Oleg Smirnov, Iryna Brunova-Kalisetska Ukraine Integration and Development Center for Information and Research Second International Summit on Conflict.

Oleg Smirnov,Iryna Brunova-Kalisetska

UkraineIntegration and Development Center for Information and Research

Second International Summit on Conflict Resolution Education(Cleveland, Ohio, USA)

The Role of NGOs in Education Reform: Effective Conflict Prevention and Tolerance Building

Geographical Location

Autonomous Republic of Crimea: Context/Challenges uneasy process of adaptation of mainly Russian-speaking

population of Crimea to new Ukrainian reality

the return of a big amount of the former deportees (Crimean Tatars , Armenians, Bulgarians, Germans, Greeks) during a short period of time – about 300 thousand

the incapability of the state to meet the deportees’ economical, social and cultural needs to the full extend - a factor of tension in the region

the necessity for development of education, culture, civic activities of the deportees as elements of social equality and prevention of the feeling of being discriminated in the social-cultural area

raise of Muslim population during last 15 years up to 13 % - raise of islamophobia (society doesn’t have an experience of joint coexistence)

high level of migration and lack of experience of joint co-existence in poly-ethnic and poly-confessional environment

lack of joint vision and manipulation in ethnic area by political elites, struggle for resources

The Most Numerous Ethnic Groups in Crimea (according to the national census)

1897 1921 1939 1989 2001

The whole population 546592 719531 1126429 2455900 2024056

Russians 45,3% 51,5% 49,6% 68,7% 58,3%

Ukrainians - - 13,7% 29,3% 24,3%

Byelorussians - - 6,0% 2,1% 1,4%

Tatars - - - 0,05% 0,5%

Crimean Tatars 34,1% 25,7% 19,4% 1,8% 12,0%

Germans 5,8% 5,9% 4,6% 0,1% 0,1%

Jews 5,3% 7,0% 5,8% 0,8% 0,2%

Greeks 3,1% 3,3% 1,8% 0,1% 0,1%

Armenians 1,5% 1,6% 1,1% 0,4% 0,4%

Bulgarians 1,1% 1,7% 1,4% 0,1% 0,1%

Karaites 1,0% 0,7% 0,4% 0,04% 0,03%

Deported groups are marked with bold type

Crimean NGOs strategic approach (1997-2002)

Creating a climate of socially and culturally "equal opportunities“.

Taking into account state and regional factors.

Contributing to the maintenance of the peace, mutual understanding, and democratic principles of societal development in Ukraine.

Involving the general public in the development of the strategy and management of initiatives.

Stimulating by donor organizations numerous local initiatives, resolving common global problems by way of local transformation.

Education for repatriates (minorities) 1997-2002

Development and publication of textbooks and teaching manuals for secondary schools, Sunday schools and higher educational institutions (88 publications)

Technical and informational support of educational institutions (schools with the Crimean Tatar language of instruction, Sunday schools of other ethnic groups)

Teacher training and retraining

Promoting dissemination of the native language in every-day life (“Home Library” books, bilingual magazines, etc.) (25 publications)

Development of non-traditional children’s educational-leisure centers and schools at home

Main areas of NGOs activities (1997-2002)

rebirth of primary and secondary education

for repatriates

popularization of ethnic cultures

as a means to set up dialogue between them

development of education

on native languages

promotion of the multicultural

education in Crimea

CR IN UKRAINE (1997-2005)Odessa mediation group – one of the leading organizations

in Ukraine (jointly realizes projects with Tavrida Mediation group, Integration and Development Center, Search for Common Ground (Crimean office) and other)

Activities: Trainings for trainers in CR, PM and mediation CR and PM as parts of the facultative course on Civic

Education for higher grades of Ukrainian schools 3 –hour course on CR and SM in oblast teacher training

institutes for school psychologists and other Experiment in Odessa and Nikolaev oblast schools on

PM Implementation of restorative justice and reconciliation

programs Courses on CR and PM in police schools

CHANGES IN ACTIVITIES OF NGOs (2003)

Shift from education for ethnic minorities to multicultural initiatives

Need for a systemic approach

Joint activities of NGOs,

teachers, scholars, public

State involvement

Stimulation of the state policy transformation:

ways of NGOs influence Involvement of representatives of the local authorities

(Ministry of Education) from the early stages of any initiative (contacts, letters, round tables, personal participation).

Activities should be based on the results of monitoring, research, analysis of a situation.

Coalition building (the more NGOs involved the more any initiative is trusted).

Raising broader public awareness.

Special training courses for representatives of authorities.

NGOs demonstrate readiness to be responsible.

NGOs demonstrate that they can attract additional money from different sources.

Integrated Course “Culture of Neighborhood” (35 hours per year in primary, secondary and high school (1-12)

Main purpose:

Forming of socially competent, critically thinking and tolerant citizens of Crimea and Ukraine

State Support Approval of the course’s program for schools in a complete set

(27.12.2006, Board of Ministry of Education and Science of AR Crimea)

Approval of the course’s program for the students of republic colleges and universities (25.04.2006, Board of MES of AR Crimea)

Approval of the course’s program of the subject commissions of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (course is recommended for the usage in the institutions of general education throughout the Ukraine (the Letter of Institute of Innovation Technologies and Content of Education MES of Ukraine 1.4/18-1306 from 12.06.2007)

Insertion of the article #134 «Elaborate and prepare for publication textbooks on course «Culture of Neighborhood» (was not financed) into the Program of Economical and Social Development of AR Crimea 2007 (the Decree of the Parliament of AR Crimea #386-5/07 from 22 of March 2007)

Project 2007 – 2008 Systemic Approach

Civic Education:

Trainings for Trainers for 64 teachers aimed at the training work with the representatives of local communities (parents, school staff etc.)

Certification on a Mediation and Facilitation for 25 students of Crimean colleges and universities (Student Center of Intercultural Education) for work in a student communities

Broadening of the activity directions of the Informational Methodological Center for Multicultural Education and Tolerance

Trainings for Trainers for Teachers

Project 2007 – 2008 Systemic Approach

Sharing of experience:

International Conference “Culture of peace and tolerance promotion in poly-ethnic society” (18-20 October 2007, Simferopol, AR Crimea)

Web-site (www.ciet.org.ua): three languages, audio and video, international experience, news page etc.

Web-site www.ciet.org.ua

Project 2007 – 2008 Systemic ApproachLevel of Authorities:

Project “Toward a peaceful and tolerant society in Ukraine. Interethnic relations in AR Crimea: enlightenment and education“ (joint project: Ukrainian Center of Independent Political Research (Kiev) and Center “Integration and Development”(Crimea)) under support of the Higher Commissioner on National Minorities OSCE

The set of seminar-trainings “Management of

interethnic relations in polyethnic society: the problems of tolerance and partnership of authorities and communities".

“Authorities and Communities”: Figures

14 educational seminar-trainings were conducted;

Total amount of participants: 350 village heads, community leaders, representative of a local executive power.

Among participants: officials of Simferopol, Djankoy, Kerch town councils, the heads of the villages from 14 regions of AR Crimea, staff-members of executive committees of local government.

“Authorities and Communities”: Content

During the seminar-trainings were familiarized with: Basic concepts of ethnic policy (national minorities, indigenous

people, citizenship, Ukrainian people, discrimination, positive discrimination etc.) in Ukrainian legislation, international documents that were ratified by Ukraine.

Concepts of stereotype, ethnic stereotype, their role and functions, the ways of their translations and origins.

Information that concerns main laws of Ukraine in the sphere of ethnic policy.

Theoretical and practical information about the opportunities for advancement of effectiveness in a field of policy implementation by the way of involving of target groups into policy forming and realization. Main ways, methods and mechanisms of the work with the community were delivered.

“Authorities and Communities”: visualization

Issues of communication and interaction between

authority agencies and communities: Methods of “participative democracy”

“Authorities and Communities”: Recommendations of working groups

International experience of multiculturalism policy

realization:Positive and negative aspects

for UkraineMeans of intensive support: Ukrainian and international

experience

Development of a tolerance in society

and conflict prevention

Conflict prevention and settlement:

theoretical and practical aspects

Educational policy in Ukraine

and the questions of tolerance widening

Management of interethnic relations in poly-ethnic society:

tolerance and partnership between authorities

and communities

Resolution of legal and political issues,

Improvement of a legal basis

Means of an employment policy optimization

Means of national minorities’ involvement

into the process of decision making

Solution of economical and social

issues,improvement of a legal basis

Means of optimization of policy

in the land relations sphere

Realizationof positive action policy

concerning to national minorities and ethnic groups

“Authorities and Communities”: recommendations

Recommendations for local administration

institutionsin the field

of conflict prevention and settlement

Recommendations for mass-media

in the fieldof conflict prevention

and settlement

Recommendations for police (“militia”)

in the fieldof conflict prevention

and settlement

Recommendations for the Parliament of AR

Crimea in the fieldof conflict prevention

and settlement

Recommendations for political parties

and NGOs, in the fieldof conflict prevention

and settlement

Promotion of conflict prevention

and settlement

“Authorities and Communities”: recommendations

Civic Activity in the Realization of the Principles

of Tolerant Up-bringing

New policy concerning to the staff training

Improvement of a legal basis

In the fieldof multicultural education

Formationof the educational institutions’

networkthat implement

multicultural practices

Improvement of educational curricula

and textbooks

Educational Policy in Ukraine

and the Widening of a Tolerance

“Authorities and Communities”: recommendations

Our partners in Ukraine Ministry of Education and Science of AR Crimea Institute of the Innovative Technologies and Content of Education of the

Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (Crimean branch) A.E. Krymsky Oriental Studies Institute of the National Ukrainian Science

Academy (Crimean branch) Tavrida National Vernadskiy University Crimean Repunlican Institute of the Postgraduate Pedagogic Education Educational institutions of AR Crimea International Renaissance Foundation Crimean Ethnographical Museum Crimean ethnic and cultural associations Odessa Mediation Group Ukrainian Center for Common Ground (Crimean branch)

Our Foreign Partners International Network on Conflict Resolution Education and Peace Education

(INCREPE) Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)

Office of OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities UNITED for Intercultural Action (Netherlands) Open Society Institute (Hungary)

Contacts

www.ciet.org.ua Informational Methodological Center for Multicultural Education and Tolerance

www.integration.org.ua

(+380652) 505812, 255223

Integration and Development Center for Information and Research

[email protected] Oleg Smirnov

[email protected] Iryna Brunova-Kalisetska