WHO HINDERS TRANSITION IN SERBIA AND WHY?

Kragujevac, June 28 – July 2, 2006

12/08/2006

The 28th in the series of “Schools of Democracy”

The project “Building up Democracy and Good Governance in Multiethnic Communities,” realized thanks to the support of the European Commission – Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights

Eighteen gymnasium and secondary school students attended the eight school of democracy organized by the Kragujevac branch office. Though those young people have applied for this type of alternative education because of their specific interests and are not, therefore, representative of the entire generation, their stands and perception were often more mature than those of their elders. “Kragujevac was among ‘save heavens’ for the people who suffered the consequences of the policies of the previous and the actual regime alike. This is why the entire region developed a strong ‘immune system’ against all ‘non-Serbs.’ This is about a completely distorted system according to which a person is valued by the area he or she came from to ‘our’ territory, rather than perceived as good, bad, successful or whatever.” …” Violence is all around us but no one bothers to explain this phenomenon or tell people what to do to eliminate it. As if nobody cares. I do care and that’s why such schools mean a lot to me.”

Having discussed misuse of language and culture in wartime and peacetime with keynote speaker Teofil Pancic, the trainees produced examples from everyday life they identified as manipulation, discrimination, or hate speech. Teofil Pancic, whose style of speech attracts young people, once again managed to stir them up to reconsider not only their own stands, but also the trends and developments in their community.

The next day’s topic was similarly capturing and provoking for young trainees. For, picturing transition in Serbia and the relations between Serbia and Europe, keynote speaker Branislav Kovacevic insisted on interactive communication. What transition implies? Why transition processes are so slow-paced in Serbia? Who hinders them and why? “How can young people assume the crucial role in Serbia’s modernization and her association with Europe? Those were just some of the questions broached by the trainees.

Psychologist Tamara Tomasevic explained the origins and models of stereotypes and bias on the third day of the course. She dissected psychological profiles of the persons who turn discriminators and numerous reasons behind various forms of discrimination. The trainees reexamined their views about discrimination and learned how to combat it in a workshop. Divided in groups, they firstly tried to find solutions to various tasks assigned to them and then presented those solutions to the rest. Once again interactive communication and workshop approach proved to be most productive and efficient, and impressively motivating for the young.

Addressing xenophobia and the problem of “otherness” on the next day, keynote speaker Snezana Kresoja used the same approach. The workshop she organized dealt with ethnic distance towards the peoples usually negatively perceived among the Serbian population and was based on selected examples and trainees’ experience.

On the last day, project coordinator Ljiljana Palibrk explained mechanisms for the protection of human rights through several cases of gross violation that have been largely exploited by the media. Guest lecturer Mihailo Ignjatovic, deputy Ombudsman of Kragujevac, closed the course by informing the trainees about the institution he represented and its activities in the town of Kragujevac.

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