Innovative Diversity Management and Inclusion Strategies for European Towns

INDIMAE project was implemented as a participative and innovative networking project, anchored in the
social, economic and political reality of the EU, seeking to establish a pan-European network of
towns, working together on improving diversity management and minority rights protection in
European towns. The INDIMAE Network worked to address the challenges of all European societies
and groups. Involving a wide range of citizens from different social and professional backgrounds,
underrepresented minority and migrant communities, the Network fostered a dialogue between public
bodies, twinning committees and civil society organisations, acting to develop sustainable publicprivate
partnerships to counter discrimination and promote cultural diversity. The INDIMAE Project
activities took place between September’ 2020 and November’ 2023, involving 11 partner
organisations from 10 countries – 8 EU members 2 neighbouring countries. Fostering participatory
democracy and human rights, INDIMAE involved a series of joint towns citizens’ actions: 4
international and 11 local residential events, as well as online citizen debates – working together on
inclusive strategies to for further development and implementation of local policies and strategies for
innovative diversity management and inclusion in European towns.
Four residential events have been carried out within this project:
Event 1
Participation: The event involved 131 citizens, including 87 participants from the city of Simitli and
Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as well as 38 participants from the city of Skopje and Mogila, North Macedonia;
Portugal; Lodz, Poland; Dublin, Ireland; Tirana, Albania; Rijeka, Croatia; Italy; Paris, France etc.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Plovdiv, Bulgaria from 05/10/2021 to 07/10/2021
Short description: The aim of the event was to look into the lessons on diversity management and
inclusion that the European towns can take from the European Capitals of Culture.
Event 2
Participation: The events involved 103 citizens, including 72 participants from the city of Dublin,
Ireland and 31 participants from the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Simitli, Bulgaria; Skopje and Mogila,
North Macedonia; Lodz, Poland; Kaunas, Lithuania; Paris, France; Tirana, Albania; Graz, Austria;
Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal etc. etc.
Location / Dates: Dublin, Ireland – from 28/08/2023 to 31/08/2023.
Short description: The aim of the event was to debate how can European towns promote
diversity, tolerance and the respect of common values: migrantsand minorities integration and
inclusion.
Event 3
Participation: The event involved 129 citizens, including 91 participants from the city of Plovdiv and
Simitli, Bulgaria, and 38 participants from Lodz, Poland; Dublin, Ireland; Paris, France; Tirana,
Albania; Graz, Austria; Portugal; Skopje and Mogila, North Macedonia; etc.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Plovdiv and Simitli, Bulgaria, from 08/10/2023 to
11/10/2023
Short description: The aim of the event was to debate how towns and citizens could work on
celebrating the cultural diversity in European societies and countering the anti-migrant populist
discourses in Europe.
Event 4
Participation: The event involved 133 citizens, including 94 participants from the city of Palermo,
Italy,
39 participants from the cities of Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Simitli, Bulgaria; Skopje and Mogila, North
Macedonia; Aleksandrov Lodzki and Lodz, Poland; Kaunas, Lithuania; Dublin, Ireland; Paris, France;
Tirana, Albania; Graz, Austria; Medio Tejo, Portugal etc.
Location / Dates: The event took place in Palermo, Italy, from 27/11/2023 to 30/11/2023
Short description: The aim of the event was to debate on the innovative strategies addressing the
challenges of diversity management in European towns.