Seminar on inter-confessional relations of the Muslim community held in Vinnytsia

Round table "Inter-confessional relations: focus on the issues of the Muslim community" was held in Vinnytsia on June 8. The event is part of the "Intercultural Cities" Council of Europe Program and is being implemented in the city to encourage representatives of national communities to participate in the city's socio-cultural life, as well as to strengthen the intercultural dialogue between government and the public.

Issues were discussed by representatives of the city council and regional state administration, the Coalition for Combating Discrimination in Ukraine, NGO "Information and Education Center" WIS ", Vinnytsia Human Rights Organization" Source of Hope ", head of the Islamic Cultural Center in Vinnitsa and NGO" Al-Isra ", and as well as representatives of the Muslim community of Vinnytsia, Melitopol and Pavlohrad.

The international expert on intercultural issues of the Council of Europe Ksenia Khovanova-Rubicondo from Strasbourg highlighted the integration of the Muslim community in Europe and Ukraine. She spoke about traditional practices of leveling religious and national intolerance, and also reviewed key international documents and conventions.

Tarik Sarhan, a representative of the Islamic Cultural Center, described positively the opportunity to exercise the right to freely practice his faith in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of preserving the cultural and religious heritage of Muslims.

Chrystyna Orlova, Executive Director of the Vinnytsia Regional Human Rights Protection Organization Dzherelo Nadii (“Source of Hope”), told about the experience of work with the settlers, in particular the Muslim faith.

It should be added that from the beginning of 2018 the process of the implementation of the Council of Europe Program “Intercultural Cities” in Vinnytsia was received by the new coordinator, represented by the employee of the Institute of Urban Development Yulia Kashpruk.

In June, it is planned to hold a roundtable with representatives of all national communities of the city in the framework of the “Intercultural Cities” Program in Vinnytsia in order to discuss topical issues of national communities and establish cooperation with the city authorities. This is reported by “My Vinnytsia”.