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Intercultural Dialogue

According to the decision no 1983/2006/EP of the Council and the European Parliament, the year 2008 has been declared as "European Year of Intercultural dialogue".

In a democratic society and especially in the contemporary globalizing world, where societies are increasingly formed as multicultural, there appears an imperative need for the promotion of intercultural dialogue.

Equal participation in cultural life and respect of cultural identity do consist, not only democratic, but also human rights, which ought to be enjoyed by groups with different cultural origins. These values ought not only be absolutely respected, but be also promoted.

The promotion and spread of intercultural dialogue constitutes a catalytic factor in a local, national as well as in a global level, given that culture can, and should, form a dialogue bridge for the member-states of the EU and more broadly, but also among different groups that coexist in a given society.

The international aspect of the cultural measures supported by the European Committee already point towards ‘interculturalism’. Education and the mass media do have a decisive role towards the fulfillment of the goals of intercultural dialogue. Education contributes, from an early age, to the familiarization, awareness and acceptance of the “different” and allows seeing the human being behind the “foreigner” and interact with him in equal terms. The projection of the diversity and the different cultural activities that enrich the cultural life of a society should be the field of action of the mass media and civil society.

The aforementioned decision of the institutional bodies of the European Union declares intercultural dialogue as a main priority, aiming at the awareness of all the citizens and the promotion of the European sensitivity on the matter, driving for smooth social integration and mutual understanding in a world of diversity and universality.

2008 will prove to be a landmark of intercultural dialogue in Europe, so that peaceful, and harmonious coexistence will be ensured and cultural diversity will prove to be a permanent value.