The ECMI has a new Moldova project, implemented in cooperation with the Moldovan Partner Youth Platform for Interethnic Solidarity. As the title “Empowering future Minority Leaders (in Moldova)” already indicates, the new initiative aims to empower the Moldovan youth.
Moldova is characterised by ethnic diversity and there are several communities residing in Moldova. Among them Ukrainians, Russians, Gagauzs people, Romanians, Bulgarians, Roma and others. According to research conducted by the Council of Europe, the United Nations, the OSCE and the ECMI, the Minority Youth in Moldova is especially vulnerable because of the following aspects:
- Minority youth in Moldova often live in regions with high unemployment and few prospects for their future in terms of their economic and social progress.
- Minority youth in Moldova is one of the groups most likely to leave their home country and emigrate. Instead of being active citizens and future leaders of their regions and/or country, they leave for the EU countries or Russia.
- Moldovan politics does not reflect the needs of the Minority Youth. More than 70% of respondents in a national survey agree with the statement that politicians in Moldova do not listen to the needs and ideas of young people.
“Empowering future Minority Leaders” therefore aims to improve prospects for the future of the Minority Youth in Moldova by fostering their civic engagement as an integral part of their own economic and social progress. The project intends to increase the involvement of minorities in public and political life and to support the building of civil national identity as an important part of future peaceful and prosperous development of the society in Moldova.
This week is the kick-off workshop: The young minorities will learn about Minority rights, meet German Minority experts and develop initial ideas for their own civic campaign.
At the end of the project, the young minorities will develop their own civic campaign. Here are impressions of the first Training (First week of July 2019):
Project Research Associate Stanislav Černega and Project Assistant Polina Sulima are already in Comrat, Moldova. This one-week seminar will be followed by a workshop on 19 August where the participants will gain profound knowledge in active civic engagement and learn about funding, budgeting, Social Media and campaigning. On 19 October there will be a final event in Moldova, where the developed campaigns will be exhibited to public authorities, the general public and media. The developed campaigns will also be exhibited to public authorities, general public and media in Germany (19 December).
The initiative is funded by the Federal Foreign Office
Author: KS
Source: ECMI InfoChannel @ European Centre for Minority Issues.
This post first appeared on ECMI InfoChannel - European Centre For Minority Is, please read the originial post: here
