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IOM Ukraine Uses Social Networking Platform and "Living Library" to Promote Cultural Awareness and Tolerance

IOM Ukraine has launched a new project aimed at promoting
multiculturalism in Ukraine via a social networking platform. The
"http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112443798769327" target=
"_blank" title="">"Citizen of the World" project
 invites
Facebook users to participate in a photography competition
spotlighting cultural diversity.

Two weeks after creation of the Facebook group, 268 people from
40 countries have joined, and 85 photographs have been posted
illustrating 23 different cultures and covering a wide range of
subjects. As new members join the group and post their photographs,
existing group members are able to check the page and see what
‘cultural diversity' means for different people around the
world.

"CLEAR: right; BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(51,102,204) 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: rgb(51,102,204) 1px solid; BACKGROUND: rgb(153,204,255) 0% 50%; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(51,102,204) 1px solid; WIDTH: 220px; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(51,102,204) 1px solid; moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial">
"PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; BACKGROUND: rgb(51,102,204) 0% 50%; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px; moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial">Related
Links "12" hspace="0" src=
"/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/graphics/interface/icons_buttons/blue_link_box.gif"> 
class="paragraph-link-no-underline-bold" href=
"
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112443798769327" target=
"_blank" title="">"Citizen of the World" Project "12" hspace="0" src=
"/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/graphics/interface/icons_buttons/blue_link_box.gif"> 
class="paragraph-link-no-underline-bold" href=
"/jahia/Jahia/diversity-initiative-fostering-cultural-understanding-and-cooperation-ukraine"
target="_blank" title="">"Diversity Initiative" Project

Participants can choose to either post their pictures on a group
"wall" to be judged by other members, or can send submissions to
IOM for assessment by a panel of judges.

Contestants mailing submissions to "paragraph-link-no-underline" href=
"mailto:kiev.diversity@iom.int">kiev.diversity@iom.int
can win
the chance to have their photographs displayed at mobile
photography exhibitions to be held at "Living Library" events in
twelve different cities across Ukraine.

Under the "Living Library" concept, individuals from diverse
ethnic backgrounds and representatives of national minorities serve
as human reference books, where Ukrainian high school and
University students are invited to "read" their histories.

The Library events, which are supported by IOM 1035 Facility
funds, serve as a tool for opening dialogue between people of
different backgrounds and form part of the "paragraph-link-no-underline-bold" href=
"/jahia/Jahia/diversity-initiative-fostering-cultural-understanding-and-cooperation-ukraine"
target="_blank" title="">"Diversity Initiative" project
, an
information exchange network co-chaired by IOM and UNHCR and
including the Ukrainian Government, civil society and international
organizations. The project was created in 2007 in response to
violent attacks against foreigners of non-Slavic appearance in
Ukraine.

For more information contact:

Daiva Vilkelyte

IOM Ukraine Senior Programme Coordinator

Tel: + 38067 466 02 83

E-mail: "mailto:dvilkelyte@iom.int">dvilkelyte@iom.int