Multicultural connections – united society
Multifunctional Center for Education, Information, Culture Public Association
Public Regional Library ”Vasile Alecsandri” Telenești
Why?
Encouraging multicultural dialogue in the spirit of European democratic values between 5 districts of Moldova Telenești, Comrat, Taraclia, Soroca, Rascani, harmonization of interethnic coexistence: Moldovan, Ukrainian, Gagauz, Bulgarian, Roma, and Russian.
As part of this project, 43 offline workshops, 7 online regional conferences, 5 virtual visits in Taraclia, Telenesti, Comrat, Riscani, Soroca, and 5 online regional festivals were organized, involving 25 partners and 1300 beneficiaries
What?
The objectives of the project were:
- Favoring a context of knowledge of ethnic groups in the Republic of Moldova, through the values and policies of the European Union in the field of multiculturalism, multiethnicity, inclusion, minority rights, for at least 500 people, especially adolescents and young people from five districts during 2019-2020.
- Increasing the degree of involvement of community members in promoting the common values shared by the cohabiting ethnic groups in Comrat, Taraclia, Telenesti, Soroca, Riscani districts;
- Interethnic consolidation by increasing the visibility of the specifics and cultural similarities of the ethnic communities in the districts connected in the project
So what?
The participants accumulated valuable knowledge, about multiculturalism, the cohabiting ethnic groups in the Republic of Moldova, and about the policies of the European Union. They also realized the importance of multiethnic solidarity, passed it through the soul and materialized it in their own creations, presented at the Festival “On a Branch of Words”, which took place in August and was entitled generic “Multiethnic Moldova – we choose to live in harmony”.
Participating in the project made me understand and appreciate the Roma, whom I did not have very close to my soul. Now I have a Roma colleague, whom I received at work and I am very happy with.
The project reduced the social distance index by 3 units, as it raised the level of education, by familiarizing the beneficiaries with the multiple cultures in the country. Thus, the risk of conflicts, which regularly occur between ethnic groups and lead to violence that leads to destruction and damage, was reduced.
A Guide for the implementation of the library service “Multicultural Connections” was created, and it will serve as the basis for future replication in other regions. The continuity and sustainability of the project is also ensured by the generous book donation offered by the financiers for 5 public libraries and 10 social institutions: 5 Centers for children and 5 centers for the elderly.