We Are Not Strangers: A unique project by the Slovo 21 organization brings foreigners and the majority society closer together
Who are the foreigners living in the Czech Republic? The "We Are Not Strangers" project, run by the Slovo 21 association, seeks to answer this question. By providing high-quality and engaging information, the project aims to debunk the stereotypes and falsehoods about foreigners that persist in the public sphere. The project also includes the launch of the information portal nejsmesicizi.cz, which has been active since this May and will feature ongoing articles and videos.
The project is a response to the growing number of foreigners in the Czech Republic. According to Ministry of the Interior data, there were 836,000 people from different cultural backgrounds in the country at the end of 2023. This in itself presents a challenge for the majority society, where negative attitudes toward foreigners are on the rise. "That is why, now more than ever, it is necessary to work on bringing Czechs and foreigners closer together and to provide an accurate picture of who the foreigners living in the Czech Republic today really are," explains project manager Jelena Silajdžić.
In addition to articles and videos, Slovo 21 has prepared a series of innovative activities to help Czechs and foreigners get to know each other better. In collaboration with the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University, a seminar will be held for future journalists to teach them how to report on foreigners and migration in a high-quality and objective manner. Furthermore, research will be conducted on the perception of integration among Czechs and foreigners, as there is currently a lack of real data on what Czechs think about integration. The project also includes an interactive traveling exhibition called "Little Shoes." Using the artifact of children's shoes, it highlights the stories of refugees from Ukraine from a child's perspective to raise public awareness and empathy. "Foreigners in the Czech Republic are not just statistical numbers, but real people, each with a often complex story behind them," adds Silajdžić.
For 20 years, the Slovo 21 association has been dedicated to the integration of third-country nationals, primarily through diverse educational activities that help them gain the confidence needed to handle various practical issues related to life in the Czech Republic on their own. At the same time, the association's activities strive to bring foreigners and the majority society closer together, for example, through the "Family Next Door" project, which brings Czechs and foreigners together for a shared lunch. The "We Are Not Strangers" project runs from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025, and is co-financed by the European Union through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
Contact person:
Marie-Anna Růžičková
732 268 201
propagace@slovo21.cz
