Seminar on Tolerance, Respect, and Human Rights in Prague
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 08:32:56 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: Seminar on Tolerance, Respect, and Human Rights in Prague
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Laura Laubeova <[email protected]>
Seminar on Tolerance, Respect, and Human Rights in Prague
The Tolerance, Respect, and Human Rights seminar will be held in
Prague, 19-24 January. The seminar focuses on post-tototalitarian
countries in Eastern Europe and South Africa and is predominantly
targeted at educators. Within the seminar a panel on Roma and
Education will be organised by the European Centre for Minority
Issues.
The conference fee is USD 15. For participants from constrained
countries a small bursary can be offered to reduce local costs,
however we can not support any international travel costs.
Deadline for applications is October 20 1999.
Detailed information, incl. application forms, is attached.
PhDr. Laura Laubeova
HOST Education for Tolerance
Kettnerova 2052
155 00 Praha 5
Czech Republic
Phone/fax: +420-2- 651 4442
Cellular phone:+420 604-722 554
e-mail: [email protected]
-------------------------
TOLERANCE, RESPECT AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Second International Seminar of the Teachers for Tolerance/GFSI
Initiative
19-24 January 2000
Police Training College, Pod T�borem 102/5, Prague 9 - Hrdlorezy
SPONSORS AND ORGANISERS:
GSFI, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of
Cambridge, UK
European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), Flensburg
University of Zululand, South Africa
Police Training College, Prague
Citizens� Solidarity and Tolerance Movement - HOST
Institute of International Studies, Charles University, Prague
Department of Pedagogy, School of Education, Charles University,
Prague
Center for Human Rights Education at Gymnasium Pr�bram
Bohemia Corps, CZ
Association of History Teachers in the Czech Republic, ASUD
Czech Helsinki Committee
Sadika Peace Education Prague
SPUSA Educational centre Prague
PREPARATORY COMMITTEE:
Laura Laubeov�, Prague
Zdenka Ma�kov�, Pr�bram
Ludmila Hor�kov�, Prague
Marianne Wiseman, Prague
�tep�nka Manhalov�, Prague
Karin Genton-L�Ep�e, Prague
Farimah Daftary, ECMI
Jan Bucek, Bratislava
Anna Adamus- Matuszynska, Katowice
Maria Kuzniarc, Wroclaw
Eva Blenesi, Budapest
Dududzile Maseko, Johannesburg
Roseline-Ntshingila Khosa, Pretoria
Liz Thompson, University of Zululand
Carol de Kock, Technicon Natal
I. Rationale:
Interethnic conflicts, human rights violation, intolerance,
nationalism and racism are, together with low eco-environmental
awareness, main threats to stability of present world. Globalisation
and growing multiculturalism in nation states societies bring these
issues to the attention of many policy makers as well as ordinary
people. Teachers may play a very progressive role in the process of
combating intolerance and racism and can articulate the bottom-up
policies for social change. Teachers organised into an international
network can use this space for exchange of information, experience and
as well as for lobbying at higher levels of policy making.
II. Background:
On February 11- 13 1999 the international seminar "Teachers for
Tolerance and Cultural Pluralism" (TTCP) was held in Prague, at the
Secondary Police School. The project was initiated and supported by
the GSFI* Regional Initiative Programme of the University of Cambridge
and is targeted at teachers and educators from Central and Eastern
Europe and South Africa.
The meeting provided space to 55 teachers and educators from the Czech
Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and South Africa for sharing and
exchange of information and experience; it initiated mutual support
and cooperation and helped to empower teachers to bring changes within
the current educational systems. (The seminar programme consisted of
short presentations discussions, and activities leading to exchange of
good practice and networking.) The experience from South Africa
enabled central European teachers to draw parallels and commonalties.
The main difference seemed to be that in the South Africa, though the
history of democratic development is shorter there, the government
managed to introduce major democratic changes in the educational
system that have had instant impact at the school level and on the
teaching and learning atmosphere (such as students rights, focus on
learners, change in teaching methodology and curriculum). Such a
systemic change seems to be missing mainly in the Czech Republic. What
both regions share are difficulties in implementing equal
opportunities policies and concepts (in central European countries
these policies are not yet very common), high resistance to changes,
occurrence of racism, prejudice and stereotypes, and others.
The first seminar was oriented to future action planning. Indeed, many
participants expressed importance of having such opportunities for
exchanging experience, networking, and planning joint projects.
Therefore, already at the end of the seminar, a range of follow up
activities started to be planned.
The seminar was organised in cooperation with thirteen Czech NGOs that
either helped to promote it (ASUD, SVOD, OPU, Prague offices of
UNESCO, UN, UNHCR) or helped with its organisation (Bohemia Corps, New
School Foundation, SPS Cultural centre, HOST). We hope that also the
next seminar will be prepared jointly by a coalition of Czech NGOs
which may facilitate the communication and remove barriers among NGOs.
III. Follow-up activities; need for an annual seminar:
The first TTCP seminar initiated regular exchange of information and
establishment of cooperation among organisation within the Czech
Republic (e.g. SVOD, ASUD, PAU for negotiating with the Czech Ministry
of Education) as well as internationally (eg. initiating contact
between schools, mutual visits, planning joint projects). The need
for continuing the exchange and cooperation was one of the strongest
ideas expressed by most participants.
Two follow-up working groups were created under the name of Teachers
for Tolerance/GSFI Initiative:
1. A local organisational committee that is in charge of monitoring
similar projects, linking them together and facilitating communication
between teachers from various school levels and subjects
specialisation. It is also in charge of preparing the follow-up
seminar next year as well as other events. One of the first follow -
up projects organised by Bohemia Corps in cooperation with the TT/GSFI
Initiative was the TOLERANCE AND RESPECT PROJECT CONFERENCE which was
be held in Pr�bram, Czech Republic, in April 23-25, 1999.
2. An international planning committee (Czech-Polish- Hungarian-South
African), members of which include former GSFI Fellows, that is
working on programmatic outline of the next transnational seminar as
well as on other follow up joint projects.
The main focus of both committees is being targeted at the second
international seminar, which will be held in January 2000 in Prague.
The program agenda will remain similar but will be more focused on
ethnic, rather than environmental, issues. There are several given
topics and open space for their adjustment. On the first day five
keynote speakers will provide basic theoretical information relevant
to the seminar topics. This part of the seminar will be open to
students of the Charles University in Prague. In cooperation with ECMI
a panel on Roma and Education will be held as an integral part of the
seminar. Only this panel session will be translated into Czech,
otherwise, working language of the seminar is English. The remaining
part of the seminar will be organised in an interactive workshop
format. The programme is in annex.
A web site is being prepared that would provide space to link similar
programmes and projects that are run by schools, Universities, NGOs,
and other organisations. The Site aims to provide information on and
links to all projects, initiatives, organisations, and list-servers
involved in Education for Tolerance and Human Rights in the Czech
Republic, and gradually also in the Central and Easter Europe, as well
as the rest of the World. Volunteers are searched to help with the
site!
IV. Draft Seminar Themes
1. Prejudice and stereotypes, racism. Forms of discrimination.
2. Equal opportunities concept and its implementation.
Anti-discriminatory practice in my work.
3. Individual human rights and collective minority rights.
International legislation. Discrepancy between laws and their
implementation. How is this dilemma reflected in my work?
4. Managing multiethnic communities on local level. Role of school;
creating partnerships.
5. Roma and Education - a panel organised by ECMI
6. Why something has to be done and what would be most effective to
do? Need for long term action.
The above topics can be enlarged with other related areas of interest.
Topics should be presented and discussed in a workshop format (50%
time allocation for discussion among participants). Presentations
should not be longer than 20 minutes and should initiate questions for
discussion. Candidates are encouraged to send their papers by 20
October 1999.
The seminar is targeted at all teachers from primary, secondary, and
higher education levels, including teacher trainers. Candidates with
more academic background can contribute by papers focussing on
conceptual/theoretical framework; primary and secondary school
teachers can share their practical experiences and methods. The
seminar will be opened also to non-teachers whose work has direct or
indirect educational impact.
Participants will be selected by the preparatory committee: the main
criteria will be the content of their contribution proposal and/or
references from first TTCP conference participants.
V. Fees
Also the second TTCP Seminar has be partially funded by the GSFI
Programme, mainly to cover administrative costs and some travel costs
of South African participants. The seminar costs were also reduced
thanks to the generosity of the Police College in Prague that provides
most of the services free of charge or at overhead costs. The
conference fee is USD 15 or CZK 500. Accommodation and meals will be
charged to participants at rates specified in the registration form.
Further funding is being searched at the moment, however, the
organisers are not able to provide any international travel grants.
Note: The conference organisers are seeking co-sponsors, who would
help us to provide grants to participants from Eastern Europe, former
Yugoslavia, and former SU, as well as to facilitate follow- up
meetings.
V. Conclusion:
The first TTCP Seminar proved to be a very effective tool for
initiating and promoting communication among teachers from different
and geographically very distant places. It managed to identify common
problems and despite the distance and seemingly distinct differences,
it brought people together to find and share ways of addressing those
problems. In order to enhance the positive impact of the seminar and
to facilitate further contacts and cooperation the organisers plan to
hold regular meeting/conferences at least once per year so that
participants can use mutual personal support and exchange of
experience as an energising and motivating occasion for their further
efforts.
>From the transnational as well as local perspective the TTCP Seminar
has shown that comparing policies and practice of different countries,
as well as drawing parallels, is a viable instrument for improving
ones own society as well as our global society as a whole.
Contact Persons:
Laura Laubeov�
HOST/ Education for Tolerance
Kettnerova 2052
155 00 Praha 5
tel./fax: +4202- 651 44 42
e-mail: [email protected]
Ludmila Hor�kov�
Bohemia Corps
Sudomerska 32
130 00 Praha 3
tel. 627 09 67-8, fax: 627 08 35
e-mail: [email protected]
Stepanka Manhalov�
SPUSA EC
Navr�tilova 2
110 00 Praha 1
e-mail: [email protected]
................
NOTE:
Presentation of key note speakers will be opened to public, mainly
students of the Charles University (The capacity of the lecture hall
is 200 persons). The number of seminar participants is limited to 60
persons.
PROGRAMME UPDATE
The following key note speakers have been invited:
Prof. Vincent Parrillo, William Paterson University, New Jersey
(confirmed)
Professor Gawe, Carol de Kock and Liz Thompson, Technicon Natal and
University of Zululand (confirmed)
Dr. Catherine Odora-Hoppers, Human Science Research Council, Pretoria
Kim Feinberg, Foundation for Tolerance Education, South Africa
Roseline-Ntshingila Khosa, University of Cambridge
Zdenka Machnyikova, Office of the High Commissioner on National
Minorities, OSCE
Prof. George Schopflin, University of London
Prof. Kevin Clements, Secretary General, International Alert
Dr. Hanna Wegrzynek, The Jewish Historical Research Institute, Warsaw
August Zemo, Facing History and Ourselves, Switzerland (confirmed)
ROMA AND EDUCATION PANEL
The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) will organise a panel
on Roma and Education at the conference "Tolerance, Respect and Human
Rights" on Friday, 21 January, 9:00-12:30.
The aim of the ECMI panel on Roma and Education is to evaluate the
various models of education policy with an emphasis on those developed
by Roma themselves, in order to contribute to the development of
adequate education programmes for Roma children. The panel will deal
with questions of integrated vs. segregated education, linguistic
issues and will also draw on practical experiences from several
countries and attempt to identify the conditions which might
contribute to the success of a given model.
The tentative structure of the panel is the following:
- Keynote speech (Thursday, 20 January): Ms. Josephine VERSPAGET
(Chair of the Specialist Group on Roma/Gypsies at the Council of
Europe): the activities of the Specialist Group on Roma/Gypsies
concerning Roma and education in particular and overview of the
recommendations of the Council of Europe on this subject.
- Dr. Tove SKUTNABB-KANGAS (Institute for Language and Culture,
Roskilde University, Denmark): Theoretical introduction and an
evaluation of the comparative performance of different models of
minority education for Roma.
- Ms. Dimitrina PETROVNA (Executive Director, European Roma Rights
Centre, Budapest, Hungary): Current efforts of the ERRC in the Czech
Republic to assist Roma children to fight policies of segregated
education.
- Ms. Miranda Vuolasranta (Ministry of Social Affairs, Helsinki,
Finland) on her practical experience in the field of teacher training
in Finland.
- Andrea Szalai (Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Janis Pannonius
University, P�cs, Hungary) on the linguistic dimension of Roma
education models and practical experience from Hungary and
Transylvania.
- A speaker from Macedonia
Replacement speakers include:
- Margaret THOMPSON (Save the Children, UK-England Programme)
- Jean-Pierre Li�geois (Centre de recherches tsiganes, Universit� Ren�
Descartes)
-----------------
For more information, as well as application forms, contact the
organizers. See also MINELRES postings of 13 June 1999
<http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//06131999-10:22:44-13512.html>
and 20 August 1999
<http://racoon.riga.lv/minelres/archive//08201999-10:08:33-13192.html>
Boris
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