Education rights in diverse societies in focus of OSCE-hosted conference in Skopje

SKOPJE, 1 November 2016 – A two-day conference on education rights in diverse societies began today in Skopje bringing together some 100 representatives from state institutions, civil society, academia, international community and all communities in the country.

The conference, organized by the OSCE Mission to Skopje and the Education and Science Ministry with the support of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), also marks the 20th anniversary of “The Hague Recommendations Regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities”. 

The discussion aims to firmly re-establish the primacy of education rights and integrated education within a wider process of societal integration, as articulated in the HCNM’s 2012 "The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies".

“The continued relevance of the ‘The Hague Recommendations’ lies in education’s crucial role in the preservation of the identity of each individual,” said Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje Nina Suomalainen. “This is even more important nowadays, in societies where education can and should be seen as the driving force of integration.”

Pishtar Lutfiu, the Education and Science Minister said: “In democratic societies it is not just enough to recognize and promote minority cultures, identity and political interests, in order to provide sustainable development for the individuals and for the community. For that purpose, it is necessary for the state to develop its own measures and implement policies that support integration and cohesion in the country.”

Alessandro Rotta, Senior Advisor to the HCNM said: “The goal is to ensure that every student benefits from more inclusive educational opportunities.  And it is the responsibility of the state to ensure this, as stated in the Ljubljana Guidelines. And such responsibilities include promoting the integration of society and the protection of diversity.”

The discussion will also focus on assessing the impact and continued relevance of “The Hague Recommendations” in view of the evolution of the international framework, standards and realities in realizing minority rights and the related challenges.