A two-day conference to be held in the Civic Energy Center in North Mitrovica on the 30th and 31st of March 2021.
This time we address the issue of the language gap existing between Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs. This hinders inter-ethnic interactions and negatively affects relations, ultimately preventing members of both communities, in particular their younger segments, from engaging with one another in creating a genuinely multi-ethnic and multilingual society.
The goal of the conference will be to provide public and open discussion on dealing with the past, the present and future relations between Serbs and Albanians.
Twenty years after the conflict, Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo remain largely politically and socially segregated from one another and there no sense of a common future and goals between the two groups. Kosovo Civil Society, in pursuit of its own objectives, often neglects the reconciliation process.
Investment in the future requires investment in open and honest dialogue, with the participation of relevant experts, sociologists, ethnologists, historians, political representatives, community leaders and other individuals with sufficient credentials to impact public perception.
Agenda, 30th March
10:00 – 10:10 Registration of participants
10:10 – 10:30 Opening remarks
10:30 – 11:30 Panel Discussion 1: Language in education system. How to get there and what steps are needed?
Lack of mutual language learning in formal education has long been identified as one the key reforms that needs to be undertaken in order to reduce the ever-growing distance between the two communities.
Panelist:
Xhavit Rexhaj, former Deputy Minister of Education and Science
Nora Bezera, lecturer at the Department of Albanology in Belgrade University
Veljko Samardžić, executive Director, Center for social initiatives. Project Voc-Up
Link for following Panel Discussion 1 through Zoom platform: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87283180966
11:30 – 12:00 Coffee break
12:00 – 13:00 Panel Discussion 2: Model of bilingual education applied in the Republic of North Macedonia.
Presentation of model for intercultural education implemented in Republic of North Macedonia as a model of education which enables successful integration of students, parents and teachers from different ethnic communities through a modern upbringing and educational process.
Panelists:
Veton Zekolli, executive Director of Nansen Dialogue Centre Skopje
Biljana Krsteska-Papić, manager of Training Centre within Nansen Dialogue Centre
Sonaj Bilal, project manager Nansen Dialogue Training Center Skopje
Sunčica Milenković, teacher from the primary school in Jasenovik, Novo Brdo. Participant of the training in Intercultural and Bilingual education.
Link for following Panel Discussion 2 through Zoom platform: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89998216792
13:00 – 13:20 Closing remarks
13:20 – 15:00 Refreshment
Agenda 31st March
10:00 – 10:10 Registration of participants
10:10 – 10:30 Opening remarks
10:30 – 11:30 Panel Discussion 3: “Official Bilingualism in Kosovo – Key Conditions and Challenges”
Presentation of the key findings and recommendations of the research paper “Official Bilingualism in Kosovo – Key Conditions and Challenges”. The paper investigates the main legal and institutions shortcomings for the protection of language rights in Kosovo and proposes policy suggestions for the improvement thereof.
Panelists:
Ognjen Gogić, project manager NGO AKTIV
Ivan Spasojević, jurist Basic Court Mitrovica
Ben Murgatroyd, policy researcher
Link for following Panel Discussion 3 through Zoom platform: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89805403451
11:30 – 12:00 Coffee break
12:00 – 13:00 Panel Discussion 4: Youth and language gap.
Mutual knowledge of Albanian and Serbian has been decreasing in both communities, in particular among younger generations. How this affects the younger generations?
Panelists:
Gentian Krasniqi, youth activist, Check In
Besa Bllacaku, youth activist, Youth Task Force
Anesa Čolaković, activist, Peace4Development
Petar Đorđević, youth activist, Young Gracanica
Link for following Panel Discussion 4 through Zoom platform: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81363566527
13:00 – 13:15 Closing remarks
13:15 – 15:00 Refreshment
Translations into English, Serbian and Albanian will be provided.
Note: The number of live viewers is limited due to the pandemic situation, if you want to be in the audience please sign up for the panel you are interested in via e-mail: applications@ngoaktiv.org