- The Intercultural Innovation Hub (IIH) of UNAOC and the BMW Group, with the support of Accenture, connects people and cultures, empowers non-profit organizations and elevates intercultural innovation.
- Innovative projects advancing intercultural dialogue, integration and social inclusion will be selected to scale up their impact and achieve sustainable growth.
- Participants of the Hub will benefit from a financial grant of up to USD 20,000 in addition to a comprehensive capacity-building programme, international workshops, customized support and mentorship, as well as membership to an exclusive global platform.
- Deadline to Apply: 15 April 2026 at www.interculturalinnovation.org.
Munich and New York, 5 March 2026 – The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the BMW Group, with the support of Accenture, are pleased to announce the 2026 cycle of the Intercultural Innovation Hub (IIH).
As a catalyst for growth and greater impact, the Intercultural Innovation Hub continues to connect people and cultures, empower non-profit organizations, as well as elevate and scale up their approaches to tackling complex intercultural challenges through the development and implementation of impactful social innovations.
To this end, we invite non-profit organizations that are dedicated to fostering intercultural dialogue, promoting mutual understanding, and championing social inclusion to apply. Selected organizations will benefit from a robust support programme designed to expand the impact of their projects.
The Intercultural Innovation Hub will select up to 10 projects focused on addressing xenophobia and hate speech; preventing violent extremism; promoting gender equality; using sport, art and culture as tools to drive social change and foster social inclusion; building inclusive and cohesive societies and using AI and new technologies at the service of humanity.
Selected recipients will receive:
Financial support for sustainable growth: Up to USD 20,000 will be provided to each finalist to scale up their actions, accelerate the impact of their work, and enhance the sustainability of their project.
Year-long capacity-building programme: Selected recipients will benefit from a series of workshops and masterclasses, tailored support, and customized mentoring provided by UNAOC and the BMW Group, with the support of Accenture.
Access to a global network of changemakers: Recipients will have an opportunity to extend their spheres of influence, collaborate with other changemakers, and take part in regional and international events by becoming part of a global network of practitioners who are actively working to address cross-cultural tensions.
To apply, please read the eligibility criteria and complete your application no later than 5 p.m. EDT (New York time) on 15 April 2026 at www.interculturalinnovation.org/application-process.
Contact:
Katharina Schalk, BMW Group
Email: katharina.schalk@bmwgroup.com
Tel: +49-151-601-51092
Dana Podmolikova, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
Contact: +1 (212) 963-7149
danap@unops.org
Eva Buch-Erkens, Accenture
Contact +49-173 4075771
e.buch-erkens@extern.accenture.com
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is a United Nations entity that builds bridges between societies, promotes dialogue and understanding, and seeks to forge the collective political will required to accomplish these tasks. UNAOC works as a convener and facilitator to bring all sectors of society together to strengthen intercultural and interreligious dialogue to diminish hostility, and promote mutual respect and harmony among the people and cultures of the world. A special initiative of the Secretary-General, UNAOC was established in 2005, at the initiative of the Governments of Spain and Türkiye, under the auspices of the United Nations. In January 2019, H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos assumed the position of Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC, succeeding H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, who succeeded H.E. Mr. Jorge Sampaio. UNAOC maintains a global network of partners, including states, international and regional organizations, civil society groups, foundations, and the private sector, to improve cross-cultural relations between diverse nations and communities.
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. In 2024, the BMW Group sold over 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce of 159,104 employees. The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products from the supply chain and production to the end of their useful life.
Accenture
Accenture is a leading solutions and services company that helps the world’s leading enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed across the enterprise, bringing together the talent of our approximately 784,000 people, our proprietary assets and platforms, and deep ecosystem relationships. Our strategy is to be the reinvention partner of choice for our clients and to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled, great place to work in the world. Through our Reinvention Services we bring together our capabilities across strategy, consulting, technology, operations, Song and Industry X with our deep industry expertise to create and deliver solutions and services for our clients. Our purpose is to deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity, and we measure our success by the 360° value we create for all our stakeholders. Visit us at accenture.com.