Nuremberg can look back on about 30 years of experience with the issues of integration and of inter-cultural work. In the "Decade of Integration" (Dr. Albert Schmid, President of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees), the City will again set signs, making municipal integration policy one of the city's most important tasks for the future and a focus for municipal action.
"We promote the integration of all people living in Nuremberg and endeavour to grant them participation in public life", is the wording used in the City's guidelines adopted unanimously by the City Council on 18 July 2001.
Lord Mayor, Dr. Ulrich Maly, in his inaugural speech on 2 May,2002, stated: "It is not a matter of course that people live together without friction. This is a value worth fighting for every day. We will increase our efforts in striving for integration and for the acceptance of cultural diversity."
Of Nuremberg's 500.000 citizens, about 87,000, i.e. about 17 per cent are foreigners, originating in over 165 countries. If you include repatriates, for example those from the former Soviet Union, and people who were naturalized, almost a third of Nuremberg's population has a "migration background".
In 2002, initiated by the Lord Mayor, a Committee for Integration was established, comprising representatives from all political party groups, members of the Foreign Citizens' Advisory Council, the Repatriates' Advisory Council and some experts. This committee deals with all issues concerning Nuremberg citizens with a migration background.
Parallel to this committee, a Co-ordination Group was set up in the municipal administration, comprising staff from various municipal departments. This business unit makes sure that information is distributed and co-ordinates plans across the administration's departments. By establishing this Co-ordination Group, the City made the topic of integration a task across all administrative departments.
In addition, a Supervisory Committee was created to accompany and supervise the integration programme. All relevant agents in society are represented in this body. The Lord Mayor chairs both the Supervisory Committee and the Integration Committee.
In addition, a new integration programme for Nuremberg is currently being worked out. Its objectives are recording the guidelines for Nuremberg's integration policy, presenting all existing integration projects, but also describing foreseeable future challenges and presenting suggestions for their solution. The integration programme is worked out in a process of wide social discourse, involving "directly affected persons" as well as expert hearings.
