One of the objectives of the City of Reykjavik is to enable its residents to enjoy a diverse, vibrant culture and community where knowledge, open-mindedness, equality, and mutual respect characterize the relations between people of diverse origin.
All the institutions of the City have to adapt to an intercultural society and execute the City of Reykjavik´s Policy on Immigrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers, in their work plans.
Intercultural Cities
The City of Reykjavik has been a member of the support network of Intercultural Cities since 2014. This Council of Europe program offers tools and support for cities in developing diversity strategies and becoming truly intercultural societies. This declaration which was agreed upon unanimously is meant to document the City's commitment to apply an intercultural lens to all their policies and services.
The declaration
As a city, we constantly strive to become more intercultural.
We embrace diversity, equal rights, interaction and inclusion.
We are proud to be a city where so many different cultures meet.
We are proud of how far the City has progressed in applying the gender or LGBT lens in so many areas of life. Now, we are committed to use this knowledge and experience and apply the intercultural lens in just the same way.
We invite other communities and authorities in Iceland to stand together with us in this endeavour.
We encourage full participation of immigrants, so they can make use of the city ́s services and opportunities and are aware of their rights.
We make sure that intercultural values are reflected in all policy making and services.
We are grateful for the contribution of immigrants who have enriched this city on so many levels.
We want to make the positive contributions of immigrants more visible.
We know that diversity skills and creative input is an asset for our city - if everyone can fulfill their potential, we all win.
The institutions should take into account the needs of immigrants both as users and providers of service and take into consideration the special needs of immigrants without assuming they are a homogeneous group. Those that move here have to adapt to Icelandic society. Those that were here before have to adapt to people of diverse origins.
The City should strive to take advantage of the benefits of diversity in all its work.
Main objectives of the City of Reykjavik are:
- to decrease prejudice against immigrants,
- that institutions assure that immigrants can fully use their service,
- that children of immigrants can take advantage of the school system on equal terms with other children,
- that all immigrants are given opportunities to study Icelandic and are encouraged to learn it,
- that knowledge and education of immigrants can be used both to their and other citizens´ advantage,
- that inhabitants of Reykjavík take advantage of the diversity of the society,
- that the City´s authorities have access to reliable information about the circumstances of immigrants,
- that immigrants know their rights and duties,
- that there is a reaction if people are discriminated against due to their origin.