The Intercultural Mediator bridges the gap between residents and staff in Fedasil reception centers. Their goal is simple but essential: to promote understanding, trust, and cooperation between people with different languages and cultures.

Within the Building Bridges project, a study was conducted on the role and deployment of Intercultural Mediators within asylum reception services. Starting from daily practice in reception centres, this report maps out how intercultural mediators build bridges between residents and staff, among residents themselves, and between reception services and the wider society, in a context of significant linguistic and cultural diversity.
The report outlines where intercultural mediation currently makes a difference, the challenges that arise in terms of collaboration and positioning, and the conditions needed to sustainably strengthen this role. In doing so, it provides a foundation for further reflection, policy development, and practical advancement of intercultural mediation in asylum reception services.

The report is available upon request via email: jasmien.sirfouq@thomasmore.be.