Promoting tolerance, engagement and sense of community

Modern societies are characterized by high levels of diversity. Different lifestyles, values and orientations compete with each other-something that can be unsettling and overwhelming. For this reason, integration isn't just a question of systematic changes. It also means changing the attitudes and thought processes of individuals.

In order to shape a cohesive society based on human rights, we first need a legal system to establish order. But this isn't enough either. Individuals also need to hold democratic values and master basic skills that allow them to interact. These include tolerance, as a guiding principle for dealing with diversity; a sense of community, as an expression of civic responsibility; and social involvement, as a manifestation of proactive community spirit. These skills and abilities-which are absolutely essential for a vibrant democracy and civil society-do not just materialize out of thin air.

They must be taught and fostered. Over the last decade, the Bertelsmann Stiftung has worked on developing methods of inculcating social skills that emphasize tolerance and civic-mindedness as core values for both individuals and society as a whole. Our work began with the Erziehung zu Demokratie und Toleranz (Education for Democracy and Tolerance) project, which concentrated on developing and testing training programs, methods and teaching materials for political education in response to actual demand. Four educational programs were adapted or developed during the project: Miteinander - Erfahrungen mit Betzavta (Coexistence - Experience with Betzavta), Achtung (+) Toleranz (Respect (+) Tolerance), Eine Welt der Vielfalt (A World of Difference) and Ohne Angst verschieden sein (Different Without Fear).

These programs have been used extensively in recent years in local-level institutions to introduce greater acceptance of cultural diversity. In 2003, the foundation turned over operation of the educational programs and their quality management to the Academy for Leadership and Competence at the Center for Applied Policy Research (CAP) at the University of Munich.   While running the project, the Bertelsmann Stiftung and CAP also worked together to establish an international network promoting "Education for Tolerance, Human Rights and Democracy." This network supports the extensive exchange of theoretical and practical solutions between NGOs and experts from ten countries. The network has published case studies on the status of education for tolerance and human rights in those ten countries. Together these publications offer a roadmap for developing programs to foster the active integration of immigrants.

In the past, the Bertelsmann Stiftung has primarily initiated education programs for promoting individual engagement. In the Erziehung zu Gemeinsinn und Gemeinschaftsfähigkeit (Civic Education and Community Orientation) project, the foundation and CAP delved into the issue of how to mobilize young people for civic involvement in a diverse society. Two methods were formulated during the project that have since been used over and over again to develop projects addressing integration in schools and the community: The Gemeinsinn-Werkstatt (Workshop in Community Spirit) is a workshop forum that gathers a large number of interest groups to work on integration projects together. The Technology of Participation course is a moderated program that has been successfully used to prepare and qualify immigrant groups to organize themselves for political participation.