Interculturalism: Theory and Practice. Seminar (Limbourg, Belgium, April 14-15, 1987). The CDCC's Project No. 7: "The Education and Cultural Development of Migrants."

Overview & Synopsis

As follow-up to a five-year Council for Cultural Cooperation project on migrants, a seminar and roundtable discussion on the theory and practice of intercultural education in Europe is presented. Seminar participants include educators and administrators from Belgium, West Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden as well as a representative from the Council of Europe. The participants concur on the need for intercultural or "contact" education for all school children as a response to the on-going presence of immigrant families in Europe. Agreement is also apparent on the need to retrain teachers for intercultural education and to establish a link between centers of research and teacher-practitioners. There is no consensus on the objectives of intercultural education, which is variously believed to be necessary to: (1) promote knowledge and understanding of ethnic relations; (2) combat ethnic prejudice; (3) condemn racism; (4) explain the history of migration and the balance of power between states; (5) provide equal opportunity in education; (6) enhance the self-esteem and status of minority groups; (7) harmonize the relationship of immigrant groups with the dominant group; (8) work towards a multiracial society; and (9) study "culture." Two teacher working groups, Italian and Belgian, provide suggestions on the contents and criteria for a teaching plan for intercultural education. (CS)