On November 18, 2013, the events devoted to the International Day for Tolerance (November 16) took place at the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts. Students of the first-year of the specialization management of the international cultural relations met everyone who entered the hall of the building with cheerful hugs; they favored students, lecturers and visitors of the University with these hugs. After the flesh mob all the students went to the auditorium to listen to the lecture with participation of the invited guests.
The lecture was opened by Maria Verenich, senior lecturer of the Department of Intercultural Communications, she told about the International Day for Tolerance, presented the programme of the events, and gave the flour to students. The first-year students prepared a short introduction on the topic, presentation on the issue what is tolerance and why it is so important not only to speak about it but to feel it deeply.
The lecture was continued by Mikhail Rybakov, Director of the Republic Center of National Cultures. He gave a presentation about the events of the Center which were held throughout the year 2012. He also told about the activity of the Center, nationalities residing in Belarus and Belarusians living abroad.
Representatives of the International Non-governmental Association for Scientific Research, Information and Educational Programmes «Evolutio» (INA “Evolutio”) spoke about work with such vulnerable categories as refugees and asylum seekers, the need to be tolerant with people who were forced to leave their homes because of well-founded fear. Maria Nekrashevich, Consultant of the INA “Evolutio”, gave a presentation about the activity of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the world and in Belarus. In her presentation she paid attention to the definition of the term refugees, the first legal norms concerning refugees, and attempts of the international community in assistance refugees, issues of the creation of UNHCR, its Charter, Mandate and the goal of the Agency, number of refugees and people of concern to UNHCR in the world, touched the main Belarusian legislative acts and its regulations and principles on refugees, efforts of Belarus aimed at providing assistance to refugees, and as well the areas of activity of the UNHCR Office in Belarus, cooperation of the international organizations and national NGOs, refugee communities, and governmental partners in the area of providing assistance to refugees and asylum seekers.
Liubou Kravets, Public Information Assistant of the INA “Evolutio”, continued the lecture with a presentation of the activity of the International Non-governmental Association for Scientific Research, Information and Educational Programmes «Evolutio» in the area of assistance to refugees and coverage of this problematic. She gave the information about organization and conduction of information and educational events, scientific researches, touched the target groups with which the INA “Evolutio” works: refugees and asylum seekers, governmental bodies engaged in solving of refugee issues, public organizations, journalists, students, post graduate students, academic community, schoolchildren. She noted publications developed and issued in the framework of the project with UNHCR, holding of the round tables on the issues of multicultural education, documentary “Refugees in Belarus”, contest of journalists, contest of students, candidates for a master's degree and post-graduate students on the issues of refugees, migration and tolerance, manual on multicultural education, and about a 24-hour role playing game «Youth On the Run» and its participants who reincarnated themselves into refugees fleeing from the African country to Belarus.
After the speeches of the invited guests the flour was given to Alexander Morozov, Head of the Department of Intercultural Communications, Doctor of Philology, Professor. He thanked everyone for active participation in all the events devoted to the International Day for Tolerance, expressed gratitude to the guests for presentations, and noted that the topic is very close to the students and lecturers of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts who work in the field of development of culture and arts.