Viennese Mélange - A Toolbox for Integration

The publication "Viennese Mélange - A Toolbox for Integration" offers an overview of the projects, work and services of the Department for Integration and Diversity of the City of Vienna from 2004 to 2020.

It contains ongoing and completed projects and is intended to serve as a toolbox for activities and measures in the field of integration and diversity. It is designed to give national and international stakeholders access to the Department’s experience and trigger new ideas and developments.

Projects from 2004 to 2020

In autumn 2004, the Department for Integration and Diversity took up work, building on the experience of the Vienna Integration Fund, which existed from 1992 to 2004. The promotion of a culture of democracy and dialogue, project funding and further training courses for the City of Vienna's employees were among the Department's first spheres of activity and have remained important pillars of the City's integration work up to today.

Facilitating the networking between associations and municipal district organisations, integration and diversity monitoring, and the launch of several regional and district forums initiated together with other district institutions were central activities of the years from 2005 to 2007. 2008 witnessed the launch of a number of lighthouse projects, such as StartWien, which support the arrival and orientation of migrants in Vienna and help them to learn German.

From 2009 to 2012, the Department mainly initiated new projects to promote respectful and good relationships as well as capacity building and empowerment of migrants and migrant associations. 2012 marked the start of broad-impact projects, such as "Citizens' Dialogue", the "Vienna Charter of Living Together" and the "Vienna.Diversity.Knowledge" lecture series. From 2013, activities focused on projects relating to multilingualism and further education for citizens.

In 2013 and 2014, the Department for Integration and Diversity, accompanied by a high-level steering group, coordinated the process which led to the adoption of the "Vienna - City of Human Rights" Declaration by Vienna's City Council at the end of 2014.

From 2015 to 2019, the Department increasingly initiated projects, which focused on post-arrival and orientation services for migrants and refugees, on supporting them in learning German and on measures revolving around culture of democracy, human rights and the prevention of any kind of extremism.

In 2020, the digitalisation of services was at the centre of the Department's activities. Due to the restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Department significantly extended and further developed its online formats.

From 2004 to 2020, a total of more than 60 projects have been developed and implemented.

Download and ordering

Contact for this page:
City of Vienna | Intergration and Diversity
Contact form