|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||
Home 
OrganizationEFP-BalkansOverview - Constitution - History - Program
reach - Partners - Impact
Partners
The EFP program, a non-political, non-partisan initiative, enjoys the full support of the municipal, entity, state and international authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
The EFP project was officially launched on 28 June, 2000 at a press conference at The Office of the High Representative (OHR) Headquarters in Sarajevo. On the occasion, then Senior Deputy High Representative, Ambassador Dr. Matei Hoffmann, stated that the EFP project would prove to be an important step in the re-integration of the educational system in Bosnia and Herzegovina and pledged OHR’s full political support for the project’s implementation.
Also critical to the success of the project has been the commitment of the relevant Ministries of Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Ministries of Education of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of Republika Srpska, as well as those of Sarajevo and the Central Bosnia Cantons, have been instrumental in the smooth and uninterrupted implementation of the program.
Municipal leaders in the localities which host project schools—Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Ilidža, Travnik, and Mostar —have also lent their support to the EFP program, through both public statements and assistance with Project events. For example, the Mayors of Banja Luka, Sarajevo and Travnik officially proclaimed February 2000 as “Peace Month” in their respective cities to mark the first set of Regional and National Peace Events.
From the start, the unique nature of the EFP Curriculum was acknowledged by education experts and leaders.
“It seemed to us from the outset that this Education for Peace project was not the run-of-the- mill type of education for peace or democracy for peace project – that it went beyond the usual things that are taught in such projects, such as human rights, democracy, tolerance, respect for others… and this is confirmed now…”
- Claude Kieffer, Senior Education Advisor, 2 February 2000 OHR Press Conference
In March 2003, senior representatives from the thirteen Ministries of Education, the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the eight Pedagogical Institutes, the Office of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in BiH and the OSCE Department of Education, participated in day-long consultations to discuss the Four-Year EFP-BiH Strategy and to select the first 100 secondary schools to participate in the EFP-World program beginning in September 2003. These consultations yielded unprecedented unanimous support from all the Ministries for the introduction of a unified program of Education for Peace into all of their secondary schools. Requests were also received from this distinguished group, for the training of all pre-service and in-service teachers in BiH through the Teachers’ Colleges and Pedagogical Institutes, respectively.
These developments indicate that the BiH educational authorities believe the time is right to initiate a state-wide systematic and sustained program of education that will equip the young people – the next generation of citizens and leaders of BiH – to create a violence-free, inter-ethnically harmonious and peace-oriented society.
The EFP program’s focus on the twin objectives of creating a culture of peace and a culture of healing in and between the participating school communities is revolutionary in approach and particularly relevant to the goal of establishing a sustainable and all-encompassing peace in this region.
“There are many projects, but in my opinion and that of my colleagues, EFP is one of the best. It includes the most people and is the most needed. One important aspect of this program is that it teaches a conflict-free way of resolving conflict. This program raises the quality of life: we visit each other in Nova Bila, Banja Luka and Sarajevo, not as ‘those people’, but as friends.”
- Mr. Vojo Milakovic, Director of Ivo Andric Primary School in Banja Luka
For funding partners, please refer to About EFP / Cooperation & Support.
