UOC-MP to Teach Youth about Tolerance of Foreigners

The Ukrainian Youth Forum "I Am a Citizen of Ukraine," "Interethnic Relations in the Youth and Student Environment" will begin on March 27 in Dnipropetrovsk. The organizer is the Ukrainian Union of Orthodox Women, Pravoslavnyi Ohliadach in the press service of the Lviv Eparchy of the UOC-MP was informed.

The forum will be attended by young people and students from all over Ukraine and Russia, university teachers, representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarch and other traditional faiths.

"One hundred thirty different nationalities live in Ukraine. Today in our country, the number of foreign students from all over the world is increasing, so the issue of tolerance is becoming increasingly important, especially among young people. It is necessary to improve the system of forming a tolerant consciousness and behavior, fostering a culture of communication, securing an atmosphere of international peace and harmony, preventing crime. The youth should be educated with positive values ​​based on respect, understanding and acceptance of cultural diversity," reads the statement.

The forum organizers are convinced that “it's time to more actively discuss issues of international relations and immigration processes in the country, to develop practical recommendations aimed at preventing interethnic conflicts in the youth and student environment."

The topics that will be discussed at the forum:

- Spirituality, morality and humanity as a basis for conflict-free relations between people;

- Ethnic diversity of youth and student environment;

- Problems of patriotism and nationalism in the outlook of youth;

- Government policy on tolerance and prevention of ethnic conflicts;

- Intercultural communication among students: conflicts and stereotypes;

- Legal formation as an element of tolerance;

- The language issue: the pros and cons;

- Ukraine through the eyes of foreign students;

- Education of tolerance - the dominant component of Ukraine.