The Republic Centre for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA in cooperation with the Association “Halfway There” from Serbia and SUMERO from Bosnia and Herzegovina started the implementation of the project Intercultural Learning for All in January 2023. This project is based on the long-term experience of all three project partners in the field of social inclusion, development of skills of persons with intellectual disability in terms of occupational therapy, creativity, self-advocacy skills, intercultural learning, and tolerance. The challenges to be addressed with the project can be summed up in lack of opportunities for persons with intellectual disability to take active part in intercultural dialogue, good neighbourly relations and connected to the peers from other countries.
Social inclusion of persons with intellectual disability is highly promoted in the agendas of all Western Balkans countries, although the implementation lacks in reality. Due to their intellectual disability, these persons are additionally vulnerable, even within the marginalised group of persons with disability. The potential of such group within the reconciliation, cultural and social cooperation is highly unused. Therefore, the main goal of the project envisages active participation of the target group as the self-advocation agents who are overcoming stereotypes, prejudices and barriers through intercultural learning and contributing to the good neighbouring relations in the region. Additionally, the project envisages to contribute to the regional cooperation by engaging persons with intellectual disability in the intercultural dialogue, promoting their integration and establishing connections among people in general.
The project foresees realisation of numerous different activities. First of the many is the Study Visit to Sarajevo. The visit was held in the period from 20th till 23rd of March 2023, and representatives from the Republic Centre – PORAKA, educators and users from the Day Centres of the Republic Centre – PORAKA in Skopje, Prilep and Stip took part. They had the opportunity to exchange experiences and to realise joint activities with the participants from the partner organizations. During the study visit the Contract for cooperation in implementing the project was signed, and the project activities dynamics has been established. Within the study visit, the participants from the three countries had the possibility to visit different institutions (cultural/religious) and through self-advocacy meetings and workshops jointly defined the main topics for developing a brochure that will present traditional dishes from the three countries and their preparation in an easy-to-read format.
Workshops will be held once a week at the social services of the partner organizations in the following period, with discussions on different topics relating religion, tradition, customs, diversity in cultural, religious and national features, as well as promotion of good neighbourly relations, etc. At the same time, traditional dishes will be prepared.
The project foresees realisation of a larger event in each of the three countries, where the activities and results from the project will be presented. During the project implementation manual will be prepared that will provide multiplication of the project activities in other organizations. Video material will be created for promotion of the project activities at national, local and social media.
The project “Intercultural Learning for All” will contribute to a better understanding and acceptance of diversity among persons with disability from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, as well as support service staff and users. Moreover, it will provide a good example of cooperation and respect for diversity, from the point of view of persons with disability themselves, as an activists and as a model of intercultural learning. This will additionally offer opportunities for the public to see the possibilities of this unfairly marginalized group and contribute to their social inclusion, as well as to change the prejudices that are still present in the Western Balkans countries regarding persons with intellectual disability.
The project “Intercultural Learning for All” is is going to be implemented from January till September 2023.
This project has been funded by the Western Balkans Fund and European Union, under the Call for Regional Project Proposals “Support to the Promotion of Civil Society regional activities in the Western Balkans”.
