“Regional seminar on building coalitions to jointly promote tolerance and non-discrimination.”

The project was implemented as a regional seminar focused on building coalitions to promote tolerance and counter discrimination. The initiative was organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in cooperation with OSCE/ODIHR, the Jewish Association Czulent, and the City of Kraków. Organizations working in the field of human rights from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia—engaged on a daily basis with diverse local communities—were invited to participate.

The seminar created a space for in-depth reflection on the role of civil society in responding to contemporary challenges related to racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, and other forms of intolerance. Participants jointly analyzed effective strategies for countering discrimination and developed practical approaches to building sustainable, cross-sector coalitions working toward equality and inclusivity.

A key element of the event were panel sessions and workshops, which enabled the exchange of experiences and the development of concrete tools supporting anti-discrimination efforts. During these sessions, a draft handbook on building and developing coalitions was presented. The guide provided important support for civil society organizations, emphasizing the importance of networking, cooperation, and the long-term strengthening of structures working toward tolerance.

An important outcome of the project was also the presentation of innovative technological solutions supporting the prevention of hate crimes. The showcased online platform enabled the reporting, documentation, and monitoring of bias-motivated incidents, thereby strengthening the capacity of organizations to respond and to build knowledge about the scale of the phenomenon.

The implementation of the seminar strengthened cooperation among organizations from the Central European region and confirmed the role of the Czulent Association as an active partner in international initiatives promoting human rights, intercultural dialogue, and the building of a society based on respect and diversity.

Project support and cooperation

Leader of the project:

• The National Democratic Institute
• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) / Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)

Partners:

• The City Hall in Krakow
• Jewish Association Czulent

Financial support

• ODIHR’s Turning Words into Action to Address Anti-Semitism initiative, a 3-year project funded by the Federal Foreign Office of the Republic of Germany

• Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor – US Department of State

• International Visegrad Fund