Date of the workshop:12. September 2011.(Monday) 10.00 – 16.00

Location of the workshop: American Corner Debrecen (Cultural Centre Debrecen, 1st floor) 4025 Debrecen, Kossuth u. 1.

The aim of the workshop is to introduce the participants to the „good practice” already employed in the United States which helps solve the majority-minority conflicts without turning to law as a tool every time, meaning the effective handling of local problems within the community.

Hungarian experts will introduce a similar program developed in Hungary.

For participants the workshop is free and also includes lunch.

We kindly ask you to signalize your will of participation as soon as possible (before August 26. 2011) on one of the phone numbers: 06-1 303-89-73, 06-1 314-49-98, or via email: [email protected].

More on the program:

The tensions growing between the majority and minority groups of Hungarian society usually erupt in schools as wel.

The Embassy of the United States of America would like to, in form of a workshop help local leaders, prominent persons of local social life, members of different educational facilities to think together about possible ways to lessen the tensions and conflicts in schools. The professional and financial help of the Embassy enables a noted American expert to visit several rural settlemets in order to share his own experience on how they managed with the aid of programmes in his country, to lessen the minority problems in schools and the conflicts arising from minorities and majorities living together.

One of the experts of the program that is about to be held in three counties in September is Jamil Dakwar, director of the Human Rights program of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) .

Jamil Dakwar introduces ACLU’s programme, where the organization focuses on helping the schools solve their problems by themselves, within the school, without involving the criminal justice system or resorting to exclusion. The problem in question affects heavily the poor, or oterwise handicapped, colored students, so the American experiences may prove useful in solving the conflicts involving students of roma origin.

Besides the presentation of the American expert, participants will have the chance to inform about FORESEE Research Group and its Klíma + project (Climate positive) as well. The project realized withthe help of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and the National Crime Prevention Board, saw nine organizations work together for more than two months. As part of the project, a short film on conflict handling in schools, entitled „Intertwined” and related training guide has also been made involving students, teachers and other school staff.

The workshop aims to give the participants a chance, apart from being introduced to the new and effective ways of alternative conflict handling with the help of American and Hungarian experts, to share experiences about possible ways to handle local problems within the community.

The daylong program will see experts of the Másság Foundation’s Office for the Protection of National and Ethnical Minority Rights, providing the effective cooperation amongst the perticipants and invited guests as moderators.

The Program Series is funded by the USA Embassy, so the participation is free. We provide lunch for the participants.