“Roundtable on the preservation of language, culture and identity in the diaspora and increased participation of diaspora in policy development in BiH” was organized by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH and the Our Perspective Group on April 17, 2019 at the Bosnia Hotel in Sarajevo.
The meeting was attended by 35 participants, including 16 representatives of supplementary schools / native language teachers / representatives of diaspora organizations from 5 countries (Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden, Great Britain), representatives of institutions in BiH responsible for cooperation with emigrants and supplementary education: the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, as well as representatives of entity and cantonal institutions and the Brčko District of BiH in the field of education and culture, and representatives of the Our Perspective Group.
The round table was organized with the aim of the contribution of representatives of the emigration to the development of the framework strategy for cooperation with the emigration with a focus on the preservation of language, culture and identity in the emigration, needs and challenges, and the recommendations of the European Commission related to this area.
The first part of the Round Table presented activities to improve supplementary education, experiences and models of learning the mother tongue in the diaspora, while the second part was dedicated to the participation of the diaspora in policy development.
Representatives from the diaspora expressed their satisfaction at the opportunity they were given to present to representatives of BiH institutions their activities in supplementary schools, learning their mother tongue, as well as the difficulties they encounter. Mutual satisfaction was expressed with this type of gathering and it was agreed that similar gatherings would be organized in the future. Certain conclusions were also reached at the round table, the implementation of which will be undertaken by institutions in BiH as well as representatives from the diaspora.
Source: Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BiH
