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This website was developed with the support of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The opinions and information it contains do not necessarily reflect the policy and position of the ODIHR.
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Objectives:
To help educational policy makers and members of boards of education to incorporate tolerance education and respect for freedom of religion and belief (FORB) into curricula in order to prevent ethnic and religious conflict in school and in other institutions for children and youth;
To help teachers and future teachers to access pedagogical tools for enhancing openness and respect for others in the classroom and during after-school activities;
To provide educational instruments that can be implemented in schools for overcoming the often inadequate and frequently cliched images of members of other religious, national or ethnic groups;
To offer to educators across Europe and Asia a broad range of methods and approaches to overcome the negative stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination that might occur in their countries.
Background:
The principles of tolerance, co-existence and harmonious relations between majority and ethnic, religious, linguistic and other minority groups, to which OSCE participating States are committed, were reaffirmed by the OSCE States at the Bucharest Ministerial Council in 2001. It was also highlighted during the consultative international conference on the subject of tolerance and non-discrimination in relation to FORB in education held in Madrid in 2001. Decision of OSCE Ministerial Council made in Bucharest called for the promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination through forewarn campaigns and educational programs. The implementation of this decision was supported by conferences in the following years (inter alia, Berlin, Paris and Brussels in 2004). The effect of these meetings was the decision of the Ministerial Council (Sofia 2004) which again emphasized the need for promoting and improving educational programs advocating tolerance and the combat against racism, xenophobia and discrimination. It also recommended systematic collection of information about the best ways of preventing such phenomena and reacting to them.
The creation of a resource website for teachers dealing with tolerance education in relation to freedom of religion or belief would be a first step in informing interested state organizations, NGOs and individual teachers about examples of good practice in various parts of the world. The site would mainly function as a guide to organizations worldwide that are working on this topic, with descriptions of their activities, so educators could more easily access their pedagogical tools.
The guide, showing examples of curricula in different countries, might enhance the process of democratization of schools through the increased role of teachers and students, encouraging them to introduce new content and patterns of teaching.
Approach:
The website would present a guide to programs that already exist as a mode of education for tolerance.
The website will be hosted by the Centre for European Education at the Jagiellonian University and updated each semester.
The website would allow teachers and students to create a network, participate in joint projects, seminars, e-seminars and discussion lists. Access to the guide will enable them to learn how are other teachers are tackling daily challenges.
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