Promoting peaceful coexistence
For 15 years the association “TikK Kompetenzzentrum für interkulturelle Konflikte” (TikK Competency Centre for Intercultural Conflicts) has been successfully engaged in preventing and resolving intercultural conflicts between the local and immigrant communities. As a politically neutral, non-profit association, TikK espouses the promotion and preservation of peaceful coexistence.
A team of six colleagues runs the office in Zurich and provides immediate unbureaucratic assistance with directly threatening situations and problems. TikK supports local communities and organisations in the implementation of integration and prevention projects – for instance, conflict prevention in the public sector and the prevention of juvenile delinquency. With its educational programs, TikK enhances the intercultural competency of individuals who in their daily work come into contact with immigrants. This work is of vital importance in overcoming integration barriers and defusing conflict situations.
TikK’s conflict resolution process is designed to involve if possible all parties to the conflict. The intervention approach is convincing because, rather than simply addressing individual cases in isolation, it also takes the broader context of the conflict into account. Solutions that are jointly borne by all parties have long-term viability prospects and promise to bring about lasting change in the conflict behaviour of the persons involved.