The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have declared the year 2008 the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (Decision No. 1983/2006/EC).

The overall objectives of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (2008) are:

• promoting intercultural dialogue as a process in which all those living in the EU can improve their ability to deal with a more open, but also more complex, cultural environment, where in different Member States as well as within each Member State, different cultural identities and beliefs coexist,
• highlighting intercultural dialogue as an opportunity to contribute to and benefit from a diverse and dynamic society, not only in Europe but also in the world,
• raising awareness of all those living in the EU, in particular young people, of the importance of developing an active European citizenship which is open to the world, respects cultural diversity and is based on common values in the EU as laid down in Article 6 of the EU Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU,
• highliting the contribution of different cultures and expressions of cultural diversity to heritage and ways of life of the Member States.

The activities, envisaged to achieve the objectives of the Year, include:

• events and initiatives on a European scale aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue, through involving directly or otherwise reaching as many people as possible, and highlighting achievements and experiences on the theme of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue;
• events and initiatives at national level and regional level with a strong European dimension aimed at promoting the objectives of the Year, with particular attention being given to actions relating to civic education and learning to appreciate other people and their differences;
• information and promotion campaigns, particularly in cooperation with the media and civil society organisations as Community and national level to disseminate the key messages concerning the objectives of the Year and the recognition of best practices, especially among young people and children;
• surveys and studies on a Community or national scale and consultation with transnational networks and civil society stakeholders.

The Programme will contribute to giving expressions and a high profile to a sustained process of intercultural dialogue which will continue beyond the year 2008. Intercultural dialogue will thus contribute towards achieving a number of EU’s strategic priorities, in particular by respecting and promoting cultural diversity in Europe, encouraging active European citizenship, contributing to equal opportunities and non-discrimination, and emphasising cooperation and greater cohesion based on the common values in the EU.

Main target group of the Programme is civil society, youth in particular, the key methods for achieving the objectives of the Year include promotion and exchange of good practices, as well as emblematic actions related to culture and education.

In accordance with the Decision’s articles, regulating the cooperation by the Member States, each Member State appoints a national coordination or an equivalent administrative body, responsible for organising that Member State’s participation in the Year.
In Slovenia, the coordinator of the Year is the Ministry of Culture, assisted by the National Coordination Body for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, trans-sectoral working group, appointed by the Minister of Culture. The National Coordination Body with the representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education and Sport, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Office of the RS for Youth, Government Office for European Affairs and Government Communication Office, has prepared a national strategy for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, a strategic document for the implementation of the Decision in Slovenia. Furthermore, it prepared and published a call for proposals for an action on a national scale, selected the project Europe in School by the Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth and made a proposition to the European Commission concerning the abovementioned project.
The National Coordination Body will actively participate in the implementation of the national strategy, as well as coordinate all actions related to the Year, organised by the Ministry of Culture or other ministries.

In cooperation with the European commission, the Ministry of Culture is preparing an opening event of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (2008) at the Community level, which is going to take place on 7 and 8 January in Ljubljana, at the very beginning of the Slovenian EU Presidency. The overall programme consist of a series of events, all dedicated to the theme of intercultural dialogue, with an international conference entitled Intercultural dialogue as the Fundamental Value of the EU and various programme events (an exhibition on the role of media in stimulating intercultural dialogue, screening of short films presenting case studies on coexistence of cultures in multiethnic societies and signing of media protocol). The evening ceremony on 8 January will officially launch the European Year of Intercultural dialogue (2008).

The European Commission appointed 12 European Ambassadors for Intercultural Dialogue, committed to the objectives of the Year. On the proposition of Slovenia, this honorary title has also been conferred upon Marko Peljhan, renowned Slovenian artist.