Center for Dialogue and Reconciliation – Iskra

Center for Dialogue and Reconciliation “Iskra” is a non-governmental organisation that promotes a liberal, multicultural, tolerant, and diverse society in Ukraine. Its main areas of work are historical-political education, East-West reconciliation, intercultural dialogue, and active participation of young people from all regions within Ukraine.

Iskra’s main target group are young people 18-35 years of age. It occasionally involves teenagers from the age of 14 into select activities.The methods used are based on non-formal education and on academic expertise in Peace and Conflict Studies, History, and Political Science. This interest in the mixture of academic and non-formal methods results in training formats that employ scientifically-grounded material, but present it in a lightly digestible, participative, interactive style that is typical for non-formal education.

In the past few years, Iskra has implemented an Erasmus+ youth exchange on the topic of gender equality in rural areas, 8 workshops and 1 long-term training course on peacebuilding, 4 academic summer schools on conflict analysis and resolution (with the Center for Conflict Studies, University of Marburg), 3 German-Ukrainian-Russian youth encounters on historical politics (with University of Marburg and Youth Human Rights Movement-Russia) and a number of smaller projects. These various peacebuilding and reconciliation measures have produced a tight-knit network of young people with an interest in peacebuilding, a solid theoretical foundation in conflict resolution, and the practical tools to implement their ideas.

“Iskra” accredited as a Sending Organisation within the Erasmus+ programme since 2009 and is supporting young Ukrainians (of all ethnic and language backgrounds) in becoming short- and long-term EVS/ESC and SCI volunteers and participants of youth exchanges. Applications are welcome from all across Ukraine (for local events) and from entire world (for SCI workcamps).