July 3rd, 2007: UNICEF promotes peace and tolerance among children in the North CaucasusDuring July and August 2007, UNICEF organizes peace camps for more than 500 children and adolescents from five republics of the North Caucasus - Chechnya, Ingushetia, North Osetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Dagestan. Each republic will host children of the republics in a summer camp, except Chechnya. Chechnya’s summer camp will be organized in neighboring Kabardino-Balkaria. Carel de Rooy, the UNICEF Area Representative for the Russian Federation and Belarus, Dr. Rashed Mustafa, the Head of UNICEF’s North Caucasus Office, and high government officials of each republic, local and international media will also participate. “The objective of each camp is to establish and strengthen intercultural communication between children from the republics of the North Caucasus,”- said Dr. Rashed Mustafa. “To break down the stereotypes and develop leadership and interpersonal skills, friendship and tolerance, those are very necessary for children to grow up as proud citizens of their country.” The summer camps are important components of the programme “Peace and Tolerance promotion among children and adolescents of the North Caucasus.” UNICEF works for peace and tolerance promotion through its partners since 2005 in a close partnership with government ministries and non-governmental organisations. Two summer camps “Caspian Odyssey” and Summer camp “Plus” were already organized in Dagestan in 2005-2006 with participation of more than 200 children and adolescents from four republics of the North Caucasus. Alina Zuzueva, 15, who participated in the last summer camp, shared her feelings about the atmosphere in the camp: “My impression was that we all were living on an island, where everybody was of the same nationality. All emotions were only positive. I was happy to feel that I was living in this wonderful world, where all children were my friends.” UNICEF supports the integration of peace education as subject to be taught in schools and other educational institutions. The peace education component has already been incorporated into curricula of 56 schools in the town of Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan, following an initiative of UNICEF. For more information, please, contact Bela Tsugaeva, Communication Assistant, UNICEF North Caucasus, tel. (8928) 732 07 12, e-mail: btsugaeva@unicef.org
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