Human Rights Workshops in the High schools in Serbia

The target group of the project was secondary school students in Serbia who are studying French in their schools. The project encompassed around 100 secondary school students and approximately 10 professors of French language and civic education, as direct beneficiaries. After four seminars, the specific goals of the project have been successfully met: Increased human rights education awareness in secondary schools and enhanced interest of young people in human rights, introduction has been made through a proactive role of the students to human rights issues, atmosphere of tolerance and teamwork through project activities has been created and dissemination of knowledge about human rights and Serbian students were provided with immediate experience of encounters with representatives of foreign countries and thus overcome the effects of the international isolation to which Serbia was exposed in the 1990’s.The Human Rights Workshops in High Schools in Serbia project consisted of four week-end workshops for 30 secondary-school kids each which were selected on the basis of applications and motivation letters. There was one seminar per month. The programme consisted of a basic course in human rights informing children about the history, development and essential human rights concepts. The two-day workshops included group activity, simulation, active participation with presentation of multi-media content, including films. The workshops were organised in four towns in Serbia during week-ends, so as not to affect time in class. First seminar took place in Jagodina from 14th to 15th May, second one in Paraćin from 4th to 5th June, third one in Loznica from 27th to 28th August and the forth one in Bajina Bašta from 6th to 7th October.

Also, Centre established contacts with France Cultural Centre they provided lecturers, additional materials for the workshops and had chance to teach and educate students about important figures related to the French culture. This cooperation had the advantage of involving very small costs and providing great and sustainable advantages. At the same time, students were allowed to give personal impact after workshops and to work together with their teachers on different types of performances, to present their understanding of human rights to their friends in school. Students were encouraged to find out more about human rights and to actively participate in the activities of the local NGO’s in their towns.