Newsroom
OSCE brings young people together across Balkan borders
PEJE/PEC 1 August 2003
PEJE/PEC, 1 August 2003 - An OSCE-sponsored youth project will bring together young people from Kosovo and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for a nine-day summer camp aimed at fostering reconciliation.
Thirty young activists of the multi-ethnic Youth Network from Kosovo's Peje/Pec municipality will travel today to Ohrid to attend the Youth Reconciliation Initiative summer camp and join a similar multiethnic group from Kumanovo.
"Kosovo is not the only region in the Balkans facing the challenges of reconciliation," said Alastair Butchart Livingston, the acting Head of the OSCE Office in Peje/Pec. "But it has taken positive steps and is now sharing its experiences with other regions."
The OSCE-sponsored project consists of a training component and foresees interactive exchanges and debates among young people in the field of inter-ethnic dialogue, cultural and religious diversity.
"Getting young people involved in a real, concrete dialogue can help to foster the spirit of reconciliation throughout society," said Mr. Livingston.
Training sessions will focus on topics chosen by the network. These will include communication skills, conflict analysis, team-building and intercultural learning, understanding of inter-ethnic dialogue and youth-oriented media. In addition, a documentary film and a newsletter will be produced during the nine days.
"Besides the importance of communication between young people from the communities living in Peje/Pec, the project envisages training in specific areas which have an impact on reconciliation," said Veton Mujaj, head of the NGO, Syri i Vizionit, a founding member of the network. "The camp would help create a stronger co-operation between these groups, a concrete work in this field in future, as well as a tolerant spirit and joint and continuous work between all communities."
Thirty young activists of the multi-ethnic Youth Network from Kosovo's Peje/Pec municipality will travel today to Ohrid to attend the Youth Reconciliation Initiative summer camp and join a similar multiethnic group from Kumanovo.
"Kosovo is not the only region in the Balkans facing the challenges of reconciliation," said Alastair Butchart Livingston, the acting Head of the OSCE Office in Peje/Pec. "But it has taken positive steps and is now sharing its experiences with other regions."
The OSCE-sponsored project consists of a training component and foresees interactive exchanges and debates among young people in the field of inter-ethnic dialogue, cultural and religious diversity.
"Getting young people involved in a real, concrete dialogue can help to foster the spirit of reconciliation throughout society," said Mr. Livingston.
Training sessions will focus on topics chosen by the network. These will include communication skills, conflict analysis, team-building and intercultural learning, understanding of inter-ethnic dialogue and youth-oriented media. In addition, a documentary film and a newsletter will be produced during the nine days.
"Besides the importance of communication between young people from the communities living in Peje/Pec, the project envisages training in specific areas which have an impact on reconciliation," said Veton Mujaj, head of the NGO, Syri i Vizionit, a founding member of the network. "The camp would help create a stronger co-operation between these groups, a concrete work in this field in future, as well as a tolerant spirit and joint and continuous work between all communities."