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Call for Papers
"Towards a Shared Concept of Intercultural Dialogue"
International Colloquium to close the European Year of
Intercultural Dialogue
Ministère de la culture et de la communication
Paris (France)
17-19 November 2008
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France, which will hold the presidency of the European Union
during the second half of 2008, is required to organise the
colloquium closing the European Year of Intercultural
Dialogue. The colloquium will take place in Paris at the
Pompidou Centre on 17, 18 and 19 November 2008.
Drawing from the reflection and initiatives carried out in
2008 in the 27 Member States, the colloquium will have two
general objectives:
- To produce a shared conception of intercultural dialogue
within the European Union.
- To outline the main aspects of a European initiative
suitable for use at all levels - Community, national,
regional and local and designed to promote intercultural
dialogue in Europe and in the EU's relations with the rest
of the world.
To achieve this, the colloquium must make it possible to:
1. Clarify the conceptual content of the notion of
intercultural dialogue by comparing the definitions used in
Europe, particularly those that have been given over the
course of the year. It will adopt a philosophical and fair
approach in discussing the notions of intercultural
dialogue, difference and recognition. It will pose the
question of what is exchanged in intercultural dialogue and
the explicit or implicit ends driving these exchanges, in
contexts where the relationships between those involved in
the exchange are often asymmetrical. The colloquium will
also ponder ways of reconciling recognition and respect for
others with the critical approach required to deal with
principles and precepts contradictory to universal human
rights.
2. Highlight the role of intercultural dialogue in deepening
citizenship locally, nationally and at the European level,
and emphasize intercultural dialogue as a central part of
the European project that contributes to creating the
feeling of belonging to a community that encompasses the
nation-states. This analysis must result in a presentation
of the consequences that promoting intercultural dialogue
should have on our conception of Europe, its identity and
its borders, and policies of cooperation to be pursued
within Europe and with third countries, notably neighbouring
countries and more particularly those in the Mediterranean
region.
3. Compare strategies and measures that meet the objectives
of intercultural dialogue. Offering a horizontal and
cross-sectoral approach to them, concentrating on
initiatives and policies implemented in Europe in the
following areas:
- culture and communication
The colloquium must highlight the role of policies in
support of art, the dissemination of art, and heritage, and
the role of the media (in particular the new electronic
media) as vectors of intercultural dialogue. In particular,
the colloquium must look at initiatives likely to highlight
the movements in thought and artistic and cultural trends
that have been a part of Europe's history, leaving their
mark on an artistic heritage that is often shared and likely
to play a part in the feeling of European identity.
- education and training
Understood here in the broadest sense: formal and informal
education, "lifelong learning" for children, young people
and adults, and also including training educators. The
colloquium must highlight education policies contributing to
efforts towards decentring, showing that our society is not
a measurement and mirror of the progress of mankind, and
efforts to move away from stereotypical ideas of others,
efforts without which dialogue is not possible and which
constitute one of its most positive effects. Particular
emphasis should be put on the role of artistic and cultural
education.
The conceptual approach to the notion must also bring out
the skills and aptitudes at work in intercultural dialogue,
and the strategies and pedagogical means of acquiring them.
- social cohesion
The colloquium must highlight the contribution that
intercultural dialogue can make to the search for the most
efficient way of organising society in order to deal with
the issues raised by multicultural societies. The question
of how the intercultural dialogue approach links in with
social and economic policies tackling exclusion is central
to this point.
- linguistic diversity
The preservation and strengthening of linguistic diversity
in Europe. The question of languages can constitute an
obstacle or an instrument for intercultural dialogue; the
conclusions of the Multilingualism Conference (Etats
généraux du multilinguisme, 26 September 2008) are to be
presented here.
- exchanges and sustainable development
The colloquium will discuss the issues arising from
intra-European economic migration, which has increased in
recent years.
Lastly, it will look at:
- the European Union's role as a world player and
the cultural dimension of its relationship with
partner countries and regions,
- the ways in which Europe and European businesses
can contribute to the sustainable economic
development of societies,
- the role that intercultural dialogue can play in
fostering policies promoting fair tourism.
Each of these topics will draw on two types of
contributions: theoretical approaches favouring a
cross-discipline method (philosophy, anthropology,
sociology, history, economics and political science) and
analyses of concrete actions carried out in Europe - at
local, regional, national and Community level by players
in the public and private sectors.
Proposals for contributions written in French or English and
no longer than 3,000 to 8,000 characters, accompanied by a
curriculum vitae and where relevant a bibliography of the
work by the candidates, must be sent before 15 May 2008.
Contributions will be selected before 31 July 2008.
Contact:
Ministère de la culture et de la communication
Délégation au développement et aux affaires internationales
à l'attention de M. Jean-Marc Lauret,
182, rue saint Honoré
75033 Paris cedex 01
France
Email: [email protected]
Web:
http://www.interculturaldialogue2008.eu/457.0.html?&tx_ttnews%5BpS%5D=1198271920&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=60&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=360&cHash=5af0b5df42
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InterPhil List Administration:
http://interphil.polylog.org
Intercultural Philosophy Calendar:
http://cal.polylog.org
