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FOSTERING VOJVODINA'S MULTIETHNIC IDENTITY

The project is so designed as to foster Vojvodina's multiethnic identity through promotion of intercultural and interethnic understanding, strengthening the role of the civil society in conflict prevention, affirmation of a proactive minority policy and utilization of the province's Europewise capacity. Its added value is that, as a whole, it corresponds to and supplements the provincial authorities' initiative for multiculturalism and tolerance. With a view to attaining its major objectives the project leans on young people's eagerness to advance their knowledge of modern world's trends and standards, readiness to break the shackles of stereotyped thinking, and capacity to grow into future reformist decision-makers, as well as on community leaders' intellectual potential for defining a new approach to ethno-cultural diversity, suited to Vojvodina's specificity. The project thus not only helps to curb radicalization across ethnic lines, but also assists both Serbian policymakers and the EU to develop most appropriate political accommodations and reformist strategies for the province. The project target groups - recruited from Vojvodina's different ethnic communities - are young people ages 18-25 and members of Vojvodina's intelligentsia. Main activities planned under the project include the series of four "confidence-building" workshops for the young and four brainstorming sessions, publishing of two editions of a book (in Serbian and in English) to incorporate the ideas deriving from the planned brainstorming sessions, and four press conferences to present and promote the project conclusions, recommendations and outcomes.

This 18-month program is realized with the assistance of the European Union under the EuropeAid program.

WHO ARE THE ADVOCATES OF
ANTI-MODERNIZATION AND
ANTI-REFORMISM?

Novi Sad, January 25-27, 2008

The third in the series of four 3-day confidence-building workshops/seminars planned under the project "Fostering Vojvodina's Multiethnic Identity" was organized in Novi Sad on January 25-27, 2008. Twenty-one young people from Odzaci, Ruma, Bela Crkva, Pancevo, Beocin, Kovin and Novi Sad discussed for three days the issues such as modernization, nationalism, minority rights, resistance to Serbia's Europeanization, the media, the ITCY and Serbia's relations with the international community. Young participants were notably interested in the problematic determining Serbia future. Who are the advocates of anti-modernization and anti-reformism? What happens if Tomislav Nikolic is elected...

PERSONALITY STRUCTURE AND TOTALITARIAN IDEAS

Novi Sad, October 25-27, 2007

"Why is it that we know so little about good people, benefactors?" Participants in the seminar tried to find an answer to this question raised by director Dzemal Sokolovic in his documentary. The reason why the participants mostly referred to was "the enormous quantity of evil deeds committed in the territory of ex-Yugoslavia." They identified other reasons as well - "human fascination with evil" and "the bloodthirsty public that is attracted by the dark, destructive side of human nature." The third reason they quoted was particularly interesting. Namely, according to some participants, our insufficient knowledge about benefactors is to be tracked down in the evil's manipulative nature. "Unlike good, evil is easy to manipulate. Good deeds resist...

POLITICAL REPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES AND THE SAFEGUARD OF VOJVODINA'S MULTIETHNIC IDENTITY

Novi Sad, September 26, 2007

Conclusions and recommendations of the second brainstorming session

Political representation of minorities is among key issues facing every multiethnic community. Addressing the topic "Political Representation of Minorities and the Safeguard of Vojvodina's Multiethnic Identity" the participants in the second brainstorming in the series (planned under the project "Fostering Vojvodina's Multiethnic Identity") underlined the importance of the issue for the overall legitimacy of representative bodies...

FROM ETHNIC JOKES TO HATE SPEECH

Novi Sad, June 28-30, 2007

The first in the series of four 3-day confidence-building workshops/seminars planned under the project "Fostering Vojvodina's Multiethnic Identity" was organized in Novi Sad on June 28-30, 2007. "I've been telling and retelling thousands of hard-core ethnic jokes but it never occurred to me that by doing that I am practically spreading negative stereotypes about others, let alone partaking in the production of what is identified here as hate speech," said a participant in the seminar at the end of the first workday. Over three days of the seminar, young people - secondary school and...

VOJVODINA'S MULTIETHIC CHARACTER,
A RESOURCE OF INTEGRATIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL POTENTIAL

Novi Sad, June 5, 2007

The first out of four brainstorming sessions planned under the project "Fostering Vojvodina's Multiethnic Identity" the Helsinki Committee realizes with the assistance of the European Union - the EuropeAid program - was held on June 5, 2007, in Novi Sad. The session assembled twenty members of Vojvodina's intelligentsia from Novi Sad, Sombor, Subotica, Kikinda, Backi Petrovac and Simanovci, who placed on their agenda for discussion the issues of transition, the society's radicalization, European integration processes, and the civil sector's role in...