European Year of intercultural Dialogue successfully launched

Alter Ego (a EUNIC – project), is one of the seven flagship projects chosen by the Commission to celebrate the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. It consists of a European wide competition running between March 2008 and spring 2009 in 22 member states.

Young people (14–18 years old) were encouraged to explore different and varied identities in their local communities, by creating a double portrait (video, photo, text, music…): a self portrait alongside a portrait of a person from a different background and tradition. The competition was promoted both by national media, through the web, and directly to schools and youth networks and organizations.
All art works have been gathered on a central web space, offering the opportunity to vote on the submitted woks. Per country a jury of artists and media professionals, with an emphasis on known artists of a minority or migrant background, selected two finalists.

In November Alter Ego will invite the young finalists to a 5 day Intercultural Workshop in Denmark where they will be coached by 12 European artists from minority/migrant communities. The young participants will also learn about migration and minorities in Europe.

At the end of the project (January – March 2009), the works generated during this final stage in combination with the works selected from the competition will be part of an exhibition travelling across Europe through the EUNIC network and available through the website as well as on DVD.

The dissemination and follow up strategy developed for Alter Ego uses these products as concrete practical examples and case studies to be included in teachers' kits in tens of thousands of European schools, as well as in the activities of all the partners in this project: cultural institutes, youth organizations and networks as well as community organizations.

The finalists will – based on their recently acquired experience – act as Ambassadors of intercultural dialogue in schools, cultural and community centers but also in political and government institutions.

Media partnerships will cover all three stages of the project: competition and selection of finalists, the Intercultural Workshop and the process of dissemination covered by local, national and European TV and radio networks.

More information is available on the web www.alterego-europe.eu, or at + 32 2 230.73.26 (Ann Laenen, project co-ordinator: ann@cultuurcommunicatie.com; Lise Træland, project assistant: lise@dkibenelux.org)