Creative Europe
Desk UK
for Culture

2008 was designated by the European Commission as the “European Year of Intercultural dialogue”. The aim of the year was to increase people’s mutual understanding and their appreciation of the many different cultures in Europe and to help them develop a sense of the values and traditions we share as part of our common European citizenship. For the European Commission, the key goal of the year is to strengthen respect for cultural diversity and the coexistence of different cultural identities and beliefs. In addition, the year aimed to highlight the contribution of different cultures to the member states’ heritage and way of life and to recognise that intercultural dialogue is essential for learning to live together in harmony. This project embraced those issues. The project aims are elaboration of new forms of work for intercultural practices, understood as the craft of bridge builders” and creation of laboratories for the development and practising of the craft.”