On Monday 5 December, the Council of Europe’s Steering Committee on Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI) adopted two practical documents to help states engage policy-makers, public officials and the general public in perceiving diversity not as a threat, but as a collective asset - not only for migrants, but for society as a whole.
While recognising that there is no “one size fits all” solution, the “Capacity building programme and tools for migrants’ integration” and the “Manual for the design of a training course on intercultural competence” aim to strengthen the capacity of Member States to implement the Council of Europe’s standards on inclusion.
The former promotes the adoption of national intercultural integration strategies that involve state institutions, local and regional authorities and civil society.
It pays particular attention to migrant women, children, youth and LGBTQ+ people.
Based on the observation that civil servants are not always prepared for the demands of a diverse population, the second tool focuses on the development of staff trained in intercultural competence, which is “even more relevant in the current geopolitical, sanitary and climate contexts”.
The main focus of the manual is on transmitting the values of integration, combating prejudice and stereotypes, and identifying multiple forms of discrimination.
The manual also looks at ways to encourage inclusive communication.
Link to the programme: https://aeur.eu/f/4hv
Link to the manual: https://aeur.eu/f/4hw (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)