The beginning of a journey

Initiatives in schools; projects with the involvement of governments, local bodies, NGOs, the youth; appointment of symbolic ambassadors; photo and multi-media competitions; creation of the website www.interculturaldialogue2008.eu; debates at all levels. These are the many activities already held and presently underway in the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 (EYID), specifically called for by the EU to inform and raise awareness on one of the most sensitive current issues, that risks triggering the explosion of a primed bomb if is not addressed in conscience.The initiatives that will formally conclude on December 31st, and that seek to uproot the blight of non-dialogue, tackle a wide range of issues and are addressed to a large audience. Seven priorities, along with the relative debates held in Brussels and in European Cities, have ensured and continue ensuring ample coverage of questions and targets such as: education and science, religion, minorities, media and culture, migration; employment and multilingualism. Initiatives were implemented under the banner of the key words that defined EYID’s contribution to “mutual understanding and greater harmony of community life”, to “the discovery of advantages within cultural diversity”, along with “the promotion of active European citizenship and a sense of belonging to Europe”, while focusing on the three main objectives within the overall framework of the First-ever European Cultural Agenda which are: “promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue”, “promotion of culture as a catalyst for creativity in the framework of the Lisbon Strategy”, “promotion of culture as a vital element in EU external relations”. As happens with most things in life, also with Community measures the balance must be drawn at the end. And certainly much more time will be needed to claim the successful outcome of the European Year. However, which success are we referring to?Since this is a topic that pertains to education, to civic (and civil) behaviour, to the creation of a cultural forma mentis based on mutual knowledge and development, we can justly affirm that the circumstance of having focused the initiatives primarily on the youth – the adults of tomorrow – represents a just choice. Peace, tolerance, discovery of the other, acceptance and enhancement of cultural diversity, are in fact mental habits and behaviours that ought to be worn since early childhood, in the family as in school. In today’s societies, the experience on the Way to Damascus is other than daily. Indeed, unfortunately the opposite is true.It would be easy to criticize, taking as an “excuse” the scarcity of funds allocated to the EYID as compared to the annual budget of EU institutions. Positivity and optimism, on the contrary, must lead to the acknowledgement that the main International Regional Organization – represents a continent which went through the dreadful experience of wars but that also gave birth to modern democracy. In the post-11 September world, it granted political pre-eminence to intercultural dialogue, turning it into its own banner. This was true for everyone, from state-leaders extending to grass-roots level.Moreover, the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue is also to be understood as a symbol, the start of a journey, and not its completion. The flame that fuels the fire, ought to remain lit, despite daily contradictions and difficulties that we are called to address also from an intercultural standpoint.What is the cause of the financial crisis, and illegal migration? Why is there arms trade and extreme poverty? Stifled and denied progress, child death, unequal resource distribution, uncontrolled birth rates, ongoing regional conflicts, racial and religious strife: these are also realities stemming from the lack of dialogue, from ignorance prevailing over knowledge, from the reasons of economy that prevail upon the reason of man, of cultures that do not meet and when they do clash against one another.World language, colour and balance will change over the next generation-span. Learning to communicate, between cultures and peoples (that however different all inhabit the same planet), means placing the foundations of hope and a future of peace and wellbeing for our children and us. If the EYID managed to pass this message – especially beyond its bureaucratic expiration date – just to a few, then it will have stroked a truly positive balance.