Young people possess extraordinary potential to be agents of change, driving societal progress with their fresh perspectives, boundless energy, and passion for justice. With their openness to new ideas and adaptability, young people can lead the charge in breaking down barriers, promoting inclusion, and helping to create more cohesive communities. Additionally, as digital natives, they can leverage a diverse set of tools and platforms to connect across rigid social lines, learn from one another, and most importantly, mobilise and advocate for social causes.

Youth adaptability, open-mindedness, and commitment to social justice, complemented by creativity and willingness to challenge the status quo, often place young people at the forefront of social change, playing a pivotal role in addressing modern societal challenges such as inequality, discrimination, margnalisation and social exclusion. 

​Diversity

The term “diversity” is often used as an umbrella concept that refers to a range of  human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity,  sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical  value systems, national origin, and political beliefs. Increased urbanisation,  combined with globalisation, technology and artificial intelligence, and  transnationalism are some of the factors that shape today’s diversity.
These  changes have resulted in new diversities, new experiences of space and  creolization, but also new patterns of inequalities and segregation.

Emerging  concepts of “super-diversity” or “hyper-diversity” represent new ways to capture  these quantitative and qualitative complexities of European diversity. They challenge  also traditional ways of looking at power relations between “national-majority” and  “diverse-minority”, identity and diversity management. They emphasise the multiple  aspects of identity, the multi-faceted roots of exclusion and segregation, and the  need to design new policies and governance to address these challenges.

Cultural Diversity

Cultural diversity is a key objective of European Union and the Council of Europe  and is frequently being addressed in programmes and measures of national or  regional cultural policies. Such polices address: the pluralistic ethnic, cultural or linguistic identity and origin of cultural creators, producers, distributors and audiences; a diversity of artistic and other cultural content which, in principle, diverse  audiences can have access to through the media or other distribution  channels; the diversity of actors which are responsible for or involved in decision-making and regulating in different fields of the arts, the media and heritage.​

Why it Matters for the Youth?

The youth and children have been historically excluded in terms of being recognised and valued by decision-makers. In particular, the struggle to have their concerns seen to be just as important as other demographics. Typically, youth groups are included in consultation or discussion tables but are excluded when it comes to policy or program enactment.

It is essential to recognise that youth and children are not a homogenous group themselves and diverse young people should have an equal seat at the decision-making table. Especially, when considering that decisions made today will have a more significant impact on today’s youth and children in the future.​

Young as Agents of Change: Promoting Inclusion and Diversity in Youth Work, Education and Workplace

Diversity Advantage

"The core aspects of the diversity advantage approach are its consideration for cultural differences and the importance to engage migrants in the receiving community’s social and economic life. This is achieved through the establishment of partnerships between various stakeholders, such as civil society organisations, local figures, migrant leaders and activists, just to name a few, for the purpose of opening a dialogue. This enables the building of official and unofficial networks for locals and newcomers to engage in a common discourse based on trust, respect and willingness to cooperate and to live together peacefully."

Kseniya Khovanova-Rubicondo,

CoE's Intercultural Cities Programme Advise

Diversity advantage is both a concept and an approach. 

It premises that diversity  can be a source of innovation bringing valuable benefits to organisations,  communities and businesses, when managed with competence and in the spirit of  inclusion.

The diversity advantage is also the result of policies that unlock the  potential of diversity while minimising the risks related to human mobility and cultural  diversity.

European towns are increasingly becoming crossroads between different cultures. Despite a decrease due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both short-term labour and educational migration and permanent relocation are still actively defining the socio-cultural landscapes of European towns, making them hubs for a variety of cultural traditions and beliefs.

Taking into consideration that for many Europeans the temptation to remain within familiar environments is still too strong, our Network take the initiative to promote the advantages of cultural diversity in European towns.

Our Network seeks to make visible to more European citizens the benefits of setting foot outside our bubbles: intercultural exchange and intercultural dialogue within towns in Europe foster closer collaboration between groups and communities, and promotes the values of democracy, human rights and inclusion in European societies.​

Diverse cultural perspectives can inspire creativity and drive innovation. Local social knowledge, insight and cultural sensitivity means higher quality, targeted marketing.

Diversity attracts human capital, encourages innovation, and ensures fairness and equal access to a variety of groups. The competitive advantage of European towns and thus the most promising approach to attaining economic success, lies in enhancing diversity within the society, economic base, and built environment.