The "la Caixa" Foundation promotes intercultural activities in 36 localities to alleviate the impact of the health emergency

The Intercultural Community Intervention Project (ICI Project), promoted by the "la Caixa" Foundation, presided over by Isidro Fainé and directed by Antonio Vila, is implementing various special activities to alleviate the effects of confinement. The programme promotes the health of the most vulnerable intercultural communities and enhances social cohesion during health emergencies. Hand in hand with local agencies, and in collaboration with health facilities and public administrations, the ICI Project offers support to people at risk of social exclusion in the 36 territories of Spain where it is present.

Among the activities, the teams have been in charge of translating and disseminating information on the coronavirus and the confinement measures for communities of foreign origin that do not usually have access to local information channels and are not aware of the health indications. They also provide guidance on aid and measures related to the suspension of economic activity, as well as emotional and legal support to families affected by the health emergency context.

With the aim of helping groups at risk of social exclusion, various community teams have set up a network of volunteers to make masks and provide support to deliver purchases and medicines to those who need them. In the context of telematic education, the ICI Project offers support and school guidance, as well as monitoring of student tasks during the period of confinement.

The ICI Project assumes that community organisation is indispensable for the creation of integrated and coordinated responses in each territory. As a result, activities have been launched to promote educational activities, shared family leisure spaces, "chains of favours" or the management of Time Banks, with the aim of promoting neighbourhood solidarity and community responsibility to safeguard common health.

Through social networks, the ICI Project encourages groups to participate in collaborative activities, such as a "travelling storyteller", and disseminates solidarity initiatives to promote aid and unity among the territory's neighbourhoods. Likewise, within the framework of the "anti-rumor networks" initiative, the teams offer contrasting information, dismantling the hoaxes that circulate about the coronavirus.

"la Caixa" Foundation believes in the sum of efforts between the region's agents to overcome any adversity. That is why, in these difficult times, we want to redouble our commitment to vulnerable groups and to stand by those who need it most," stressed the deputy director of the "la Caixa" Banking Foundation, Marc Simón.

"This acute crisis highlights even more the importance of having participatory processes, spaces for relationships and organised and strengthened local communities. The situation clearly shows the need to continue promoting intercultural coexistence and social cohesion at the local level," explained the Scientific Director of the ICI Project, Carlos Giménez.

The ICI Project stands as a fundamental axis to stop, avoid and overcome processes and situations of social exclusion in territories of high diversity and interculturality and it is specified in different activities to create a strong social fabric. Over the years, with the joint work of administrations, entities and citizens, it has managed to systematise a model for promoting coexistence and social cohesion that makes it exportable to other territories and entities that wish to apply it.

More than 157,000 people participated in the 2,787 activities and actions of the ICI Project during 2019. Promoted since 2010 by the "la Caixa" Foundation in 36 territories of Spain, with the collaboration of the corresponding city councils, technical professionals and the social fabric, the project highlights the cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity of the municipalities and neighbourhoods, in favour of intercultural citizen coexistence.

The greatest achievement of the project is the promotion of a new model of social intervention, thanks to the interaction between people and different groups and the adaptation of the institutions to this reality. Based on this model, a new culture of prevention, regulation and intercultural citizen coexistence is being developed, which represents a valuable contribution in the search for new ways to face the European and global challenge of positively managing cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious diversity.