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Continuing in the vein of spreading the word of the Standards, a grassroots approach to the public information campaign on Standards was put into effect with the goal of reaching out to each and every citizen with Kosovo.
The PISG and the UNMIK have set up Town Hall meetings as a venue for public debate on the Standards. Citizens are encouraged to come to the meetings with their questions and concerns which are addressed by representatives from the government and UNMIK who are well versed in the Standards.
The meetings, facilitated by the Municipal President, are an effective way of interacting directly with the people of Kosovo, many of whom previously only read about the Standards or watched programs about them on television. Town Hall meetings are scheduled to take place in every municipality within Kosovo.
The
Standards Bus
Keeping the campaign in motion and to make certain that everyone of
Kosovo’s citizens has access to understanding the Standards, DPI
created a Standards bus.
The bus is a mobile outreach information centre that will visit all of Kosovo’s municipalities in coordination with each of the municipalities’ Town Hall meetings. Information on how the ordinary citizen can help to implement the Standards and frequently asked questions as well as more detailed information on the Standards, are available for distribution on the bus.
SRSG
meets with University Students
On 6 May, the SRSG addressed university students and youth groups to
share his thoughts on where Kosovo currently stands and where it is
headed in the immediate future.
Five
Questions, Five Answers TV Debate
Five Questions, Five Answers is a 54-minute show that is produced bi-monthly
and features a four- or five-member panel that debates and responds
to questions from the audience, presenters and other panel members concerning
the Standards and issues surrounding the implementation plan.
Because the Standards lay the foundation of a democratic society, it is essential that all Kosovo’s citizens are familiar with the Standards and the implementation of them. And that includes the youngest of Kosovo’s citizens.
As the framework for Kosovo’s society, understanding these democratic principles will, in time, become a regular part of the civic studies curriculum. The “Standards” is where it all starts.
To initiate Kosovo’s youth to the understanding of Standards, back in October 2004, the PISG and UNMIK organized a drawing competition with sponsorship from the EU to promote the positive values of the Standards of Kosovo such as respect, tolerance, community and a better quality of life.
Guided by the theme, “Kosovo Home to All,” children from 33 primary schools representing all Kosovo municipalities and previously chosen through a lottery, put forth their best efforts to illustrate those values.
All of the submitted drawings were displayed for viewing by the public in a 3-day exhibition held at the British Council Building and drew acknowledgements from attending VIPs from the government and UNMIK.
Prizes were awarded for the 29 best drawings which were later published in a 2005 calendar with the top 12 chosen to represent each of the months, and the first prize drawing printed on the cover. The calendars were widely distributed to schools and government offices as well as the Security Council.
The drawing competition proved to be
a big success and also emphasized just how much the younger generations
yearn for a more promising future.
Because the whole concept of Standards appears to be very political, certainly bureaucratic and altogether complex, it became increasingly clear that ordinary citizens needed to learn about the Standards in a simple language.
Again, with the youth foremost in mind, the PISG and UNMIK collaborated on an easy-to-read, illustrated booklet for young people: “Put the Standards into Practice: Make Kosovo a Home to All.” While the book is a very basic introduction to the Standards, it’s a good tool to indoctrinate young people to the existence of Standards and the role that they may play in their lives. It’s especially appealing because of its colorful illustration and its handy pocket size.
Another public outreach event took place on 4 May with a play on Standards for children at Ismail Qemajli Elementary School and produced by the Kosovar Institute for Drama, Theatre, Film and Choreography, a theatre troupe established in 1997 to encourage artists to use creative arts to promote cultural diversity and cross-cultural communications.
The play is meant to help future generations understand the present state of affairs and to explain to today’s children how the Standards relate to them and what role they play in their lives. Through an interactive performance, children will learn that successful implementation of the Standards means that everyone is equal and able to freely exercise their rights regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. The actors will stop in the midst of a scenario and ask audience participants to come on stage and resolve the issue using their own views about daily life
The play will tour all municipalities in Kosovo, performing mainly in schools. The scenarios will be entertaining but make clear that the Standards are “criteria for a good life”.