OSCE Mission to Skopje supports inter-ethnic dialogue among young people

SKOPJE, 4 April 2008 - Advancing the leadership skills of young people from different ethnic groups, and helping them strengthen inter-ethnic dialogue, is the aim of a Youth Leadership Conference that began in Ohrid today.

Twenty six students from Kumanovo, Skopje, Tetovo, and Struga, selected from the previous Youth Leadership Conferences, will have a chance to improve their knowledge on conflict resolution and their peace-building skills.

"Young people should be encouraged as early as possible to play an active part in the decision-making process in their own communities and schools, as well as to promote tolerance and understanding among their peers," said Bernard Segarra, the Head of the Confidence-Building Department at the OSCE Mission.

The conference was organized by the NGO Centre for Management of Conflicts (CMC), and supported by the Ministry of Education and Sciences, the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, the Government of Spain and the Information Centre of the Council of Europe.

Albert Hani, Director of CMC, added: "This year has been declared by the European Commission as the "European Year of Intercultural Dialogue". This aims to complement existing community programmes and raise awareness among European citizens, especially the youth, of the importance of intercultural dialogue, which is fundamental for implementing the EU's motto "Unity in Diversity. Our activity is a modest contribution to this process."