When Neukölln is mentioned, most Germans usually think of one thing: a district with problems. However, a group of experts from the Council of Europe went home with a rather different impression after visiting the city district for three days in summer 2008. Meetings with political and municipal representatives and active citizens as well as visits to various projects enabled them to find out about the diverse activities that already foster intercultural diversity in Neukölln today. At the end of their stay, Council of Europe expert Phil Wood was not the only one to enthuse: “Neukölln is a look into the future of many cities in Europe and the world that will be shaped by migration. The interculturality that has already become normality here will be the reality of many cities in a number of years.” As a result, Neukölln will be the only German municipality to participate with 9 other European cities as pilot partners in the Intercultural Cities project from 2008 to 2009. The initiators are the Council of Europe and the European Commission. The EU programme aims to build a network of cities whose populations all have a high proportion of migrants. The city authorities are to learn from one another how to utilize their cultural diversity in a positive way. In addition to Berlin Neukölln, the title of Intercultural City was awarded to Craiova (Romania), Greenwich (United Kingdom), Izhevsk (Russian Federation), Lublin (Poland), Lyon (France), Melitopol (Ukraine), Neuchâtel (Switzerland), Patras (Greece), Reggio Emilia (Italy), Stavropol (Russian Federation) and Subotica (Serbia).
Jointly with its European partners and with support from the Council of Europe, the municipal authorities will draw up a strategy for the intercultural city of Neukölln by the end of 2009. Nongovernmental organizations and civil society representatives are also involved in this process alongside administrators from Neukölln authorities. Focal areas that have been selected include intercultural youth and education work, culture as a factor for integration, ethnic economics, the intercultural opening of administration and civic involvement.
