PRAYIC

Research project: Promoting Reconciliation through Youth: Inter-ethnic Community Mobilization

Funded by the European Commission, Human Resources and Mobility Activity, Marie Curie 'Individual-Driven Actions', Intra-European Fellowships (Contract MEIF-CT-2006-024740)

Duration: April 2006-March 2008
Project starting date: 1 April 2006
Marie Curie Research Fellow: Dr. Ankica Kosic, Kingston University. see also

Brief Description

This project addresses issues of civic participation as a vehicle in promoting reconciliation and inter-ethnic dialogue among youth living in post-conflict areas. Various groups, networks, and organizations can help bring people together in a positive and cooperative way, spreading non-violence, democracy and human rights.

For example, educational, cultural, and scientific exchanges can be helpful in forging ties between people from different groups and nations. Other opportunities for establishing personal relationships include interfaith and interethnic dialogue groups, prejudice-reduction workshops, joint projects, and sporting events. It is the project's objective to explore and to analyse experiences of civic participation aimed at improving inter-groups relations through the analysis of two cities in Northern Ireland and Croatia (i.e. Belfast and Vukovar).

Objectives:

• To map out and to analyse civic organisations which are active in building confidence and in the establishment of inter cultural communication in the cities of Vukovar and Belfast, with an objective of breaking down enemy images and reducing fear and distrust of "the other side" among young people.
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• To assess the sustainability, strength, weakness, opportunities and barriers of civic organisations' networks. In relation to that, the project will address the financial and monitoring systems adopted by networks and organisations involved in reconciliation, as well as the role of EU institutions in this process.
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• To explore the role that civic organisations and cultural activities play in the process of reconciliation among the youth in the cities of Vukovar and Belfast, and in building their awareness of an European multicultural diversity.

Contact Persons

Dr. Ankica Kosic, Senior Research Fellow, University of Kingston see also

Prof. Ilaria Favretto, Scientist in Charge, University of Kingston