgramme and budget) are examined by the platfrm secretariat and selected in cnsultatin with its steering grup. A hst rganisatin is nly cnsidered t be engaged after the signature f a written agreement. After cnclusin f an agreement all dcuments pertaining t a Practice Exchange are frmatted in the Platfrm s rganisatinal style. 5