International UNITED Conference in Macedonia
International UNITED Conference in Macedonia (MK), 15-20 October 2011 "Merging Parallel Societies: Toolkit to Unite"
Conference prepared by:
* Centre Intercultural Dialogue (MK)
* Multikulti Youth Centre (MK)
* Initiative for Social Change (MK)
* Concordia (E)
* Human Rights Monitoring Institute (LT)
* Institute Globalisation & Social Movements (RUS)
* UNITED for Intercultural Action
All information and the e-nomination form can be found below, and on the UNITED website.
If your organisation is interested to nominate a representative, please return the expression of interest form (below) as soon as possible (deadline 29 August 2011), preferably by email to macedonia@unitedagainstracism.org
Merging Parallel Societies: Toolkit to Unite
The conference "Merging Parallel Societies: Toolkit to Unite" in Macedonia on 15-20 October 2011 will bring together 70 activists from across Europe to discuss strategies for intercultural dialogue and cooperation in multicultural communities.
The aim is to create a stronger platform to network and cooperate on issues of dialogue by fostering communication and synergy among those active in the field. The conference will encourage participants to share best practices and strategies for working with segregated communities and parallel societies, as well as exploring issues such as the role of antifascism, methods and practices that promote intercultural dialogue.
Description and aims
While cultural diversity has economic, social and political benefits, it can also bring about new challenges, triggering intolerance, stereotyping, racism, xenophobia, discrimination and violence that can threaten the peace of local and national communities.
Today Europe is facing the challenges of multiculturalism; many, including our governments, are questioning diversity and integration of immigrants in society. The conference aims to reframe multiculturalism, developing strategies and tools to promote interaction, collaboration and inclusion among divided communities.
Effective inter-community cooperation is built on diversity - the fact that each of us is a unique individual and has the exact same human rights. Our strategies for social cohesion will also target nationalism, which destroys inter-ethnic communities at their foundations and leads to hatred and tension.
The situation in Macedonia
In recent years the Macedonian multi-ethnic population has seen a growing tendency towards ethnic segregation. Segregation can also be a result of the rise of nationalism in Macedonia. The construction of a 24 metres high statue of Alexander the Great in Skopje is not only a provocation to neighbouring Greece, but also to the Albanian community in the country and creates yet another topic of division. Segregation is visible in many layers of society, especially in politics, education and cultural life where events are divided into Macedonian and Albanian. A recent study by OSCE analysed the development of attitudes of children and youth in Macedonia towards different ethnic groups, finding that in larger ethnically mixed towns, both Albanians and Macedonians have no contact with the other group. The Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) -which is fully implemented in the Macedonian Constitution- aimed to introduce consensus based decision making and cooperation between ethnic groups in the country.
In 2011 Macedonian society cannot happily commemorate 10 years of the end of armed conflict because true democracy is still not in function. Despite efforts for improving the political power of ethnic communities, there is a rising level of dissatisfaction among Albanians, Macedonians and also other communities; this system providing for multicultural societies has completely neglected smaller ethnic communities (Roma, Serbian, Turkish and many others). The OFA should facilitate fair and equal representation of all ethnic communities when acquiring public jobs, an objective that has completely failed with regards to the Roma. In a recent case of school segregation, Roma pupils in a public primary school in Bitola were intentionally placed together in one class in order to "avoid mixing" with other students. There is a clear need within civil society to bring the focus back to building a functional intercultural society rather than a parallel society.
Through the working groups below, issues like the ones mentioned earlier will be discussed. Your contribution will be valuable....
Если заинтересовались, пишите мне - пришлю программу предварительную.
Conference prepared by:
* Centre Intercultural Dialogue (MK)
* Multikulti Youth Centre (MK)
* Initiative for Social Change (MK)
* Concordia (E)
* Human Rights Monitoring Institute (LT)
* Institute Globalisation & Social Movements (RUS)
* UNITED for Intercultural Action
All information and the e-nomination form can be found below, and on the UNITED website.
If your organisation is interested to nominate a representative, please return the expression of interest form (below) as soon as possible (deadline 29 August 2011), preferably by email to macedonia@unitedagainstracism.org
Merging Parallel Societies: Toolkit to Unite
The conference "Merging Parallel Societies: Toolkit to Unite" in Macedonia on 15-20 October 2011 will bring together 70 activists from across Europe to discuss strategies for intercultural dialogue and cooperation in multicultural communities.
The aim is to create a stronger platform to network and cooperate on issues of dialogue by fostering communication and synergy among those active in the field. The conference will encourage participants to share best practices and strategies for working with segregated communities and parallel societies, as well as exploring issues such as the role of antifascism, methods and practices that promote intercultural dialogue.
Description and aims
While cultural diversity has economic, social and political benefits, it can also bring about new challenges, triggering intolerance, stereotyping, racism, xenophobia, discrimination and violence that can threaten the peace of local and national communities.
Today Europe is facing the challenges of multiculturalism; many, including our governments, are questioning diversity and integration of immigrants in society. The conference aims to reframe multiculturalism, developing strategies and tools to promote interaction, collaboration and inclusion among divided communities.
Effective inter-community cooperation is built on diversity - the fact that each of us is a unique individual and has the exact same human rights. Our strategies for social cohesion will also target nationalism, which destroys inter-ethnic communities at their foundations and leads to hatred and tension.
The situation in Macedonia
In recent years the Macedonian multi-ethnic population has seen a growing tendency towards ethnic segregation. Segregation can also be a result of the rise of nationalism in Macedonia. The construction of a 24 metres high statue of Alexander the Great in Skopje is not only a provocation to neighbouring Greece, but also to the Albanian community in the country and creates yet another topic of division. Segregation is visible in many layers of society, especially in politics, education and cultural life where events are divided into Macedonian and Albanian. A recent study by OSCE analysed the development of attitudes of children and youth in Macedonia towards different ethnic groups, finding that in larger ethnically mixed towns, both Albanians and Macedonians have no contact with the other group. The Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA) -which is fully implemented in the Macedonian Constitution- aimed to introduce consensus based decision making and cooperation between ethnic groups in the country.
In 2011 Macedonian society cannot happily commemorate 10 years of the end of armed conflict because true democracy is still not in function. Despite efforts for improving the political power of ethnic communities, there is a rising level of dissatisfaction among Albanians, Macedonians and also other communities; this system providing for multicultural societies has completely neglected smaller ethnic communities (Roma, Serbian, Turkish and many others). The OFA should facilitate fair and equal representation of all ethnic communities when acquiring public jobs, an objective that has completely failed with regards to the Roma. In a recent case of school segregation, Roma pupils in a public primary school in Bitola were intentionally placed together in one class in order to "avoid mixing" with other students. There is a clear need within civil society to bring the focus back to building a functional intercultural society rather than a parallel society.
Through the working groups below, issues like the ones mentioned earlier will be discussed. Your contribution will be valuable....
Если заинтересовались, пишите мне - пришлю программу предварительную.