FULL VERSION - European Commission - Europa

Possible follow-up Project:The eventual taking charge of the CommunityCenters and the mobile Units by the localauthorities in the province of Thraceand against a strong polemic by part of theAthenian press, the populist political party “GreekOrthodox Rally”, and part of the educationalauthorities, the school has nevertheless becomean example of students’ achievement,harmonious integration, participation of parents,and antiracist education.What changes would you like to see (and bywhat actors, at what levels) that will help youdo your work better ?Although this Project has been educational innature, the core of the work was accommodationof the political demands of a deep and defiantdiversity. Dealing with students most of whichhave a Turkish ethnic identity, bearing the stigmaof the enemy of Greece, the conflicts of the pasthave pervaded the classrooms of the present.The years since 1977 have been marked by astring of opposition and controversies from allsides. As a result of the local resistances, for along time, results were very difficult to identify,and progress was almost invisible. Nevertheless,despite delays and difficulties, the overallinfluence of the project has led to significantresults.What would mainly help would be thecontinuation of the community Centers, sincethey created an environment, unique incomparison to the entire local society. Staffed inequal proportions by personnel belonging to themajority and the minority, they became the onlyinstitution in Thrace (and first in its history) whereminority and majority individuals worked togetheron equal terms, where differences in identitywere functional, and languages constantlyalternated. The mixed and multilingualenvironment of the Centers had immediate andpositive effects on children, while it helped theProject gain the trust of most Minority parents.Civil Society Platform on Multilingualism 67APPENDIX to Policy Recommendations06/06/2011 – FINAL VERSION