MEMORANDUMOF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT, MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND OSCE OFFICE FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS (ODIHR)("Off. Herald of RS - Treaties", No. 8/2016) |
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia and OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR),
in the interest of and belief that manifestations of anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance pose a threat to security and stability of the OSCE Participating States region,
recognising the fact that education constitutes an important instrument in preventing and combating anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance,
recalling Decision 12/04 of the Ministerial Council adopted in Sofia, Decision 10/05 of the Ministerial Council adopted in Ljubljana, Decision 9/09 of the Ministerial Council adopted in Athens, and Decision 8/14 of the Ministerial Council adopted in Basel,
recalling the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship Conclusions and civil society recommendations presented at the High-Level Conference and Civil Society Forum organised on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of OSCE’s Berlin Conference on Anti-Semitism held on November 12-13, 2014,
recalling the priorities of the Serbian OSCE Chairmanship which include promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination, with particular focus on youth,
and recognising that the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in cooperation with Anne Frank House and other partner organisation, developed teaching materials to combat anti-Semitism (hereinafter: teaching materials) in order to provide raising awareness and anti-Semitism teaching instruments to OSCE Participating States,
convinced that partnership between Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia and ODIHR in developing and applying teaching materials adapted to circumstances of the Republic of Serbia will contribute to this purpose and to achieving common goals in combating anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance,
have agreed on the following:
This Memorandum of Understanding is signed with the aim of implementing the ODIHR project on combating anti-Semitism in the Republic of Serbia (hereinafter: the Project) by translating teaching materials developed by ODIHR, Anne Frank House and other partner organisations into the Serbian language, adapting them to the education needs of the Republic of Serbia, and training teachers to apply them in the teaching and learning process.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia shall:
1. Appoint a contact person to monitor the project;
2. Appoint one or several members to the National Task Force;
3. Promote project activities among the stakeholders; and
4. Organise an event before the 2016/2017 school year to officially present the Serbian version of teaching materials to the stakeholders;
Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia shall:
1. Appoint a national coordinator to officially cooperate with ODIHR and to perform coordination of project activities and coordination between competent government institutions with regard to teaching materials developed by Anne Frank House and ODIHR, translated and adapted to the needs of anti-Semitism education in the Republic of Serbia,
2. Establish National Task Force comprising historians and other relevant experts on anti-Semitism, representatives of competent government institutions, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Mission to Serbia, Council of Europe, Anne Frank House, Association of the Jewish Municipalities in Serbia, youth and civil society organisations,
3. Monitor the work of National Task Force, in particular the process of translating and adapting teaching materials to the teaching and learning needs in the Republic of Serbia,
4. Make teaching materials available on the Ministry website, and
5. In cooperation with ODIHR and the relevant institutions in the Republic of Serbia, develop a plan to train teachers to apply the translated and adapted teaching materials with the purpose of enhancing professional competencies of teachers in topics of anti-Semitism.
Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia shall:
1. Appoint a contact person to monitor the project;
2. Appoint one or several members to the National Task Force;
3. Ensure participation of the relevant youth organisations in developing a version of teaching materials adapted to the education needs in the Republic of Serbia, and
4. Host up to three consultative meetings with youth, with the purpose of obtaining their contribution which will be used in the development of teaching materials in local youth offices.
ODIHR shall:
1. Appoint a liaison officer as its authorised representative for cooperation and coordination of activities related to the application of teaching materials adapted to the needs of the Republic of Serbia;
2. Supervise the development of the version of teaching materials adapted to the needs of the Republic of Serbia performed by ODIHR partner Anne Frank House, in line with the contributions and feedback submitted by the Project Implementation National Task Force, and provide to government institutions of the Republic of Serbia printed copies of the final version of teaching materials,
3. Organise not less than three consultative meetings with ODIHR project partners, Project Implementation National Task Force and, if necessary, relevant experts from OSCE Participating States to obtain their contributions and experience useful for the development and drafting of the final version of teaching materials adapted to the needs of the Republic of Serbia;
4. Print the final version of teaching materials adapted to the needs of the Republic of Serbia;
5. Fund and support teacher training that will include best practice exchange and teacher training event with participation of experts of the Republic of Serbia and other OSCE Participating States, and
6. Conduct an evaluation after a certain period of application of the translated and adapted teaching materials.
This Memorandum of Understanding shall enter into force on the day of its signature and shall remain in force for an unlimited period of time.
Either Party may terminate this Memorandum of Understanding by giving six months written notice to the other Party. The Memorandum shall be terminated six (6) months as of the date such written notification was given.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be authorised to send or receive such notification on behalf of the Republic of Serbia.
Signed in two original equally authentic copies, in the Serbian and English languages. Should any disagreement arise in interpretation of the provisions of the Memorandum, the English version shall prevail.
|
in Belgrade on April 8 2016 |
in Warsaw on 28 April 2016 |
|
|
for Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia State Secretary Roksanda Ninčić for Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia State Secretary Nenad Borovčanin for Ministry of Education, |
for OSCE Office for |
TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION NATIONAL TASK FORCE
The role of the Project Implementation National Task Force is of key importance for the development and application of teaching materials, as well as for the contact between OSCE Participating State and the ODIHR. The text below presents a proposal of Project Implementation National Task Force composition and tasks. Project Implementation National Task Force is foreseen to organise regular meetings to discuss the achieved progress. Ordinarily, the National Coordinator convenes and chairs meetings of Project Implementation National Task Force.
Project Implementation National Task Force will comprise representatives of:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia
- Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia
- Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Serbia
- Commissioner for Protection of Equality
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- OSCE Mission to Serbia
- Council of Europe Office in Belgrade
- Anne Frank House
- Association of the Jewish Municipalities in Serbia
- Youth organisations
- Civil society organisations
In addition to these representatives, National Task Force will include historians and other relevant experts in anti-Semitism, the Holocaust and discrimination.
The tasks of the Project Implementation National Task Force are:
- Providing recommendations referring specific aspects related to the historical and contemporary manifestations of anti-Semitism, that should be covered by parts 1 and 2 of the teaching materials version for the Republic of Serbia;
- Providing recommendations in relation to images, examples, and personal stories to be included in teaching materials;
- Providing recommendations on best ways to address anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance among youth, in part 3 of the teaching materials;
- Providing feedback and reviewing drafts of teaching materials;
- Supporting Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia in developing the plan to implement and promote teaching materials in the whole country;
- Establishing participant selection criteria for teacher training;
- Providing recommendations for the design of teacher seminars that enhance teacher competencies in the Republic of Serbia to use teaching materials effectively;
- Monitoring progress in the use of teaching materials, as well as developing a system to record teachers’ feedback on the use of teaching materials;
- Support the evaluation process;
- Other tasks in relation to project development and implementation.