"Communication is not universal." How the Slovo 21 project supported intercultural competencies in practice
The Slovo 21 project, titled Strengthening Intercultural Competencies, helped civil servants better understand people from different cultural backgrounds and manage the situations they encounter in their work. The project concludes this August. In this interview, Kateřina Kopečná, the project's lead methodologist, discusses the project's progress, her experience as a trainer, and why there is no universal guide to communicating with others.
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“When I was in the fourth grade, my father told me about the war.” – With Zdeněk Daniel on art that reflects a family story
Architect, painter, and designer Zdeněk Daniel explores themes in this interview that permeate his entire body of work. Whether reflecting on a dark family history, creating vibrant, color-drenched paintings, or working on architectural projects, his work consistently reflects a sense of social responsibility and a commitment to creating environments accessible to everyone without distinction.
War through the eyes of children: 26 pairs of shoes tell the story of the journey from Ukraine to the Czech Republic
They had only a few minutes to pack the bare essentials. Often, it was just the clothes and shoes they were wearing when they set off into the unknown at the end of February 2022. Today, two and a half years later, these young refugees and their shoes tell the story of their sudden departure from home in Ukraine and their arrival in the Czech Republic. Their journeys are brought to life in the exhibition The Journey / Traces of Stories.
"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.
Next Stop is out now! Slovo 21 has released an instructional film for foreigners
Essential and valuable information for foreigners planning to move to the Czech Republic. Everything is presented clearly, concisely, and in an engaging way. This is what the new instructional film, Next Stop: Czech Republic, recently released by our organization, Slovo 21, offers. It guides foreigners through the realities of life in the Czech Republic and introduces them to what they can expect upon arrival in their new country.
"We haven't found our way to each other yet." – with Jan Husák on anti-Gypsyism and finding paths to systemic change
The international Jekhipe project aims to restore dignity to the Roma. However, it often encounters resistance from the majority society. Where do these hateful feelings toward the Roma minority come from? As an advocacy worker, Jan Husák highlights the systemic failures that repeatedly push the Roma to the margins.
"Words influence how people perceive things." - seminars at the Faculty of Social Sciences fight for fair media
How we write about foreigners matters. Media stereotyping fuels frequent negative attitudes toward them. This is why a series of seminars was launched this school year, where future journalists learn about the reality of migration policy and the lives of individual minorities in our country.
Many newly arrived foreigners are still unaware of the requirement to complete an adaptation-integration course, and they face significant fines for failing to do so.
An increasing number of newly arrived foreigners are unaware of the legal requirement to complete an adaptation-integration course. This issue has been highlighted by the organization Slovo 21, which conceived the idea for these courses over a decade ago and continues to provide their methodological oversight. Failure to fulfill this obligation can result in a fine for the foreigners.
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"I tell officials about what is going on in the mind of a foreigner," says Anna Zabrodina
"Guest Foreigner" – that is the name of a unique part of the Strengthening Intercultural Competencies training, which allows civil servants and security personnel to meet someone who has personal experience with integration in the Czech Republic.
Fameľija nadevše – Slovo 21 publishes a collection of short stories by Romani authors
Supporting Romani literature has long been a priority for the Slovo 21 association. The short story collection Fameľija nadevše (Family Above All) brings together the work of fifteen authors from the Paramisara Romani writers' club, whose stories focus on the universal theme of family.
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“A brochure is not enough” – how an integration seminar helps holders of international protection find their way
The first two integration seminars have taken place as part of the New Home in the Czech Republic project. One was for Russian-speaking and the other for Chinese-speaking holders of international protection. The seminars offer a helping hand at a time when newcomers are often left on their own without the necessary information.
Fameľija nadevše - a short story collection that reveals the truth about our relationships
The theme of family is central to the book Fameľija nadevše (Family above all), which will be released this November. This short story collection brings together the work of fifteen authors from the Paramisara literary club, who explore themes of family anxieties and hopes in their stories.