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HEADLINES

• Integration Secretariat to receive financing from the European Commission
• National Programme Roma in Latvia supported by the Cabinet of Ministers
• International conference on tolerance organised at Jurmala
• Results of project Tolerance Promotion Strategies Based upon Research: Examples of Good Practice presented
• State financial support to national minority NGOs to be discussed
• New policy initiatives developed to strengthen a democratic and united society
• Russian Culture Festivities organised in Ventspils
• Book about Ukrainians in Latvia
• United sports games organised for national minorities cultural associations
• September – Fellow-Countrymen Month 2006
• Latvian citizenship granted to 668 persons

Integration Secretariat to receive financing from the European Commission

On 28 September, the European Commission approved the project on tolerance organised by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration: Latvia – Equal in Diversity II, with funding amounting to 110,838 EUR. This is the second such project developed in Latvia which has attracted the resources of the European Commission for activities carried out by the partnership network of state administration institutions and NGOs in order to diminish discrimination, promote tolerance and to inform society about the anti-discrimination policy priorities of the European Union.

The European Commission representative noted that the project submitted by Latvia was accepted without any changes or objections, as it was considered to be of good quality.

It is planned to launch the project in October and to conclude it on 30 September 2007. The project contains seven sub-projects with the aim to train, involve and inform the risk groups towards which discrimination and intolerance are directed, as well as those groups which operate with the information on cultural diversity and provide consultations on issues related to legal status, rights in the labour market and education.

During the project it is planned to introduce new strategies for the collection of data on cases of discrimination, to organise a campaign We Are Roma – to Reduce the Gap between Society and Roma in Latvia; a cycle of seminars on Visual Minorities in Latvia – Arabophobia and Muslimophobia; a regional conference on Religous Diversity in Latgale – from Tension to Dialogue; an informative campaign for youth about racism: Paint Out Racism with Various Colours!; and a summer school for journalism students and journalists on the topic: Spreading Diversity.

The project is co-ordinated by the European Anti-Discrimination Policy Department of the Secretariat; 80% of the total funding for the project has been given by the European Commission and 20% - by the Secretariat.

Last year the European Commission approved the Secretariat's project Latvia – Equal in Diversity I, which was successfully completed in August 2006.

LETA (28.09.2006)

National Programme Roma in Latvia supported by the Cabinet of Ministers

On 11 September 2006, the Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers supported the National Programme Roma in Latvia 2007-2009, which was developed by the Secretariat of Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration.

The aim of the Roma integration programme is to promote inclusion of the Roma community into Latvian society. The task of the programme is to ensure the battle against discrimination and also an effective implementation of equal rights in the areas of education, employment and human rights. The programme envisages the creation of a consistent government policy in order to prevent discrimination of the Roma community in the labour market, to facilitate the return of Roma to the education system and to limit intolerance and prejudice.

The working group, which developed the programme, included representatives from state administrative institutions and Roma NGOs, experts in human rights, and ethno-psychology researchers.

As the creators of the programme indicate, Roma culture is a constituent part of the cultural diversity of Latvia. The development of the Roma community in Latvia is closely related to the preservation of the Roma national identity under the circumstances of globalisation.

The Roma have been living in Latvia since the 16^th century, and Roma NGO leaders and researchers have calculated that about fifteen to eighteen thousand Roma live in Latvia today.

LETA (11.09.2006)

LETA (28.09.2006)

International conference on tolerance organised at Jurmala

On 8-9 September 2006, the International Conference Tolerant Approach, Tolerant Organisation, Tolerant Person: Practical Tolerance took place at Jurmala. Conference participants discussed such topics as tolerance and violence – manipulation with concepts, limits of tolerance, social conflict, relationships between employers and employees and the limits of tolerance under free market circumstances.

The principal aim of the meeting was to clarify which are the most important aspects that help understand and acknowledge religious, cultural and sexual diversity in order to be able to live together in a healthy and dynamic society.

Among participants at the conference were European Commission experts from Italy and Belgium as well as international experts from the USA and Norway. The Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, Karina Petersone, also took part in the conference.

The discussion was organised by the Latvian Christian Academy in co-operation with organisations of the European Commission.

LETA (08.09.2006)

Results of project Tolerance Promotion Strategies Based upon Research: Examples of Good Practice presented

Since 19 September 2006, the programme of promotion of tolerance in society now has both a stronger theoretical base and appropriate funding since researchers of the association Dialogi.lv have developed principles of good practice on how Latvia can promote tolerance, and the Society Integration Foundation (SIF), in its turn, has announced the competitive availability of 900,000 EUR, granted by the EU with which NGOs and state administration institutions can implement their projects on the promotion of tolerance.

The research information was compiled for politicians, the state and the non-governmental sector, educational establishments, social researchers and the media. It explains the individual and social dimensions of tolerance, gives an overview of comparative research on tolerance from other parts of the world and of social practice in tolerance promotion derived from these studies. The authors of the research present an overview of the political and pedagogical framework of tolerance promotion/intolerance reduction in international practice and in Latvia. They have also summarised examples of what is considered to be good practice, and on this basis have developed a guide on tolerance promotion strategies/activities.

In addition to the funding allocated for the tolerance project, the EU has also granted 900,000 EUR for ethnic integration and 200,000 EUR – for further research in both fields. The SIF has also announced tenders for this funding.

In December 2005, the association Dialogi.lv carried out a research project entitled Thermometer of Ethnic Attitudes. This research was a significant contribution to the public debate on broadening knowledge concerning the issue of ethnic tolerance in Latvia.

LETA (18.09.2006)

Diena (20.09.2006)

State financial support to national minority NGOs to be discussed

On 9 September 2006, the annual seminar of national minority NGOs on State Financial Support to National Minority Non-Governmental Organisations: Opportunities and Requirements took place at the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration. One of the directions of the Secretariat's operation is to ensure government support to national minority NGOs. The seminar was organised with the aim to increase the capacity and participation possibilities of these organisations, as well as to promote the precision of the formal documentation which they have to submit. The national minority NGOs were informed about the possibilities of receiving state subsidies and about the priorities which will be supported from the budget amendment resources. Another topic of discussion during the seminar concerned the possibility for representatives of the national minorities to participate in the implementation process of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and also in preparing the National Report.

LETA (08.09.2006)

New policy initiatives developed to strengthen a democratic and united society

The Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration has developed its operational strategy for the period 2007-2009, in which it has included new policy initiatives to strengthen a democratic and united society. The Budget Programme for Support and Protection of Rights of National Minorities has been worked into this strategy. The programme foresees the implementation of the obligations set by the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, as well as the carrying out of monitoring and co-ordination.

From 2007 to 2009 it is planned to open an information centre with the aim of determining pre-requisites for the integration of possible refugees into Latvian society, to carry out preventive measures regarding intolerance against these refugees, especially against the visually different minorities, and to create an environment free from racism, discrimination and xenophobia.

The Secretariat's strategy has 4 main directions of operation: involvement of residents in the process of civic participation at the regional, national and EU levels; inclusion and protection of the rights of national minorities; the preservation and development of the ethnic identity of core nationalities; the promotion of tolerance and eradication of discrimination and ensuring of equal rights.

The strategy will be implemented by the Secretariat and Society Integration Foundation, which is directly accountable to the Secretariat.

LETA (28.09.2006)

Russian Culture Activities organised in Ventspils

From 29 September to 1 October 2006, Russian Culture activities took place in the city of Ventspils. The various cultural events included concerts, theatre performances and meetings with Russian writers. The central idea of these activities was to reflect on the diversity and richness of Russian culture and its traditions.

The Ventspils office of the Russian Society of Latvia recently celebrated its 10^th anniversary. Much has been achieved during this time – the employees of the office have actively participated in various events in Ventspils, and in addition have also initiated several such annual events. The office has developed a successful co-operation with the Consultative Board for Non-citizens of the Ventspils City Council and with different NGOs, for example, with the Culture Association of National Minorities Societies.

LETA (29.09.2006.)

BNS (19.09.2006)

Book about Ukrainians in Latvia

On 19 September 2006, the Latvian Ukrainian Society presented a newly published book Ukrainians in Latvia which collects evidence and various documents presented by Ukrainians living in Latvia. This book is the first attempt to study the recent history of the Ukrainian community in Latvia. The book is a compilation of articles about Ukrainians which have appeared in print over the last 15 years. It was published in the Ukrainian language.

According to data of the Central Statistical Bureau, there are presently 58,222 Ukrainians living in Latvia.

BNS (18.09.2006)

United sports games organised for national minorities cultural associations

On 2 September 2006, the united sports games for the national minorities cultural associations of Jelgava were organised in the Jelgava Sports Hall. Games participants represented such national minorities organisations as the Jelgava Jewish Association, Jelgava's Russian Community, the Jelgava Lithuanian Association Vitis, the Ukrainian Culture Centre Dzerelo, the Jelgava Roma Culture Association and the Jelgava Division of the Latvian Polish Union, as well as the Club of the Society Integration Centre Siltas majas (the warm home) and the Association Harmonija (harmony).

The programme of the sports games included individual competitions, relays and several other attractive activities.

The games were organised by the Jelgava Association of National Culture Societies in co-operation with the Jelgava local municipality and with the support of the Jelgava Sports Service Centre.

LETA (30.08.2006)

September – Fellow-Countrymen Month 2006

In September 2006, the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, in co-operation with the World Federation of Free Latvians and the association We – Latvians in the World organised the Fellow-Countrymen Month. The basic objective of the Fellow-Countrymen Month was to facilitate discussion within society on issues connected with the feeling of belonging of those Latvians who live abroad to their ethnic homeland and about their role in the processes going on in Latvia. The main task of the Fellow-Countrymen Month was to inform society in Latvia and in its home countries abroad, to diminish preconceptions and to promote dialogue. During this month various cultural events, conferences and forums were organised in Latvia. Conclusions drawn during the conferences and discussions organised under the Fellow-Countrymen Month will be utilised for the purposes of the National Programme Latvian Diaspora Support Programme 2004-2009 in 2007.

Latvian Institute (06.09.2006)

Latvian citizenship granted to 668 persons

On 26 September 2006, the Latvian government granted citizenship to 668 persons, including to 36 minors. Of the 632 applications for citizenship, 68% were of Russian nationality, 12% - Ukrainian, 10% - Belarusian, and the remainder were from Lithuanian, Polish and other nationalities.

Since the beginning of the naturalisation process in 1995, Latvian citizenship through the naturalisation process has been granted to 116,529 persons, including to 12,008 persons so far this year.

LETA (26.09.2006)

For more information:
Monthly newsletter "The News of the Naturalisation Board"

Secretariat of Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration Affairs (SMSASIA) Elizabetes 20, Riga, LV 1050, Latvia Tel.: (+371) 7 365 332 Fax: (+371) 7 365 335 E-mail: iumsils@integracija.gov.lv http://www.integracija.gov.lv	Society Integration Foundation Brivibas 40-39, Riga, LV 1050, Latvia Tel.: (+371) 7 281 772 Fax: (+371) 7 281 752 E-mail: info@lsif.lv http://www.lsif.lv
Naturalisation Board of the Republic of Latvia Smilsu 1/3, Riga, LV 1050, Latvia Tel.: (+371) 7 814 001 Fax: (+371) 7 814 005 E-mail: np@np.gov.lv http://www.np.gov.lv	National Programme for Latvian Language Training Merkela 11, Riga, LV 1050, Latvia Tel.: (+371) 7 287 228 Fax: (+371) 7 220 700 E-mail: lvavp@lvavp.lv http://www.lvavp.lv