Education must always be a priority, because the knowledge young people acquire today shapes both our tomorrow and theirs, emphasized the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, at the opening of the Annual Conference organized by the institution of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance.
The topics of the conference were the position of women, especially those from rural areas, and the importance of educating young people in overcoming gaps in equality, raising awareness, recognizing discrimination, and developing skills for their active participation in society. These topics were discussed in panel sessions featuring representatives of institutions and civil society from Serbia, the region, and Europe.
This year’s conference, titled “The Position of Women – Big Steps, Small Advances: How Education Can Help Us,” was also an opportunity to mark the 15th anniversary of the institution of the Commissioner.
Much has changed, but not our struggle for equality. It seems we have achieved something, because, as we see, today’s generations are neither selfish, nor indifferent, nor superficial. Young people fight for equality and fairness. Their vision of the future involves respect for the rights and freedoms of every person, both in our country and across Europe and the world, Janković added.
According to the Commissioner, from the very beginning the institution sought solutions to all issues of discrimination, without concern for whether such solutions aligned with the wishes of the majority or political elites. Our struggle for equality was neither declarative nor symbolic, but rather genuine and real. We were there to initiate topics that some individuals tried to relativize and marginalize under the excuse that there are more important things. For us, nothing is more important than the human being. We know our work has meaning because citizens today are more willing to speak up, to refuse discrimination and injustice, Janković stressed.
With gratitude to professional media, who are beacons without which there is not only no democracy, but no free individual or state, the conference also marked the tenth presentation of the annual media awards for tolerance.
Awards for journalists who produced the best media articles and reports on combating discrimination and promoting equality and tolerance are jointly presented by the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, with the support of the EU Delegation to Serbia. In the TV/radio category, the winners were: Višnja Višnjić Milić (RTS), Vladimir Malešić (TV Forum), Maja Simić (TV N1), and Jasna Đurović (TV Una). In the online media/portals category, the winners were: Dina Đorđević (CINS), Milica Mihajlović (danas.rs), and Zoran Strika (021.rs). In the print media category, the winners were: Vuk Vučković (Lice ulice), Miroslava Pudar (Novi magazin), and Teodora Škobo (NIN).
At the opening, in addition to Janković, speakers included Nevena Petrušić, former Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Kristin Melsom, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to Serbia, Edward Ferguson, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, and Milana Rikanović, Director of UN Women Serbia.
The conference, which was organized with the support of the OSCE Mission, as well as UN Women with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway, and the British Council with the support of the Embassy of the United Kingdom in the Republic of Serbia, was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, European equality institutions, civil society organizations, academia, and the media.
