Launch of EU Year Intercultural Dialogue Painting Competition.

11.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 14th Aug 2008

Tom Brake MP for Carshalton and Wallington is to ask local primary schools in his constituency to take part in a painting competition as part of the EU Year of Intercultural Dialogue.

The EU Year of International Dialogue is an event designed to celebrate Europe's great cultural diversity and aims to encourage all those living in Europe to explore the benefits of Europe's rich cultural heritage. The year also aims to create opportunities for different cultures to learn from each other, whilst helping to develop a greater understanding of European identity.

Each local school will be asked to send in their nominations to Tom by 30th October 2008 and these will then go forward to a celebrity panel of judges including Dame Kelly Holmes.

The winners of the competition will be invited to a presentation ceremony in London and their painting will be re-printed in an international booklet produced about the Year.

Talking about the competition Tom Brake said 'This is a great chance to show the importance of Intercultural Dialogue and help to create a better feeling and understanding of European Citizenship.'

For more information about the year and other events that are taking place to mark it please visit http://www.interculturaldialogue2008.eu/