CLIP Network High Level Meeting

CLIP Network High Level Meeting, 30 November - 1 December 2009, Brussels, Belgium

Intercultural approaches to community-building and cohesion in European cities – what can European integration policy learn from cities on how to manage migration and diversity in times of economic slump?

Objectives

This meeting of the CLIP Network (Network of European Cities for Local Integration Policies for Migrants) will examine new evidence regarding intercultural relations and related policies; with result of studies from CLIP, the Open Society Institute, the Network of European Foundations and the Fundamental Rights Agency.

The meeting has the following objectives:

• Affirm the importance of intercultural policies for the social cohesion of European societies

• Promote the importance of  ‘good practice’ in intercultural policies for future-oriented concepts on diversity, anti-discrimination, social inclusion, integration and cultural relations in Europe

• Discuss shortcomings, challenges, concerns and opportunities of intercultural policies in European cities

• Emphasise the importance of a pluralistic and human-rights based governance approach to intercultural policies

• De-bunk concerns regarding intercultural relations with Muslims and other faith groups in European cities.

A programme with speakers' presentations [also view as pdf

442kb] and workshop programme [.pdf, 684kb] are available.

Organisation

This edition of the CLIP conference is organised jointly by Eurofound, the European Commission (DG EAC), the Council of Europe (Congress and Intercultural Cities Project), the Committee of the Regions, the Open Society Institute and the Network of European Foundations (NEF).

Participants

CLIP cities representatives, the research group, the international organisations supporting CLIP, and additional researchers/organisations relevant to the specific module.

Interpretation

For plenary sessions, simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English/French/German. Simultaneous Spanish will be provided on the afternoon of Monday 30 November 2009. Workshop sessions will take place in English only.