Since the 1989 Velvet Revolution and the social upheaval that followed, an intolerance of diversity has lingered in the Czech Republic, with incidents of open racism, xenophobia and violence aimed at minority groups, particularly the Roma. Many reasons have been cited for this phenomenon; among them the limited knowledge about the attitudes and standards of different cultures, a lack of information about the history of coexistence of different groups, and the perceived reasons for these groups’ residence in the country.

In the 1996, Partners-Czech decided to address some of these problems. The Center developed a program targeting students in secondary schools and the upper forms of primary schools. At these ages, young people are still forming their value systems and standards, as well as their behavioral patterns, and there is an excellent opportunity to influence them in a positive way. The program offered tools and educational aids to teachers to help build tolerance, illustrating the positive aspects of difference and diversity. Materials included information on civil society, the legislative and social context of the topic, the history of the coexistence of various minorities and ethnic groups in the region, and minorities’ traditions and systems of values. Conflict resolution techniques were also included.

There were several stages to the project. First, Partners-Czech held training sessions for professionals and minority representatives who would visit schools. The training included information about the methodology of school instruction and the mission and objectives of the project.

Schools that were interested in participating in the project first gave students an essay assignment, which asked students to discuss their own experiences with people of different races or ethnic groups and their feelings about a multicultural society. Over 3,800 student essays have been collected and analyzed to date.

Two trainers then visited each school, leading seminars on racism, tolerance and xenophobia. In each seminar, one trainer was a representative of a minority ethnic group (Roma, Arab, African, Vietnamese, Chinese, etc.), while the other was a professional in conflict resolution or a related field. Over 4,000 students have participated in seminars so far. Although some of the participating schools were in areas in which the personal experience of the inhabitants was generally poor when it came to interaction among different cultures, trainers found that the children were receptive to analyzing the situation and avoiding generalizations.

The teachers were sometimes receptive, sometimes not. At some schools the teachers were well-prepared for the project, having discussed the topic with students in advance (in one case, a teacher devoted three history lessons to the historical development of the Roma and other minorities). These teachers actively participated in the seminars and also spent time on their own seeking information on these topics. There were, however, other teachers who were happy that their attendance was not required at the meetings, who had not prepared students for the discussion, and who refused to acknowledge the trainers.

The next phase of the project was a series of seminars by Partners-Czech for teachers of Civic Education courses, providing information on conflict resolution techniques, focusing on racially motivated conflicts, human rights, civil society, racism and xenophobia, and refugees and minorities living in the Czech territory. Over sixty seminars have been held, each attended by 15 to 25 teachers. Some state and local government officials, social workers and journalists also attended the seminars. The first day teachers received information about the Roma people and their system of values, the Jewish people and the roots of anti-Semitism, the Vietnamese and their system of values, Arab and Muslim traditions, civil society, anthropological views on race, and others. The second and third days focused on the nature of conflict, the barriers to communication, effective communication methods, conflict resolution models, and active listening techniques. Several Roma and an Arab volunteer participated in modeling situations, as teachers gained a new perspective on the problem.

Teachers attending the seminars received a book, Conflict - the Spice of Life, published by Partners-Czech. An alternative textbook for teachers of Civic Education at the primary and secondary schools, Education Towards Tolerance and Against Racism, was also distributed.

Additional Resources
Press Release Announcing Launch of Partners & USAID Roma Initiative
(Microsoft Word Document)