During September 2010 – June 2011 the Institute of European Integration and Regional Studies acted as a partner of Bukovinian Political Studies Center in the project «Monitoring of the Balanced Etno-National Relations Formation Process in the Chernivtsi Region», supported by International Renaissance Foundation.
The project was aimed to promoting a balanced inter-ethnic relations by improving ethnic policy at the regional level, improving the efficiency of implementation of relevant regional programs, reducing the spread of ethnic stereotypes and increasing the tolerance culture of public servants, local government officials and journalists of regional media.
In the frameworks of the project the activities of Chernivtsi Regional State Administration and local authorities to implement regional ethnic policy and “Regional Programme of support of national and cultural associations, ethnic communities in Chernivtsi region and the Ukrainian diaspora for 2010-2012″ were monitored, as well as reports and publications in regional and local media with the aim to identify the most widespread ethnic stereotypes. In addition, a series of educational activities for public servants, local government officials and journalists of regional and local media were held.
The main output of the project was the publication of «Handbook of interethnic tolerance» containing the basic principles of tolerant interethnic relations; legal regulations establishing the rights of ethnic communities and associations; description of the most spread displays of intolerance; the results of the monitoring, conducted under the project; recommendations for tolerance towards people of other nationalities.
It is expected that the use of this guide by public servants and deputies of local councils will help to innovate the concept of strategic vision of specific ethno-political situation on the territory of Chernivtsi region by local authorities; develop mechanisms of preventing the spread ethnic stereotypes; improve the activities of executive authorities and local self-government to support tolerant relations between people of different nationalities and efficiency of implementaion of the relevant regional programs; increase the role of national and cultural associations in solving problems of regional development; improve the culture of tolerance of public servants and journalists of regional and local media.
