School must be the place where every child should feel accepted. Especially in this period of crisis, schools are asked to educate the future citizens to the values of democracy, such as respect, tolerance and integrations. We should offer a place where students can know each other to understand that diversity is richness

One of the most important thing is respect, but before creating an environment based on respect and tolerance we should help students to know more each other. First of all we should know students and then offer occasions in which they can know more about themselves and their culture. So organizing cooperative learning works, based on cooperation and discussions, and proposing lessons about different cultures can empower this competence and empathy. I liked one thing mentioned by Erika "They do not need to convince the other, neither to understand all other's ideas."

You remain cautious in your teaching approaches and how you deal with the diversity of your students but you actively make attempts to ensure students feel accepted and normal in your class. While your teaching practices and resources do not fully reflect the diversity of your students, you do try to individualize aspects of either your resources, activities, topics or engagement with parents and community, according to the background of your students. 

The creation of a class identity or the sense of belonging to a group is really important. This year for me it's fundamental, because I have three first classes: children of upper secondary schools in countryside usually come from different towns and they do not know each other.
Obviously first of all the teacher should create positive conditions for communication in an environment based on tolerance and respect. The teacher is mainly an educator, so students can think they can rely on him, in a trustful relationship.
A really good idea, especially for the first lessons, it is to organize some activities through pupils can start knowing more: e.g. they can be asked to speak about their dreams or what they like (they can so discover common interests).
Also activity based on cooperative learning are really important, because in little groups they are able to speak, listen and communicate in a better way than in larger groups. It is important also to repeat this kind of activity, changing the composition of the groups, so they will be able to interact with other mates.
I usually create a facebook group for each class to communicate with students, but also for discussing and speaking about scholastic experiences.
To create all these things the support of the colleagues and the headmaster is really important. Here in Italy it is not so easy: especially cooperation among teacher is not so common.

Empathy and open-mindedness are distinct but strictly connected.
Empathy is a natural talent, but it can be taught. I think that my students are quite empathetic. They have developed a sense of group and they usually support each other. But I think that they have to develop more empathy towards others in general. I teach in the countryside of Rome and students are usually protective towards their mates, but sometimes racist and homophobic. I teach literature and my subject helps a lot in being empathetic, because, while you read many texts, you are forced to understand other people's thought and behaviour. Also movies about social privilege and discrimination can help.
I have also to add that in Italy there aren't special schools and people with special educational needs are in normal classes. So students live together with someone they feel different.
In my experience I know that narrow-mindedness and discrimination come from ignorance. E.g. it is more difficult to be homophobic if you have a gay mate, because you realize that he's not different from you.
So video like the previous ("What is privilege") or role playing game can be a good idea. "What is privilege" video is really effective and strong. I think it is suited for adult, because for boy and girls can be difficult to be sincere answering to all those questions and could be also shocking realizing how much your life is affcted by discriminations and lack of privileges. A good solution could be applying it through a role playing game activity.