Participation of NDC Skopje in the educational forum “Ethnic coexistence in education: reality and prospects”

On November 28, 2012 the educational forum was held at the MIT University on the topic: “Ethnic coexistence in education: reality and prospects” organized by the Rotaract club Skopje. Nansen Dialogue Centre Skopje was part of this forum as an organization that works successfully in practice to improve relations between students, parents and teachers from different ethnic communities. NDC Skopje was represented at the forum by Ms. Anche Jovanoska-education coordinator at NDC Skopje. The topic of the presentation was “Integrated education – we contribute towards overcoming differences.”

The forum began with a lecture by Professor Sonja Rizoska Jovanovska. Through her long-term research in the area of multiculturalism, she managed to illustrate some facts and findings regarding the coexistence between different ethnic communities in Macedonia.

The second part of the seminar was dedicated to the Nansen Dialogue Centre Skopje and program activities implemented. The participants had the opportunity to hear a presentation for the beginnings NDC Skopje work and the characteristics of the Nansen model for integrated education. During the presentation there was a brief introduction to the Training Center, the reasons for its formation and objectives aimed to achieve with its operation. During the presentation, the importance of cooperation program with parents was emphasized. Ms. Anche Jovanoska shared the positive experiences of the long-term operation of NDC Skopje and the difficulties in the commencement of the project in the schools or in the course of further work. After the presentation, a short video was projected on the occasion of receiving the Max van der Stoel Award for 2011.

At the end of the educational forum, the main conclusions were to encourage scientific and educational institutions not only to focus on theory and theoretical findings, but it takes more practical effort, to support the realization of theory in practice and learn upon the experience of the successful work of the non-governmental organizations.