"To pause for a moment and look at the other person without stereotypes." – with Mónica Márquez on a project changing Czech authorities

The Intercultural Competence Strengthening Project has set itself a challenging goal: to change the complex reality faced by people arriving in the Czech Republic. During two-day courses, representatives from public administration and security forces learn how to interact with foreigners more effectively and without prejudice. Activities aimed at fostering better understanding help officials empathize with the difficult situation of arriving in a new country. In this interview, course instructor Mónica Márquez discusses the background of the courses and her own experience arriving in the Czech Republic.

Could you briefly summarize what we should imagine under the term intercultural competence?‍

Intercultural competence refers to the information, resources, or skills needed to work and communicate more effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. This can be because they come from a different environment—that is, a different country. But it can also apply to groups like the Roma, who live here and are also Czech, yet have different circumstances and therefore react differently than we might expect. So, these competencies should help people work with this more effectively.

You have led training sessions for various groups, such as public administration employees or security forces. Did these groups differ from each other in any way?

‍Definitely. It’s not just about which offices or departments they belong to, but also their specific roles. That greatly influences their interests. If they primarily deal with people from Ukraine, their focus is naturally on that group. If they focus on the Roma, for example, their needs are different. So, it varies according to the specific requirements of their work.

Do participants come to the course voluntarily, or is it mandatory for them?‍

It varies for everyone. There are people who come voluntarily, and there are those who do not.

Do you have any strategies for working with people who aren't as open to communication, or who aren't interested in the topic and don't cooperate? ‍

Yes, that happens. There are even people who openly say, "I don't want to be here," or "I'm only here because there's food and drink." And they don't want anything else from it. But that's okay.

The strategy is that you have to respect their stance. It’s not about forcing information on them. Not at all. On the contrary, it’s about accepting where they are. Respect it and kindly try to offer them something, knowing that if they don't want it, that’s fine. And you have to mean it sincerely. Not just as a teaching tool, but being genuinely able to accept that someone else has a different perspective. You can offer people what you want, but the other person will ultimately do what they choose with it.

Do these people ever open up during the course?‍

It very often happens that people who are completely closed off at the beginning are glad they attended by the end. They reflect on it as time well spent. I often hear them say at the end: "I have something to think about. I have something to reflect on." They might not have completely changed their minds, but at least they gave it some thought. At least they said to themselves: "I hadn't thought about it that way before, but it's interesting." I just hope that over time, this won't stay at the level of mere thought, but that it will somehow manifest in practice. We don't know that for sure. But they often say that, in the end, they are glad they were there. Of course, there are cases where they aren't. And that's okay, too.

So, the feedback is mostly positive?‍

Definitely. So far, we've only been talking about the most closed-off participants. But those who are open are always enthusiastic. For me, it's enriching because they share good practices with each other. They have experience and are willing to share what works for them. Perhaps they have someone of foreign origin in their family or circle of friends. That also greatly influences their perception of foreigners. They can imagine what that person is going through and, at the same time, see that not all foreigners are the same.

Perhaps that is why foreigners come to the courses to tell their stories. Do the participants find this enriching?‍

Yes, they often say they find it beneficial. Sometimes, however, they are unable to overcome the stereotypes they hold. They might say that the people who are guests at the courses aren't representative of the majority. For example, when someone who is highly educated or successful comes in—like an expat—rather than, say, a construction worker from Ukraine. Nevertheless, they find some specific points useful.

They might ask, for example, why Ukrainians don't say hello. And there is a lady from Ukraine there who explains: "We do it this way and that way." And then they say: "Oh, okay, now I understand."

But if someone is there from a country that isn't currently as relevant to them, such as Syria or Palestine, they can't fully relate to it. However, when I talk about my own experiences from the perspective of my migration journey, they are interested in that, too. When teaching, I put examples together so that they fit into the specific theory we are currently discussing. So, it might be more understandable for them in some ways. And at the same time, it doesn't matter as much that I'm not from Ukraine or that I don't work on a construction site. They can empathize with my migration journey because I tell it from beginning to end. That I arrived as a student and had such and such problems, and maybe I didn't arrive at the office on time because I didn't know something...

It doesn't occur to them that things might work differently in other countries. That it's not about irresponsibility, but perhaps because the newcomers have a completely different concept of time, or because they don't trust authorities in their home countries. Rules don't apply there, but they do here. It takes a while to learn this. For course participants, this information is valuable because it alerts them to things they can watch out for.

For example, emphasizing: "Please, it really is the case here that our meeting is on this day. No one will remind you, but it is important because otherwise you will lose your benefits." For instance. This specific information, which can prevent a person from getting into trouble, is valuable.

You are trying to ensure that officials are better able to empathize with the position of a foreigner arriving in the Czech Republic. What does this look like in practice during the courses?‍

We have various specific activities. During one of them, participants have to imagine that they are moving somewhere else. And they have to figure out everything they would need to arrange, and so on. They often can't fully imagine it, and as a result, it remains quite superficial. Nevertheless, even this helps. They think about how complicated the process is. Just the idea that it's not just a simple thing. And that people often don't want to do it. Practically, it helps to think about everything a foreigner sitting at their counter has to deal with. That sometimes it can be too much. That sometimes we forget—that's human. It's not because the person is stupid or a migrant, but simply because it's too much for them. This is just one example, but we have other activities that lead officials to think about the fact that a migrant is, first and foremost, a human being. And that's what it's all about. To see migrants primarily as people.

And that is the greatest benefit of these courses for me. To stop for a moment and look at the other person without stereotypes.

You experienced contact with Czech authorities yourself when you moved to the Czech Republic. What was that like for you back then?‍

It was terrible. (laughs) I arrived eighteen years ago. Back then, the Ministry of the Interior wasn't in charge of everything yet; the Foreign Police handled part of it, too. So the approach was completely different. The police officers were much harsher than the clerks. That was a huge difference. Today, there are many more tools available for foreigners. A lot of things are translated into other languages. There are various websites and more non-profit organizations working with foreigners. For me, finding my way around was much harder. There were no social networks back then, either. A lot of information couldn't be found on the internet. And there were endless queues everywhere. It wasn't possible to book an appointment. I was scared, because trying to navigate things when you don't understand what's happening and don't know your rights is complicated. It's different now.

So, do you think the situation has improved?‍

Definitely. It’s slow, but it’s happening.

Have you ever encountered undignified treatment yourself?‍

Yes, I have—maybe not as often as other people, but it affected me too. For example, I once worked as an intercultural worker. I helped with interpreting and explained how authorities work. One time, I was accompanying a lady from Cuba at the labor office. We were in line, and when it was our turn, the woman at the counter told us, "Not you, you go to the back because you're foreigners." She basically kicked us out of the line and sent us to the end. I really had to react by calling her supervisor and saying that this wasn't right. We had to handle it in a somewhat confrontational way because the clerk really wasn't willing to reflect on her behavior. I felt bad, too, because she was labeling me as someone who didn't have the same rights as everyone else. That’s just one example, but there are many more.

You are currently working on the MigAct project, which also focuses on helping foreigners arriving in the Czech Republic. Could you tell me more about the project?‍

It’s an organization I co-founded with others. After years of experience working in various non-profits that support migrants, we realized that in the Czech Republic, people with a migration background are often seen only as recipients of services who must fulfill certain obligations and respect rules. However, we know that beyond that, they are also ordinary residents of cities who have various interests, just like anyone else. They might be interested in the environment, reproductive rights, social art, safety, and other topics.

The reality, however, is that information on how to get involved in civil society is not accessible. This can be due to language barriers, a lack of context, or a lack of contacts and orientation. And since civic participation is one of the ways to become a full-fledged citizen—that is, an active resident of a city—we decided to support the involvement of people with a migration background in Czech civil society and provide them with the channels to make that possible.

We see people with a migration background primarily as residents. We strive to connect them with local stakeholders so that they don't just share their culture, dance, or music at multicultural festivals, but also have the opportunity to actively participate in shaping a stronger civil society, better exercise their rights as city residents, and be part of decision-making processes.

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The "Strengthening Intercultural Competencies 2024-2026" project is co-financed by the European Union.