Name of the organization: Cross Culture International Foundation
Website: ccifmt.org
Brief description of the organization
Cross Culture International Foundation (CCIF) is an NGO that aims to enhance international understanding and friendship through education, networking, volunteering, youth exchange, and cultural programs. This includes humanitarian activities that involve the exchange of ideas and experiences directly among peoples of different countries and diverse cultures. CCIF intends to build cultural and artistic expressions as a means of promoting solidarity and social cohesion.
Problem addressed by the good practice
The good practice addresses the lack of appreciation of the cultural diversity in Malta.
Target groups
The target group includes third-country nationals, with a specific focus on young people, families, and children.
Summary of the good practice
“Malta Sharing Diversity” was an intercultural dialogue project which used intercultural dialogue, food, music, dressing and storytelling as a way of engaging Maltese and non-Maltese communities. The aim was to bring together people of different cultures and create welcoming space where they could openly talk about intercultural issues they face in their daily lives and learn how to positively work around these issues for the betterment of society. The project spanned several months of intercultural dialogue events organized locally and involved: photo exhibitions with migrant stories, open-air free music concerts with young artists from across Africa, non-formal education workshops focusing on development of intercultural competencies, and networking events for NGOs and volunteers working with third-country nationals. Free food from different countries was served throughout all events to further support the appreciation for cultural diversity in Malta.
Evaluation
Events with music and photography elements were particularly interesting to the young participants. The CCIF team finds that one of the most successful activities within the project was an open-air concert organized in big cities attracting both locals and migrants. The concerts were accompanied by awareness-raising messages and audience-engaging discussions to celebrate the diversity and cultural awareness in Malta, which amplified the influence of the project.
Recommendations
The key to success is organizing the local events in informal settings that encourage two-way participation. The events must be free and accessible to local and migrant communities alike. It is useful to involve volunteers and people from your network, but it is advisable to promote the events as much as possible among the wider audience using online channels.
Resources
More information about Malta Sharing Diversity is available on CCIF’s website.