From dialogue between cultures to institutionalised interculturality The evolution of educational policies of international organisations (1945–2025)

In recent decades, intercultural education has evolved from a pedagogical ideal to a structured political and regulatory framework. Since the end of the Second World War, the strengthening of a global consciousness based on human rights has prompted international organisations to question the role of education in building inclusive societies. However, the path towards an institutionalized interculturality has not been linear, but marked by progress, contradictions and moments of stalemate. This monograph analyses, from a historical and comparative perspective, the intercultural education policies promoted by UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the OECD, the World Bank and UNICEF between 1945 and 2025, crossing crucial junctures such as decolonisation, the Cold War, the expansion of civil rights, neoliberal globalisation and contemporary migration crises. The work investigates how, at each stage, these organisations have contributed to redefining the concept of cultural plurality and what tools have been adopted to promote intercultural teacher training, monitor discrimination and develop inclusive school practices. By identifying convergences, divergences and possible synergies, the volume offers a critical reflection on the many challenges facing contemporary societies and proposes interpretative keys aimed at indicating possible directions for the future: so that interculturalism does not remain an abstract concept, but becomes a concrete commitment to global citizenship based on justice, dialogue and mutual recognition.