The Program
The project titled US-Belgium Cultural Crossing: An International Network of Local Practitioners Serving Immigrant Communities is a one-year program running in 2008. It aims
to bring together a diverse group of immigration and integration practitioners from the United States and Belgium. The twelve US practitioners represent the cities of Atlanta, Denver and
other Colorado cities, Detroit, and Seattle, while the 30 Belgian practitioners come primarily from Antwerp, Liege, and Brussels. The study tours in both the US and Belgium are composed of
work shops, intensive dialogues, and numerous sight visits. With the help of these mediums, program participants will have an opportunity to study first-hand he various programs and practices
utilized by their foreign counterparts.
The program focuses specifically on the development of skills needed to confront the local challenges and questions facing immigration and integration practitioners as they work within
the framework of state, and federal policies and the realities of daily life in the communities “on the street.” All program activities are devised to help the participants
understand actual integration activities pertaining to education and job training, conflict resolution, intercultural training, public safety and law enforcement, governmental and private
sector support, as well as political/community awareness and leadership.
The program is administered by CDS and the King Baudouin Foundation, based in Brussels. This project is made possible largely thanks to a grant from U.S. Department of State's Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs, as well as funding from the King Baudouin Foundation, and in-kind contributions from CDS and local partners in the cities involved in the project. A
written publication based on the project will be created that can be used for further training sessions. For more information about US-Belgium Cultural Crossing, please email
Emily Schmidt.
