The Center for Interethnic Cooperation was founded in November 1997 by representatives
of national associations in Moscow. The Center also began its work in that year.The basic mission of the Center for Interethnic Cooperation
is the protection of national minorities, and providing national societies with organizational, informational, and technological support.
The Center is currently carrying out the following activities:
Research
The Center conducts constant research in the regions of Russia on interethnic relations, studies the change of
demographic conditions, carries out surveys among the leaders of ethnic communities, organizes seminars and conferences
on which the ethnic community leaders and independent experts discuss the inter-ethnic situation, and determine the
problems that are faced by specific groups and minorities as a whole. The Center posts questions that could be of
interest for minorities. The Center has already carried out more than twenty conferences, seminars and round tables with the participation
of more than 200 ethnic associations.
Coordinational
The Center aspires to support the ethnic communities in solving the problems they face as minorities. The main
challenge they have to face – as the conferences, seminars and surveys show – is the discrimination of people based on their
ethnic origins. The Center also promotes coordination between ethnic communities and authorities both on local and federal levels for successful dialogues. A Network of National Associations was created and is supported by the Center for Interethnic Cooperation, in which 126 ethnic associations from 60 Russian cities belong. At the conferences organized by the Center, the authorities’ representatives take part (from the deputy minister to parliamentary experts).
Informational
Most of the ethnic associations do not even have basic opportunities for the coordination of their actions. Because of this, the Center has
worked from the very beginning on– and finally created – the network of ethnic communities.
The Center also created a web site with the title “Ethnic association of Russia”. The relationship between the mass media and
national minorities has to be considered one of the most crucial issues in interethnic relations in Russia: in working
with the media, the Center has carried out two conferences that brought minority leaders together with the National Press Institute.
Educational
One of the main activities of the Center is the carrying out of training for ethnic minority leaders on the
protection of ethnic minority rights, negotiation methods in situations of conflict, as well as the use of the Internet for the coordination of joint activities. In 2003, the Center has organized and carried out the following activities: “Coordination of Efforts for the Protection of Migrants and Representatives of National Minorities” in Moscow, trainings in Perm, Ekaterinburg and Astrakhan, Volgograd on the topic “Negotiations of National Associations with the Authorities,” a conference “National Associations’ Duties in the Fight Against Racism and Xenophobia in Russia,” and a school seminar "Russian and International Mechanisms of the Protection of National Minorities.” Experts from the Council of Europe also took part in several of these activities.
Introduction of positive International Experience
Due to historic reasons, Russia has been isolated for a very long time from the other parts of Europe. While these barriers
no longer exist, the absence of foreign and technical opportunities and language barriers do not provide for the best
opportunity to establish direct contacts with international organizations. The Center wants to fulfill the role of
intermediary between the minorities and the international organs. The Center has organized several meetings between ethnic
community leaders and the leaders of the European Commission’s Representatives.
International Contacts
The Center’s representatives actively take part in conferences, seminars, meetings and other events in connection with ethnic minorities- not only in Russia, but also abroad on the most important European forums. The most recent conferences in which the Center has participated are:
November 2003, Geneva - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights conference and training workshop (Larissa Bitkayeva)
October 2003, Strasbourg - Conference to mark the 5th anniversary of the entry into force of the Framework Convention for the
Protection of National Minorities (Ashot Airapetian)
May 2002, Geneva - The 8th Session of the UN Working Group on Minorities (Larissa Bitkayeva)
May 2002, Strasbourg -Training Seminar on the Framework Convention for the Protection Of National Minorities
(Council of Europe – Minority Rights Group) (Irina Kropotkina)
August 2001, Durban - The UN World Conference Against Racism and Xenophobia (Sergey Arutiynov, Sonya Abugova)
June 2001, Goeteborg - “Power To Change” (United for Intercultural Action) (Ashot Airapetian)
For detailed information about our activities, please click here
