14/7/2008 - Intercultural Dialogue Day, September 26th 2008: Press Release (May08)

PRESS RELEASE

Intercultural Dialogue Day
September 26th 2008

EFIL, the European Federation for Intercultural Learning, is the leading voluntary organisation in Europe in the field of educational exchanges for secondary school pupils. Thousands of volunteers promote the idea of mobility for the sake of intercultural dialogue, across the continent, in 22 national associations, that are also part of the world wide network of AFS Intercultural Programs.

60 years of intercultural experiences have prompted EFIL to become part of the celebrations of the “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008” and of the 1001 Actions for Dialogue Campaign, and to declare September 26th the “Intercultural Dialogue Day”, in cooperation with the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures (ALF).
• On that day, AFS volunteers in 21 countries will make a joint effort to set up simultaneous events in around 400 cities all over Europe and in the Mediterranean Region. School workshops, public movie screenings, high-level panel discussions will be on the agenda, as well as concerts, youth debates and cross-border video conferences.
• More info can be found on the website www.interculturalday.eu. An online competition “A tip a day” seeks to involve the general public throughout 2008 and calls for tips on dealing with intercultural incidents and on enhancing Intercultural Dialogue. Out of all tips published, the “Tip of the Year” will be announced on the “Intercultural Dialogue Day”.

It is the joint enthusiasm and commitment of the ten thousands of individual exchange students, and the interaction with their hosting surroundings that creates real change. Young people who build lasting friendships across cultures within and outside their home country, are one of the pillars to ensure future dialogue and understanding between peoples and nations. That is what EFIL/AFS and ALF aim to highlight on the “Intercultural Dialogue Day” on September 26th 2008.

More information:
Verena Schiefer
Project Manager, European Federation for Intercultural Learning
Avenue Emile Max 150, B – 1030 Brussels
Tel.: 32 2 514 52 50; Fax: 32 2 514 29 29; mobile: +32 488 479 797
Email: verena.schiefer@afs.org
Website: www.interculturalday.eu ; http://efil.afs.org

Gianluca Solera

Network Coordinator, Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures, P.O. Box 732, Alexandria 21111, Egypt
Tel.: +20 3 4831832 , Fax +20 3 4812734,
Email: solera@euromedalex.org
Website: www.euromedalex.org ; www.1001actions.org

For the PDF version please see the attached document below.