About theoretical part of the project and planed symposium and about proposals /suggestion for discussion during exchanges
 
Theoretical part of the project with the final aim – preparation and realization of the two larger symposiums and aquiering texts for printed publication is already starting on the web site. The publishing of the relevant texts from our theoretical cooperatives will start in the next week.

Two mentioned symposiums are planed to be held in Berlin, during the youth exchange on the end of October 2007 and in Ljubljana in springtime 2008, during the presidency of the Republic of Slovenia to the European Union, when and where the whole project will be presented.

 The main topics of the symposiums will be shaped according to the suggestions of the coordinators, theorists and participants of the project and will also be based on the published theoretical contributions on the web.

For example, Alexander Perovic, representative of Balkan Black Box from Berlin already sent us some ideas about the symposium that is supposed to happen in Berlin /ideas you can find also on the  Forum/. The ideas are very relevant to the projects aspiration and represent the good ground basis for the further growth and development of the project.

Speaking generally, there can be, of course, more topics of the wider scale on the subject of religion and intercultural dialog, but with the regard to the concept and the practical realization of the ideas that compose the whole project.

Looking at the project and its theoretical part from this point of view, we must keep in mind that the investigated/researched part of the project is based on the youth exchange and experimental video workshops. The young participants, with different cultural and national backgrounds, will work on some open, concrete intercultural themes and conflict situations in different cities and cultural surroundings. Some of the ideas of filming already exist (look at the forum), some of them we have to de more defined, some of them can be, of course, also stimulated by some published “theoretical text”  which reflects some concrete, with religion connected, social situation or other intercultural conflict situation… The interaction between the practical and theoretical part has to be approached from the both sides.

Symphosium, with his theoretical contribution havs to be, “extra value”, the upgrade of the project. 

One of the goals of the project, maybe the most important one, is the contribution to the intercultural education and tolerance of the young people towards the differently minded people, people with different beleifs and social minorities. The young participants of the exchanges in some way represent the laboratory – incubator in which the “experiment” of overcoming of the ‘human divisions’ and ‘otherness’ must take place.

So to follow this aim, we put as the equal, beside the video research, same importance to the socializing part of the youth exchange. This spontanious interaction between youth cultures will happen in the spare time and on the some organized excursion trips during the realization of the exchange.

On the other hand we plan to engage the young participants to actively participate the theoretical debates and also try to think in the framework of presented theoretical ideas.

Theoretical discussions during the exchanges that will take the part in summer 2007 /Istanbul, Mostar, Novi Sad and Ljubljana/ are planed to be organized in lesser “theoretically pretentious degree”, where we can put more attention to include the young participants.

As support to these discussions we have also plan to organize some short lectures of history of the religion and relationships and communication between the different religions in the present region.

To find the proper lecturer that will be “skilful” enough to prepare attractive and enough popular lecture of history of religion and open intercultural communication and conflicts in particular area, it has to be a task for organizations and coordinators of the particular exchange.

One more thing, that also has to be done from the side of the for organizations and coordinators of the particular exchange, is to prepare the abstract text and lecture of the school model of teaching (curriculum) the religion, or similar subject (Ethics, etc.), in the particular school system (what do they teach about the mayor religion, and what about the rest of ‘minor religions’).
The basic text for both of the lectures, will be nice to have assoon as it possible, so that we can put in on the web and make it available for the participants before the exchanges.

 The information about the different models and solutions of the religious teachings in the schools will be also help to the topic, which was suggested by Alexander Perovic as one of the main themes for symposium in Berlin.

Waiting for replies and further suggestions.
Drago