Intercultural Cooperation including Minorities

Promoting intercultural dialogue and the respect for cultural diversity represents a priority of CEI intercultural cooperation including minorities.

Efforts are made to support actions preventing cultural, linguistic and ethnic divisions as well as enabling people to deal with different identities constructively and democratically on the basis of shared values.
 
In this framework, the CEI aims at encouraging the competent institutions and organizations in CEI Member States to promote strategies and policies leading to a democratic management of differences in the multicultural societies.
Taking into account that an enhanced regional cooperation for the protection and promotion of cultural heritage (both tangible and intangible) could highly contribute to the preservation of cultural diversity and identity, the CEI supports activities and programmes promoting awareness-raising about cultural heritage, especially by means of establishing and facilitating networking activities, disseminating best practices, seeking for funding opportunities.
 
Activities aimed at advancing the ability of governments and civil society as a whole in preparation, financing and implementation of projects are also endorsed, especially through the promotion of CEI participation in the programmes offered by competent organisations such as the EU/EC, the UNESCO and the Council of Europe.  
 
As outlined in the CEI Plan of Action 2010-12, CEI cooperation in the area of Intercultural Cooperation including Minorities focuses on the following core issues: 
  • Intercultural Dialogue and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (including storage, protection and renewal of audiovisual heritage)
  • Know-how Transfer in the Field of Cultural Management
  •  “Diversity Management” including Protection and Promotion of Minority Languages and Cultures
In this area the CEI supports small scale multilateral projects (i.e. seminars, workshops, training courses) mainly through the CEI Cooperation Fund.