Sammarinese commemorative 2 euro coins 2008 - European Year of Intercultural Dialogue
Commemorative 2 euro coins from San Marino
Description: The inner part of the coin features five human silhouettes symbolising the different cultures of the five regions of the European continent, together with the sacred texts of their different religious communities. Arched inscriptions complete the design: at the top, SAN MARINO, and below that the year mark; at the bottom, ANNO EUROPEO DEL DIALOGO INTERCULTURALE and the initials E.L.F. of the artist, Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini; and to the left, the mint mark. The twelve stars of the European Union surround the design on the outer ring of the coin.
Reverse: left from the coin centre face value: 2, on the right inscription: EURO; in the background of the inscription a map of Europe; in the background of the map vertically six parallel lines ending on both sides with five-pointed stars (the reverse is common for all euro coins)
Issuing volume: 130,000 coins
Date of issue: April 2008
Face value: 2 euro
Diameter: 25.75 mm
Thickness: 2.2 mm
Weight: 8.5 gr
Composition: Alloy (Nk/Ng), ring Cupro Nickel (75% copper - 25% nickel clad on nickel core), center Nickel brass (75% copper - 20% zinc - 5% nickel)
Design: Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini is credited as the engraver for the Sammarinese 2007 €2 Euro Commemorative coin.
Designer / Engraver Inscriptions: 'E.L.F.' Initials of the engraver:
€2 Edge Inscription: The Sammarinese €2 coin edge inscription is '2', followed by one star, repeated six times alternately upright and inverted.
Mint Location: Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato (IPZS) (State Printing Office and Mint), in Rome, Italy.
Mint Marks: Mintmark of the Rome mint: the letter 'R'. Located on the left hand side, inner circle.
National Identification: Text: 'SAN MARINO'
European Year of Intercultural Dialogue
Intercultural dialogue has long been a principle supported by the European Union and its Institutions. The year 2008 was designated "European Year of Intercultural Dialogue" (EYID) by the European Parliament and the Member States of the European Union. It aimed to draw the attention of people in Europe to the importance of dialogue within diversity and between diverse cultures.There is no single and universally accepted meaning of "Intercultural Dialogue". Indeed when the European Commission launched EYID by asking 27,000 EU citizens what they thought the phrase meant, by far the most common response (36%) was total puzzlement. However, a forum organised by the Council of Europe in November 2006 suggested the following:
"an open and respectful exchange of views between individuals and groups belonging to different cultures that leads to a deeper understanding of the other's world perception".
Other definitions or usages have been closer to concepts such as inter-religious dialogue and often to active citizenship learning. In a number of countries the phrase refers to dialogue between indigenous people and immigrant peoples, and it can also be used as a metaphor for forms of contact between countries which are not based on military power.
The text adopted by the European Union on EYID does not use any specific definition, but it underlines the role of intercultural dialogue in:
- respect for cultural diversity in the complex societies of today
- the role of dialogue and greater mutual understanding in developing equal opportunities for all
- supporting the EU's commitment to solidarity and social justice
- enabling the EU to forge partnerships with other countries and make its voice better heard in the world.
San Marino 2 euro commemorative Coins