About the Award
In November 2021 the European Commission launched the first European Capitals of Diversity and Inclusion Award. Through this initiative, the Commission set out to reward towns, cities and regions in the European Union for their work in promoting inclusion and helping to create discrimination-free societies.
The European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award is granted annually. It is open to all local authorities in the EU who are building fairer societies by promoting diversity and inclusion in terms of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age and LGBTIQ identity.
Every town, city, or region in the EU could get the high recognition it deserves for building an environment that allows everyone to feel safe, included and able to fulfil their full potential. There are two main categories (local authorities with less or more than 50 000 inhabitants) and a special Award for LGBTIQ equality initiatives.
The winners in 2023
Nine local authorities from seven different countries were honored with Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards in three distinct categories.
In the category of local authorities with a population exceeding 50,000 inhabitants, the Gold Award was bestowed upon the city of Terassa in Spain, recognized for its robust intersectional and cross-cutting approach towards inclusion and diversity. The Silver prize was awarded to the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium, while the Bronze award went to the capital of Finland, Helsinki.
In the category of local authorities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, the Spanish town of La Zarza earned the Gold Award, commended for its wide-ranging initiatives spanning communication, training, employment, sports, accessibility, awareness, transport, and public spaces. The Silver Award was presented to the Croatian city of Labin, and the Bronze Award was claimed by the municipality of Fundao in Portugal.
In the special category for fostering LGBTIQ equality, the Gold Award was claimed by Gdansk in Poland, lauded for its numerous initiatives encompassing inclusive public services, support for victims of discrimination, and awareness-raising efforts. The Silver Award was secured by Catalonia, Spain, and the Bronze Award was earned by the city of Reggio Emilia in Italy.
Detailed information about the award finalists and the 2023 winners as well as highlight and photos are available on the EU Diversity 2023 website.
©European Union, 2023
Application process
Get ready and prepare the application for the 2024 European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award in advance. The competition is open for local authorities such as cities, towns or regions in the EU, who want to share their key initiatives promoting diversity and inclusion. For more information see the Rules of the Competition.
Subscribe to the Bulgarian Diversity Charter Newsletter and be the first to know when the 2024 application process is open!