Call for Projects 2025
We are looking for successful and solution-oriented
intercultural and interreligious dialogue projects
in the fields of Art/Culture, Youth, Human Rights, Global Citizenship Education, Integration and Gender Equality
Background Information
The Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs has defined the “Dialogue of Cultures” to be a clear priority in International Policy. Austria builds upon a long tradition in the field of intercultural dialogue that is deeply rooted in a history of diversity and pluralism and that has been strengthened through multi- and bilateral dialogue initiatives.
Since 2007, the Task Force “Dialogue of Cultures” supports partner organisations with the implementation of intercultural and interreligious projects and designs, finances and implements initiatives itself. With these projects, the Task Force takes up priorities set by the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs and the Federal Government.
Intercultural dialogue should be understood both as content and as method. On the one hand, intercultural dialogue serves to better master the challenges of a pluralist society; on the other hand, dialogue needs to be better understood, applied and used for addressing public concerns.
The Intercultural Achievement Award (IAA) was launched in 2014 as a key project of the intercultural dialogue. It aims at identifying and awarding innovative and solution-oriented projects in the field of intercultural dialogue both within Austria as well as on a global scale.
Topics
Dialogue is a multifaceted concept. Thematic priorities according to the Austrian strategic focus facilitate compatibility of the submitted projects. Therefore, the intercultural projects applying for the IAA must be active in at least one of the following areas:
• Art/Culture
• Youth
• Human Rights
• Global Citizenship Education
• Integration
• Gender Equality
Awards
The IAA is awarded to the best project in each category:
• Category Sustainability: “Best ongoing project on the cross-cutting topic of environment and interculturality”
• Category Recent Events: “Best project related to a current event”
• Category Technology: “Best application of technology in the context of an intercultural project”
• Category Innovation: “Most innovative intercultural project”
• Category Media: “Best media contribution for intercultural understanding”
• Category Religious Freedom: “Best project in the field of Religious Freedom and peaceful coexistence between religions”
• Special prize "Integration in Austria" (applications only possible from projects based and active in Austria)
Specific criteria and questionnaires are defined and prepared for each prize category. The Sustainability category contains higher demanding criteria and can therefore be considered as the main prize. The prize money is meant to promote the continuation of successful projects.
Eligibility criteria
Organisations and/or persons whose projects mainly focus on intercultural and interreligious dialogue and contribute to its success are eligible to apply.
Projects that have already met these criteria in the past and continue to meet them may be submitted again.
The specific eligibility criteria per prize category are summarised as follows:
Category Sustainability: “Best practice project on the cross-cutting topic of environment and interculturality”
• Projects that are managed and implemented by non-profit organisations (including non-government organisations as well as associations, foundations, charitable educational institutions or religious organisations) and/or commercial organisations. Government, science, research or international institutions are excluded from admission.
• The project offers solution approaches in the cross-sectional topic of environment/ecology and intercultural/interreligious challenges.
• The project’s activities must focus on a minimum of one of the following areas: Art/Culture, Youth, Human Rights, Global Citizenship Education, Integration and Gender Equality.
• The organisation must be in operation for at least 2 years.
• The project must be running for at least 1 year already. This criterion not only ensures the viability of the project idea but also allows for the measurement of impact.
• The project cycle should be set at a minimum of 2, preferably 5 years.
Category Recent Events: “Best project related to a current event”
• Projects that are managed and implemented by non-profit organisations (including non-government organisations as well as associations, foundations, charitable educational institutions or religious organisations), individuals and/or private entities. Government, science, research or international institutions are excluded from admission.
• The project’s activities must focus on a minimum of one of the following areas: Art/Culture, Youth, Human Rights, Global Citizenship Education, Integration and Gender Equality.
• The project must have been implemented between 2023 and 2024 and may also consist of a successful single action in the field of intercultural or interreligious dialogue. This prize category is aimed at projects that have reacted to current events or developments and have contributed to intercultural understanding, also on an occasional basis.
Category Technology: “Best application of technology in the context of an intercultural project”
• Projects that are managed and implemented by non-profit organisations (including non-government organisations as well as associations, foundations, charitable educational institutions or religious organisations), individuals and/or private entities. Government, science, research or international institutions are excluded from admission.
• The project’s activities must focus on a minimum of one of the following areas: Art/Culture, Youth, Human Rights, Global Citizenship Education, Integration and Gender Equality.
• The project must use innovative technological solutions that promote intercultural and/or interreligious dialogue.
• The project must be running for at least 1 year already. This criterion not only ensures the viability of the project idea but also allows for the measurement of impact.
Category Innovation: “Most innovative intercultural project”
• Projects that are managed and implemented by non-profit organisations (including non-government organisations as well as associations, foundations, charitable educational institutions or religious organisations), individuals and/or commercial organisations. Government, science, research or international institutions are excluded from admission.
• The project’s activities must focus on a minimum of one of the following areas: Art/Culture, Youth, Human Rights, Global Citizenship Education, Integration and Gender Equality. The project should be characterized by an innovative methodical or creative approach within the dialogue of cultures.
• The project must be characterized by an innovative methodological or creative within the scope dialogue of cultures and religions.
• The project must be running for at least 1 year already. This criterion not only ensures the viability of the project idea but also allows for the measurement of impact.
Category Media: “Best media contribution for intercultural understanding”
• Submitted contributions can encompass all classic media (i. e. print, TV, radio etc.) and social media. Submitted contributions must have verifiably and visibly impacted the public sphere in a positive way.
• The contribution must have verifiably achieved a wide impact for the intercultural dialogue.
• Complete journalistic, media works or dialogue platforms focusing on raising awareness, understanding and peaceful coexistence are also encouraged to apply for the IAA.
• Only contributions published after January 01 January 2022 will be accepted for further consideration. The dialogue platform must have been operative for at least 1 year.
• Submitted contributions must have been published in non-state classic or social media.
Category Religious Freedom: “Best project in the field of Religious Freedom and peaceful coexistence between religions”
• The project must positively highlight the importance of Religious Freedom and peaceful coexistence between religions in the public sphere in the context of interreligious and/or intercultural dialogue.
• The contribution must have verifiably achieved a wide impact for the interreligious dialogue.
• The project must promote peaceful coexistence between religions.
In a first step, the Task Force and the Austrian Embassies will check applications against the above criteria. Only applications that fulfil these criteria will be considered eligible.
Selection and Award Presentation
Applications received by April 30, 2025 at the latest will be checked for completeness by the task force.
An independent jury in Vienna consisting of experts in the field of intercultural dialogue will then undertake the final selection. There will be one winner per category.
• Category Sustainability: prize money amounting to EUR 10.000,‒.
• Category Recent Events: prize money amounting to EUR 6.000,‒.
• Category Technology: prize money amounting to EUR 6.000,-.
• Category Innovation: prize money amounting to EUR 6.000,‒.
• Category Media: prize money amounting to EUR 6.000,‒.
• Category Religious Freedom: prize money amounting to EUR 6.000,–,
• Special prize "Integration in Austria": prize money amounting to EUR 6.000,‒ (applications only possible from projects based and active in Austria).
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in autumn 2025. The awardees will be invited to attend the ceremony.
Assessment Criteria
In order to ensure a comprehensive assessment of projects based on clearly defined criteria, the following guidelines will be used in the process:
Applications:
A detailed online application form with guiding questions can be found here. Questions must be answered in English in a clear and precise manner (clarity), be structured (detail and focus) and should convince the reader of the project purpose and objectives (persuasiveness). All questions must be answered in order to be considered.
Pre-selected applicants will be asked to provide additional information. Depending on the requirements of the respective category this might be a copy of a valid business/operational license, an up-to-date business plan, project report and possibly an evaluation report.
Projects – Categories Sustainability, Recent Events, Technology, Innovation, Media, Religious Freedom
• Does the project respond to the needs of the beneficiaries on the ground and is appropriate in the local context of operation? (relevance, all categories)
• Is/was the target group clearly defined and accessible for the project activities? (impact, all categories)
• Have objectives, activities and results been clearly defined? (clarity, all categories)
• Are objectives, activities and results measured and evaluated regularly? (evaluation, sustainability)
• Is the project innovative and introduces new concepts and methods, encourages creative thinking, applies solution-oriented approaches, and passes these on to beneficiaries? (innovation, methods, creativity)
• Is the concept of the project applicable to other contexts and therefore able to be implemented by different organisations? (transferability, sustainability)
• Did/does the project reach its objectives; is there proof of its impact? (success, all categories)
Additional assessment criteria ‒ Category Sustainability:
• Does the organisation have the necessary structures and competencies in place to successfully implement and manage the project, both content-wise and financially? (structure)
• Are sufficient financial resources available within the organisation in order to ensure the implementation and wrapping-up of the project? (budget)
• Does the organisation have relevant experience in the field of intercultural dialogue and exchange? (experience)
• Are the principles of respect, equality and diversity visible in the structure of the organisation as well as in the implementation of activities with both partners and the target groups? (equality)
• Are regular financial audits or evaluations of the organisation and its projects conducted? (transparency)
These criteria represent optional conditions solely for the Sustainability category: “Best ongoing project on the cross-cutting topic of environment and interculturality”. They positively influence the quality, and therefore the assessment of applications.
Send your application per e-mail to
[email protected].
Deadline: 30 April 2025