Multi-Ethnic Extra-Curricular Activities for Secondary Schools

Duration: September 2007 – June 2009
Donor: OSCE

Objectives: Provide students from different ethnic groups with the opportunity to interact and socialize, learn about each other, thus improving inter-ethnic relations among secondary school students and wider community; strengthen multi-ethnic co-operation and dialogue and build confidence among youth; increase awareness on issues such as multiculturalism, living in the multi-ethnic society, anti-bias, conflict prevention, stereotypes and prejudices, democracy and promote tolerance and cultural sensitivity; increase participants’ ability to live and work in a multicultural environment through their participation in the project activities. The project target group was high school students from Kumanovo and Kicevo, their teachers and parents and wider communities.

Results:
• 8 workshops were held for the students and teachers from the project schools in order to learn about the concepts of: multiculturalism, anti-bias, conflicts, tolerance, democracy, stereotypes and prejudices;
• A variety of extracurricular activities were carried out/implemented;
• Visits to governmental institutions (The President of the State and the Parliament) were made during which the students gained knowledge of their roles and functions;
• Joint visits to religious and cultural sites (mosque, church, and museum) during which the students gained knowledge of various cultures and traditions;
• Students participated in activities for introducing the variety of cultures and traditions, they were jointly sporting, and they were working jointly on environmental projects;
• Students and teachers of all project schools organized final presentations for sharing the project achievements in front of the audience consisted of other students, parents, school management and municipality officials.