Euroasian Jewish News

Tatyana Muratkina

Head of EAJC Interethnic Programs to President: “We must begin preparations, but finances unclear”

To EAJC President

Mikhail Mirilashvili

Dear Mr. Mirilashvili,

In the fall of 2017, the EAJC Kyiv office presented the Program Commission with several applications concerning interethnic projects. These were approved by the EAJC Program Commission but have so far not received a formal reply on whether they will be financed or not. We would very much like to know at what stage the review process is currently in. As they have been supported by the Congress for many years, we hope for a similar resolution this year.

The EAJC Kyiv office has collaborated with the Congress of National Communities of Ukraine on a number of international interethnic projects, aimed at fostering interethnic tolerance among teenagers, as Jews have a very good undertanding that the peaceful and safe existence of the Jewish community depends on the general interethnic climate. These projects for children, teenagers and young adults are a hallmark of Congress activity, its business card, as it were, in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Our camps for children and teenagers, inter-ethnic and inter-faith camps “Sources of Tolerance” and “European camp” allow us to teach children the about the different culture and spiritualies of various ethnic groups that live in Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. First and foremost this concerns the Jewish people, and a chief aim is to dispel the negative attitude towards the Jews in our target audience. Unfortunately, anti-Semitic attacks and vandalism are still present today, not just among the older generation, but also among youth, who are more subject to the influence of external factors. The “Sources of Tolerance” and “European Camp” camps help build moral character among youth from different ethnic and cultural groups, creating future opinion leaders and active citizens who will be able to represent their ethnic group with dignity and help enact democratic change in their countries.

Our course on informal education helps councillors for children’s and teenager’s camps learn their trade.

The Tolerance Club network sustains the long-term effects of children’s and teenagers’ educational projects.

The popularity of these projects continues to rise today. The competition for taking part in the summer camps is up to four children to a place, and the competition for the informal education project is five people to a place. Each Tolerance Club has up to 50 regular attendees.

We are planning to begin preparations for the children’s educational camps next month, but the question of financing is still open.

We are always on the lookout for sponsor organizations, and today we have a number who have pledged their support, including the International Renaissance Foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation representative office in Ukraine, the INFOPULSE organization, private sponsors, and fees paid by parents and other participants. However, without EAJC support, implementing our project will be significantly more difficult.

We are very much looking forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

Tatyana Muratkina

Head of EAJC Interethnic Projects