In the framework of the project MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING THROUGH CIVIC EDUCATION ON BOTH BANKS OF THE DNIESTER RIVER, implemented across the Republic of Moldova, including Transnistria, teachers from elementary school attended an interactive methodical training with the title of the project mentioned above, on the 29-30^th of August, at EC PRO DIDACTICA. The activity occurred thanks to an initiative, which aims to improve the relationship and the establishment of peace on the long term in the Republic of Moldova, including Transnistria and Gagauzia regions, through introduction of an optional intercultural discipline “Culture of a good neighborhood”, third consecutive year, this year it will be proposed for 3^rd grade, with financial support from BST (The Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation).

Initiated by the civil society, the project reunites NGOs, teachers, government officials and from educational field to qualitative implementation of a this discipline in approximatively 30 schools with over 2000 children from all around of Moldova in the Russian and Romanian languages, strengthening tolerance and cooperation between different groups. Through the project objectives, the beneficiaries continue the process of common development, in order to obtain new social skills for intercultural communication and cooperation; in order to introduce innovative methods for teaching-learning with diverse cultural patrimony content, increasing the understanding of cultural diversity; mutual understanding and solidarity between the separated areas.

A new Workbook for intercultural education entitled „The culture of good neighborhood” with the title Learn, work and rest together was already elaborated and adapted. It was developed in Russian and Romanian languages for all the children that will take part in this experiment will recieve it for free. Last week, our colleague from Ukraine, Ana Medvedeva, that represents the team of authors of the didactic materials, formed new groups of trainers. Our following activities will include: trainings for teachers from Chisinău, Comrat and Tiraspol; piloting the Curriculum and the Student’s Workbook through the current school year; the monitoring and the assessment of the teaching experiment, Closure Conference of the project and teacher’s certification. The partners of the project for this year remained to be The Center of Educational Innovations and Social Programmes from the capital of the transnistrean region, Tiraspol, the Center of Development and Integration from Ukraine, the Association „Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflicts (GPPAC)” and the Swedish Institute for Peace and Arbitration.

As an impact of the project, we highlight that the realtionship between regions and intercultural schooling in the Republic of Moldova, including Transnistria will be consolidated, through the development and the implementation of th optional discipline „The culture of a good neighborhood”, through border cooperation and between government agencies and civil society organizations. The project sustainability targets the increase of the level of population mutual trust, effective and constructive management of differences between divided communities, but also cultural awareness, intercultural communication and good values at a early stage, for fewer risks of disagreement and future conflicts. The formed competences will consolidate school culture and the equal treatment of different minorities. In such a way we hope to contribute to the construction of a responsible and democratic community, which promotes and supports human rights respecting different cultures. The themed learning units of the culture of a good neighborhood have more knowledge journeys as: What is the meaning of friend, friendship, love; Our neighbors from another ethnic group; Traditional crafts of moldovian people; Our parents jobs; How and when do children learn to work; Support between neighbors of different countries; Values that unite us; How did children from Moldova learned in the past; Games and toys used by our ancestors; Traditional events in my country; in conversation with our neighbor. The hospitality vocabulary, etc.

As a conclusion of the impact and the eficiency of the project, we show the opinion of a teacher Elena Bejenari from „Vlad Ioviţa” lyceum from Cocieri, Dubăsari: It will be the third year I will be teaching this discipline and I show my happiness and my gratitude for such an opportunity from me personally, but also from the students and from the parents. The contents suggested by the authors are necessary and useful for the development of social-civic competence, in order to teach the kids to study, to work and to rest together in a more interesting way. We interact, we play and we expand our horizon of knowledge by finding out new things about us and about the persons around us in order to be able to live in peace and in a civilized way. We appreciate the games, but also other new methods of reflective learning and teaching.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Project Coordinator:

Viorica Goraş-Postică, dr.hab.prof.univ.