Newcastle is home to a diverse range of communities and cultures, with many different languages. We link to, profile and publicise initiatives which celebrate these, promote inclusion and tolerance and improve intercultural awareness.
Read our brochure and case studies on our approach, progress and impact and the benefits of internationalism: Empowering Newcastle’s Youth for a Global Future.
We regularly share information about any activities which provide opportunities for our disadvantaged or underrepresented groups and communities in the city. This might include training and employment opportunities, capacity building for organisations, opportunities for personal development, awareness raising initiatives, or research into issues relating to underrepresented groups. We also provide a directory of organisations and community groups in the city.
This is one of three interconnected workstrands under Our Newcastle Our World partnership framework supporting children and young people (0-30) to become confident global citizens. Read on to find out more. You can also click on these links to find out about our other workstrands:
Since 2021, we have also hosted and co-ordinated the annual Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages.
This is a celebration of our diverse language and cultural communities and our connections to the world. It has large scale projects running from January and live events and activities in March each year.
Our ambitions
Through consultation with stakeholders, including children and young people in the city, the ambition for our city as a safe, tolerant, welcoming place was paramount. Newcastle wants to enable and facilitate opportunities for cultures to understand each other, celebrate their diversity and difference and be accessible. We want to be well networked to support internationalism and empower children and young people and the wider public to be involved in making a difference on local and global issues.
Celebrating diversity, promoting intercultural awareness
International Newcastle is committed to celebrating and valuing our diverse cultural communities. There are a wide range of festivals, events and activities which we share to promote awareness of issues and promote multiculturalism in the city. We seek to share information and engage more people in opportunities provided by partners locally, but also regionally and nationally.
Follow us online to find out the latest activities for celebrating diversity and raising awareness: X (twitter), facebook, linked in or check our news page. We also have a list of regular festivals in the city online here.
Promoting opportunities for diverse communities
There are many opportunities for our diverse communities to be supported in education, training and employment, as well as to engage in leadership programmes, conferences and events and citizenship/activism initiatives which tackle local and global issues. We promote these, as well as research and services supporting underrepresented groups and people from different ethnic backgrounds. We also share information relating to Sanctuary initiatives in the city.
Follow us online to find out the latest opportunities for diverse cultural communities and people from different ethnic backgrounds: twitter, facebook, linked in or check our news page.
Supporting the Sanctuary movement
Newcastle City of Sanctuary is committed to supporting people who have come to our city seeking sanctuary to rebuild their lives. There are a wide range of organisations with Sanctuary status, from the Council and Universities, to libraries, cultural organisations and schools.
If your organisation or group would like to find out more about applying for an award please get in contact for further details: info@newcastle.cityofsanctuary.org
International Newcastle is a member of Newcastle Sanctuary Forum, a network of groups and organisations supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the city.
The Forum explores and learns about the issues related to migration and seeking sanctuary in Newcastle. Each forum has a theme and using presentations, case studies and testimonials, and group discussions we explore issues, seek solutions and propose changes to local services and the systems that are within our control to influence.
We attend Forum meetings and share information and opportunities around sanctuary and support.
We are also involved in supporting Newcastle Schools of Sanctuary, through our partnership with Newcastle City Council (School Effectiveness) and Newcastle City of Sanctuary. Schools can participate in a programme of events, training and support and apply to become Schools of Sanctuary.
We promote activities around intercultural awareness and international connections to support this work, including helping refugees and asylum seeker children be part of schools’ international visits.
Follow us online to find out the latest news on Sanctuary initiatives in the city: twitter, facebook, linked in or check our news page.
Our directory of organisations and groups
We host a directory of contacts who support or promote international relations, activities and communities.
Our directory includes public and private sector partners, voluntary and community sector groups and organisations and anyone who would like to share what they do and find out what others are doing to support international relations, work with international communities and other activities relating to internationalism.
You can search the directory, or scroll through and click on the directory entries to find out more about the groups, organisations, networks and representatives.
Click here to access the directory online.
If you would like to be featured in the directory, please complete this form and we will add you to the directory.