OSCE Mission to Skopje launches project to promote interethnic tolerance in schools

SKOPJE, 26 May 2009 - The OSCE Mission to Skopje launched a project today that includes awareness-raising, education and recreation activities for secondary-school students in Struga to promote interethnic tolerance and combat juvenile delinquency.

The project, organized by OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje in co-operation with the Interior Ministry, follows a number of school fights between students of different ethnicities in a Struga school, which in turn led to the introduction of "ethnic shifts" - that is, separating students of different ethnic backgrounds in morning and afternoon classes.

"The activity aims at building bridges and developing trust among students of different ethnicities," said Paulo Costa, OSCE Mission's Head of Police Development Department.
"We hope to help make young people aware of the cultural values of other ethnicities."

Stefan Budzakovski, Ohrid police chief, added: "According to police data, student fights sparked by ethnic intolerance increased recently. There are several factors that contributed to the increase. This project is a good chance to return to a normal situation because it increases interethnic communication and co-operation and aims to reduce the level of juvenile delinquency."

Nine-hundred first-grade students from Niko Nestor and Ibraim Temo secondary schools in Struga will take part in the project.