Diversity Unites: Arts and Intercultural Dialogue in European cities – experience, concepts, perspectives

In connection with the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008, a congress entitled "Diversity Unites - Arts and Intercultural Dialogue in European Cities: Experiences, Concepts, Perspectives", was held in Dortmund. The aim of the congress was to present concepts, structures, models and key projects from different European cities, which are exemplary for intercultural work at a local level. Speakers and presenters from the areas of politics and culture in Germany and Europe provided a thoroughgoing survey of the current discussions on local authority cultural work in a European comparison. In North Rhine Westphalia the debates on an equitable participation of migrants in the cultural life of cities are supported and promoted in an exemplary manner by the Federal State’s department of culture. Its measures include a successful appeal to local authorities to develop action strategies for intercultural work.