APPEAL FOR INTERETHNIC PEACE IN KICHEVO

Civil - Center for Freedom, ForumZFD and Center for Community Development, CRZ Kicevo appeal to the  government and all relevant institutions at local and national level to take immediate steps to prevent violence in and outside schools in the municipality of Kichevo and nationwide.

We believe that parents play a crucial role in easing the current tensions in the region of Kichevo and reactivate the spirit of peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding. We call upon the parents and different stakeholders on the local level from politics and civil society from Kicevo to prevent that the current violent incidents between youngsters are being turned into ethnically motivated conflicts.

We appeal to the school management and teachers to take initiatives to open opportunities for creative expression of young people and by doing so - overcome intolerance, chauvinism and violence. That ought to be done urgently in order to prevent ethnic hatred during the classes, but also after the official hours.

Schools play an important role for integration of the of the society and mutual recognition and respect of the various ethnic communities in the country. Current practices in the education system in the country need to be changed in this regard, as they currently foster disintegration.

There is a countless number of ways and good examples to create trust, promote friendship and acceptance of the difference as a quality, not as a curse. Civil society and state institutions should join in together to provide conditions for this.