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Tolerance and non-discrimination

The OSCE actively supports its 56 participating States in combating all forms of racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and discrimination. It co-operates and co-ordinates its activities in this field with other European and UN organizations such as the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, and the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

OSCE institutions promoting tolerance and non-discrimination include the Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which:

  • Collects and distributes information and statistics on hate crimes in the participating States;
  • Promotes best practices and disseminates lessons learned in the fight against intolerance and discrimination;
  • Provides assistance to participating States in drafting and reviewing legislation on crimes fuelled by intolerance and discrimination.

OSCE Institutions supporting tolerance and non-discrimination:

Features

ODIHR trains the trainers to help battle hate crimes

Drawing inspiration from the resource guide "Preventing and responding to hate crimes", participants in an ODIHR "train the trainers" seminar practised useful techniques for conducting workshops on combating hate crimes, Warsaw, September 2009. (OSCE/Agnieszka Rembowska)

The OSCE Office on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is helping practitioners across Eastern Europe learn to recognize signs of burgeoning intolerance and devise effective training courses on combating hate crimes.
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OSCE High Commissioner helps build young friendships through multicultural education in Kyrgyzstan

Girls in national costumes have fun at the award ceremony for 'The Colours of Friendship' drawing competition held by the HCNM-supported Centre for Multilingual and Multicultural Education, Osh, Kyrgyzstan, 1 June 2008. (OSCE/Dildora Khamidova)

The HCNM is helping to bring children and teachers from the country's various ethnic groups together to deepen their appreciation of each other's languages and cultures.
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OSCE-supported Kosovo film festival continues to gain popularity

Film fans pack into Prizren's coffee bars, having come to see Dokufest, Kosovo's largest international documentary and short film festival, taking place in the town from 4-10 August 2008. (OSCE/Hasan Sopa)

This year's Dokufest, Kosovo's biggest documentary and short film festival, was the most popular yet, with a few thousand fans and artists coming to Prizren to see nearly 140 films.
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An Albanian boy and a Roma girl in traditional costume getting ready for a joint dance at a ceremony to mark the return of the Roma community to Roma Mahala, Mitrovice/Mitrovica, 30 March 2007. (OSCE/Hasan Sopa)

An Albanian boy and a Roma girl in traditional costume getting ready for a joint dance at a ceremony to mark the return of the Roma community to Roma Mahala, Mitrovice/Mitrovica, 30 March 2007. (OSCE/Hasan Sopa)