Munich/Berlin. Every day, people all around the globe
strive to improve integration, inclusion and diversity in their
immediate environment. Even where resources are scarce, passion for
the topic remains high, with individuals determined to launch their
own initiatives and play their part in creating a more just and
tolerant society. In the course of the ceremony held for the
Intercultural Innovation Hub (IIH) in Berlin,
Germany on May 24, 2023, a total of ten such international grassroots
projects were honoured for their outstanding commitment.
The IIH is a long-standing partnership between the United
Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the
BMW Group, supported by Accenture.
It recognizes and strengthens innovative grassroots projects that
promote intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding, thereby
contributing to peace, cultural diversity and an inclusive
international community. The honoured organisation receive access to
networks, funding, a comprehensive 12-month training programme to
develop their in-house skills and professional mentoring from
experienced coaches.
The ceremony in Berlin was led and moderated by Dr. Mandeep
Rai, author of “The Value Compass”, as well as Miguel
Ángel Moratinos, UN Under-Secretary-General and High
Representative for UNAOC, and Ilka Horstmeier, Member
of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Real Estate, Labour
Relations Director, both patrons of the IIH.
“Today, civil society is evolving in dynamic and impactful ways, with
grassroots-level innovations at the forefront of driving meaningful
change. The organisations we recognized through the Intercultural
Innovation Hub exemplify just that. We are proud to amplify their
contribution to diversity, mutual respect, and inclusion. Further, we
celebrate our lasting collaboration with BMW Group as we continue to
connect, empower, and elevate these grassroots initiatives,” said
Miguel Ángel Moratinos.
“At the BMW Group, we recognise that intercultural understanding
enriches the communities we are acting in. That is why we are so proud
of our strong partnership with UNAOC. The Intercultural Innovation Hub
enables us to highlight some of the remarkable cross-cultural work
being done worldwide. Our commitment to the awardees recipients
includes relevant resources we can offer that can promote these
initiatives. This can make the crucial difference in turning an idea
into practice that evolves local communities and improves people’s
lives,” said Ilka Horstmeier.
The Intercultural Innovation Hub 2023 recipients are:
-
Fundación Barranquilla+20 (Colombia) – Women for
Climate Justice -
Fundación Ixcanul (Guatemala) – Itinerant
Travelling Cinema - Inspire (Indonesia) – Pledge United
-
Mais Diferenças (Brazil) – Literature in Multiple
Accessible Formats -
Oasis ‘Reach For Your Dreams’ (South Africa) –
Community Street Football/Netball -
SWANS Initiative (Germany) – More Leylas in
Leadership -
Tech2Peace (Israel) – A New Reality: Israelis and
Palestinians Innovating Together -
Programa Adopte un Talento / PAUTA (Mexico) –
Empowering Girls and Adolescent Girls from Vulnerable Groups and
Communities in Mexico with Science -
Wasel for Awareness and Education (Jordan) –
Shabbek Wa Bader - Welcoming Australia (Australia) – Welcoming Cities
For more information, please see the IIH’s official website: www.interculturalinnovation.org.
If you have any questions, please contact:
BMW Group Corporate Communications
Milena Pighi
Corporate and Governmental
Affairs
Spokesperson Corporate Citizenship
Email:
milena.pa.pighi@bmw.de
Telephone: +49-89-382-66563
Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com
Email:
presse@bmwgroup.com
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
(UNAOC)
Alessandro Girola
Programming
Coordinator
Email: alessandrog@unops.org
