With the final conference – “Forum of Smaller Communities”, the Institute for Social Change – InSoc concluded the project “From Prejudices to Friendships: Local Initiatives for an Inclusive Society,” supported by the Ministry for Inter-Community Relations.

The project was implemented over a period of four months in five multiethnic municipalities across the country, engaging over 500 young people, 50 community representatives, and 20 civil society organizations. The activities were aimed at strengthening interethnic tolerance, promoting social cohesion, and encouraging active youth participation in building an inclusive society.

The project was based on a holistic approach combining education, public policy, and civic activism, encouraging local initiatives and dialogue among different ethnic communities.

Within the project, numerous activities were carried out, including:

Analysis of the legal framework for interethnic inclusion;

Trainings on civic activism for young people from different communities;

Creative campaign against stereotypes through organizing contests (posters, videos, essays) to raise public awareness;

Debates with pupils and students on the topics of multiculturalism and tolerance;

Forum of Smaller Communities – a final event for exchanging experiences and ideas for future steps.

The forum, which included participation from Mr. Vladimir Stojanovic, State Secretary in the Ministry for Inter-Community Relations, who spoke on the topic “What Have We Achieved So Far for Non-Majority Communities,” also enabled an open discussion among representatives of institutions, civil society organizations,

local communities, and youth. The goal was to identify common priorities and models for further improvement of coexistence.

Through the successful implementation of the “From Prejudices to Friendships” project, InSoc once again confirmed its mission to contribute to a society based on inclusion, understanding, and cooperation among all communities, while promoting educational programs, expanding opportunities for dialogue, and encouraging participation in joint civic initiatives aimed at reducing stereotypes and prejudices.