Social Cohesion and Conflict Prevention

• Course introduction
• Learning objectives
• Content (subject to change)
• More information

What are the effects of immigration and globalisation on local communities? How do municipalities deal with newcomers and the integration of different ethnic groups in their communities? Can local authorities maintain stability in neighbourhoods where many people with different backgrounds and lifestyles live together?

Nearly all big cities in Europe face the challenges described above. This training course starts with a helicopter view on immigration and integration from a European Perspective, which will enable you to relate your own experiences to the wider European context. This will be followed by a presentation on the effects of immigration on social cohesion in urban neighbourhoods. We will then zoom in on the day-to-day practice in The Hague and Antwerp. You will learn about the different approaches adopted by these two cities and visit examples of integration projects. On the last day of the training course, you will participate in a game simulation in which the roles of governors, municipal staff and citizens are further elaborated.

This training course will contribute to the development of your professional knowledge and skills related to:

• immigration, demographic development and integration policy in Europe related to the local level;
• lessons learned from the past, do’s and don’ts;
• analysing and understanding the situation in your own municipality;
• instruments and approaches for dealing with ethnic diversity;
• effective ways of communication with minority groups.

Besides presentations and discussions, various local government practices will be shown and discussed:

Hague Encounter (The Hague)
Following the 9/11 attacks on New York in 2001 and the rise and subsequent murder of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn, the atmosphere in the Netherlands became less tolerant towards ethnic minority groups. Immigrants did not feel welcome and were subject to much more discrimination than before. The response of the municipality of The Hague was to ‘keep the dialogue going’. This was done through a combination of quiet diplomacy and public events such as The Hague Encounter, a project that aims to bring together people with different cultural backgrounds and create understanding for each other’s ways of life.

Stories of immigrants (Antwerp)
As a port city with a colonial past, Antwerp has a long tradition of immigrants. The way these immigrants find their way in local society and the role of the municipality differs considerably from practice in the Netherlands. You will walk through the city, listen to tales told by Antwerp residents – indigenous and immigrant! – and learn from the experiences of the local government.

Football players as role models (The Hague)
Sport is a binding factor in society, crossing language and cultural barriers. ADO Den Haag, the football club of the city of The Hague, has presented football players with an immigrant background as role models for youth. Once a year, the club invites ‘newcomers’ to attend a game at the ADO stadium in order to strengthen their involvement in the local community.

City Safari (The Hague)
Visits are planned to three migrant projects aimed at stimulating social cohesion in old neighbourhoods in The Hague.

Meet and eat (The Hague)
You will have dinner and discuss issues and concerns with residents and local government officers in the multicultural community of Transvaal.

If you would like to receive more information about this training programme you can contact our programme manager Suzanne Jansen at info@thehagueacademy.com or + 31 70 37 38 695.