ilyana panteleeva30 juli 2009 – 11:47

PRESS RELEASE

Brussels, July 30th 2009

Intercultural Dialogue Day 2.0
September 24th 2009

EFIL, the European Federation for Intercultural Learning, is the leading voluntary organisation in Europe in the field of educational exchanges for secondary school pupils. Thousands of volunteers promote the idea of mobility for the sake of intercultural dialogue, across the continent, in 22 national associations, that are also part of the worldwide network of AFS Intercultural Programs.

60 years of intercultural experiences have prompted EFIL to declare September 26th the Intercultural Dialogue Day for the first time last year and join the celebrations of the "European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008" and of the 1001 Actions for Dialogue Campaign. This year, building upon the same tradition and promoting the same values, EFIL will celebrate the "Intercultural Dialogue Day" again! On 24th September 2009 this unique event will be carried under the theme: “Intercultural Europe in 5 Senses”.

• On that day, AFS volunteers in 20 countries will make a joint effort to set up simultaneous events in a large number of cities all over Europe and beyond. Creative workshops, public film screenings, markets of ideas and intercultural competitions will be on the agenda, as well as concerts, street art performances and youth debates. In line with the themes of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009, the actions will call upon creativity in representing one’s own cultural identity and will challenge stereotypes.

It is the joint enthusiasm, creativity and commitment of the ten thousands of individual exchange students, and the interaction with their hosting surroundings that creates real change. Young people, who build lasting friendships across cultures within and outside their home country, are one of the pillars to ensure future dialogue and understanding between the peoples and nations of an Intercultural Europe. Introducing these values in a young and creative way to the wider public, connecting generations, providing the opportunity to experience what intercultural dialogue means beyond social and geographic barriers, is what EFIL/AFS aims to highlight on the “Intercultural Dialogue Day” on September 24th 2009.

More information:
Ilyana Panteleeva
Project Manager, European Federation for Intercultural Learning
Avenue Emile Max 150, B – 1030 Brussels
Tel.: +32 -2- 514 52 50; Fax: + 32 -2- 514 29 29; mobile: +32 498 29 79 20
Email: ilyana.panteleeva@afs.org
Website: http://efil.afs.org

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PRESS RELEASE_DDay09_with logos.pdf