European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award Ceremony
The briefing
To raise awareness and reaffirm its commitment to the core values of diversity, equality, and inclusion the DG of Justice and Consumers of the European Commission organizes annually the European Diversity Month. The initiative aims to celebrate these guiding EU principles and highlight practices that already promote them across organisations and societies. The European Commission wishes to inspire EU citizens to embrace diversity and inclusion across their workplace and societies.
The solution
VO Europe supported the communication of this initiative as well as the European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Award ceremony that marked the start of the European Diversity Month 2025. The high-level event took place on 29–30 April at the Cardo Hotel in Brussels to celebrate and reward cities and regions across the EU for their policy commitment and innovation promoting equality and inclusion. The event gathered a wide range of stakeholders committed to fostering diversity across Europe. The programme included keynote speeches, panel discussions, and a hybrid award ceremony that recognised outstanding local and regional authorities. Prizes were awarded in three main categories, small municipalities, large municipalities, and regions, as well as a special award for inclusive housing initiatives.
The results
The communication and outreach strategy, including stakeholder mapping, targeted promotion to motivate organisations to participate formed a solid backbone for the event’s success. The event featured a successful hybrid format that ensured broad accessibility and visibility, achieving strong engagement from local authorities, businesses, and diversity networks and facilitating the participation of high-level EU representatives, including Commissioner Hadja Lahbib. The award ceremony recognized and celebrated the efforts of municipalities and regions that are leading the way in advancing diversity and inclusion across the EU.
