United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the BMW Group Host a Capacity Building Workshop for Recipients of the 2014 Intercultural Innovation Award

Strategic communication, planning and implementation were the main focus of a capacity building workshop for ten recipients of the 2014 Intercultural Innovation Award. Hosted by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the BMW Group, the workshop took place at BMW Group Headquarters in Munich, Germany from October 12 to October 17, 2014.

Participants from Italy, Australia, Lebanon, Sweden, Germany, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, USA and Rwanda participated in various training sessions designed to build their capacity with a view to enhance the long-term effect and sustainability of their projects, such that their initiative can expand and replicate in other contexts. The first part of the event focused on strategic planning, implementation and impact analysis. Experienced trainers explored with the attendees case studies, success stories, and experiential group learning to develop a strategic plan for their individual projects. The second part of the workshop focused on the communications aspect of the workshop, where attendees received training on public speaking and media, with the chance to participate in mock interviews in a real television studio. The highlight of the workshop was the opportunity for awardees to interact with BMW Group managers, with a simulation of a pitch to potential sponsors. Awardees were asked to “sell” their own projects and received invaluable feedback from BMW Group employees.

The training in Munich is part of the one-year support program provided to finalists of the Intercultural Innovation Award, whose mandate is to select highly innovative grassroots and sustainable projects of non-profit organisations that promote dialogue and intercultural understanding, while making vital contributions to prosperity and peace in global societies. The Intercultural Innovation Award (IIA) was established in 2011 by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the BMW Group in a historic partnership geared towards creating a new model for collaboration between the private sector and the UN system.