Although most municipalities are aware of the importance of cultivating diversity in their city, they often do not pay the same amount of attention to the subject within the municipal organisation. The signatories however have openly committed themselves to changing this.

Bertien Houwing, alderman of the municipality of Amersfoort, spoke out for diversity and stated that in order to improve the contact with inhabitants, municipalities need to be a representation of their cities. This is not a given but a task that municipalities have to keep giving themselves. In addition, Roel Cazemier, boardmember and president of the board for Labour Affairs of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities, encouraged municipalitites to stimulate inclusion. “It’s in our DNA. So we cannot go without”, he said. Furthemore, Cazemier proclaimed that the Association would build forth on this event so that more municipalities would join the Charter.

In Europe over 50 municipalities have joined a Diversity Charter. Most of the European signatories are seated in Germany and France and include large cities such as Hamburg and Toulouse.