Legislation however is only part of a larger toolbox to address these challenges. We
believe it is equally important for States to proactively promote cultural diversity,
inclusion and education to tolerance.
In Austria we have taken a number of important initiatives in this regard:
The Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Integration Fund have awarded for
the sixth year in a row the so called "Journalists Prize for Integration”. The award
recognizes journalists in the categories of print, internet, TV and radio, who through
differentiated and substantiated work have made a decisive contribution in the area of
integration.
Furthermore, our Ministry is also supporting the "biber academy", a project providing
scholarships to young people with migration background to prepare for the media and
communications sector. This year, three graduates of the Academy made it to the top
30 young journalists in Austria.
In the field of education, an online learning platform was developed in November 2016
as part of the TOGETHER:AUSTRIA programme, offering 100 ready-to-use sets of
instruction materials that make it easier for teachers to take up the subject of
integration at their schools. The materials can be downloaded from the
TOGETHER:AUSTRIA website free of charge.
Ms. Moderator,
It is our firm conviction that diversity and pluralism are a source of development,
progress and peace for our societies. Austria will thus continue its strong engagement
for the promotion and protection of persons belonging to minorities and their full
integration into society. We are confident that the ideas and recommendations voiced
at this Forum will form a good basis for further progress.
Before closing, Austria would like to offer the following recommendation. “States
should proactively promote cultural diversity, inclusion and education to tolerance in
cooperation with all types of media including digital media to disseminate information
about minority rights, address disinformation and to give voice to minorities’ concerns
and views.”
Thank you very much.