Intercultural Dialogue – Challenge for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education – Nov 2008

  • In the frame of the European conference, “Intercultural Dialogue – Challenge for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education”
  • Co-organised by the DARE network within its EU-funded project Democracy and Human Rights Education in Adult Learning, the Council of Europe DG IV, the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture (bmukk) and Zentrum POLIS
  • 230 people from 37 European countries representing the broad field of NGO practice, research and policy level attended the event
  • Vienna, 14-16 November 2008


Policy recommendations

Intercultural learning and intercultural dialogue belong to the core competences of education for democratic citizenship and human rights. Intercultural dialogue is a value in itself but still remains an educational task. DARE wants to point out that intercultural learning should be understood as a diversity-oriented approach that aims people to understand and value each other in a multi-dimensional way: be it religious, be it in terms of gender, be it handicapped or not-handicapped, be it in terms of language, race or social/national origin. Out of an educative perspective, intercultural learning should not be reduced to a buzz word or slogan, but should aim to contribute to more democratic societies in Europe.

Intercultural dialogue shall not be reduced to a slogan of a single European Year but remains a core task for all actions and measures taken on the political levels of Europe and its member states. The ability for intercultural learning is a core question for the future of all European societies and corresponds with major future political decisions: migration, aging, social wellbeing and economic competitiveness. Therefore it is more than a political appeal but remains an educational task that affects the future of Europe especially in adult learning.

All European bodies are asked to support the European Charter for Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights as sets a standard for intercultural learning and its implication for the various educational systems in Europe where the EU and its member states should not fall behind.