"It is not racism, it is just 'gangsterism.'" Residents of St. Petersburg are still wondering about the veracity of these words from their governor, Valentina Matvienko, who was commenting on the recent murder of a person with a different skin color - a Vietnamese student. A Tajik girl was the victim of an earlier homicide, while there have also been other cases that have received far less media attention. Many Russians unanimously describe them as "exhibition of racial intolerance." And not only in St. Petersburg.
Social divisions, migration, a religious boom, the disappearance of core ideological principles, terrorism with an allegedly "Muslim face" - all these phenomena could not but affect Russians' attitudes. Until the end of the 1990s, these problems were part of an overall crisis that threatened the political and economic survival of Russia. However, with the first signs of stability in the country, the political elite started to pay more attention to the issue of racial tolerance in society.
Generally, the present picture is not so discouraging, meaning - it could be worse, "like in Yugoslavia," people say. In some ways, Russia has been more fortunate than Europe and the United States, as they are facing an increase in xenophobic statements, as well. Thanks to the centuries of Islam, Judaism and Russian Orthodoxy coexisting peacefully, Russia has managed to avoid a clash of civilizations. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has caused a rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, has not affected Russians, either. The difference in political views of Russian Muslims and Jews has had virtually no impact on relations between these communities in Russia.
However, neither the experience of cordial coexistence, nor religious preaching of respect for other denominations, nor political speeches proclaiming that "there are no bad religions or ethnic groups and we are all Russians" have brought positive results in the struggle against common xenophobia. The mildest form of xenophobia can be seen in statements about the "dominance of Caucasus natives and Asians," the harshest form is murders and racially motivated violence. It is difficult to combat this. It is a task that will require time, because we will not only need to find and punish the criminals, but we will also have to change the public's mindset.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the Russian political lexicon acquired the notion of "tolerance." In 2001, a federal target program "The formation of tolerant mentality and preventive measures against extremism in Russian society" was introduced. Its agenda included monitoring social tension in some Russian regions; developing preventive measures against extremism; implementing social and psychological training programs for young people, teachers, and journalists; and creating a support fund for migrants and regional "tolerance centers." Some regions, including Moscow, started their own projects to counter xenophobia that work together with the federal program.
The desire to achieve tolerance, apart from the authorities' moves, was also caused by a need within society, even though only a few Russians knew the meaning of the word at the time. Schools are the best example.
With the onset of the 1990s, Russian schools, just like the entire country, started to fight for survival by developing a new education system, new education programs and adapting to the information age. Busy with all these activities, the schools neglected their most important task - the moral and social education of young people. When teachers finally started to pay attention to what children were saying, they were horrified.
The results of the monitoring conducted as part of the federal program in 2003 clearly showed that cruelty and extremism had become a social norm, and violence an accepted way to settle various conflicts. When answering a question about their attitudes to national, ethnic, religious and language minorities, children identified with aggressive nationalism in first place (18.6%), followed by racism (17.1%), discrimination (16.4%), violence (14.7%), intolerance (14.4%) and terrorism (13.4%).
In a bid to correct the situation, the schools began to introduce subjects related to tolerance in their programs. They attempted to teach tolerance in a broad way - not only in terms of relations between representatives of various nationalities and religions, but also in terms of general attitude to the disabled, people with speech impediments, obese or emaciated people, etc. Many schools started working in this area without waiting for initiatives from the authorities.
Teachers in Moscow's high school No. 463 told this RIA Novosti commentator that they had introduced a course on ethnology for junior classes as part of the regional program. The course covers the traditions and cultures of peoples living in Russia. On the initiative of local teachers, the school introduced a course on moral education, which teaches small children such principles as tolerance and respect to those who are weaker or different through a variety of fairytales and games.
Senior grade students approach issues of relations between national and religious minorities. The school has introduced a course on the Holocaust. Teachers believe that the most difficult task is to teach children to draw analogies between the events of World War II and the current situation in Russia and the world. For example, a child might cry watching Pavel Chukhrai's "Children From the Abyss", which was filmed as part of Steven Spielberg's project Survivors of the Shoah: the Holocaust, and after that insult immigrants from the Caucasus. Nevertheless, such lessons are not taught in vain, as teachers believe they gradually change children's attitudes.
School No. 179 in Moscow does not have special courses on the Holocaust. This subject is part of a general history course. However, the subject of tolerance is a priority for the school. Its pupils participate in city and international competitions and projects dedicated to issues of xenophobia. In the near future, the school plans to create a "Children - Victims of Genocide" museum, while it has also introduced a "Tolerance through Theater" program. Teachers plan to invite representatives of foreign embassies to participate in this project. The first event on the agenda is the evening of the Georgian culture. Nevertheless, a great deal depends on whether a teacher pays close attention to interaction between children, to how they treat each other and what they say to one another. Teachers at the school are convinced that children should always be under a watchful eye and any signs of intolerance must be called to their attention.
The work conducted in these two and many other Russian schools might seem a drop in an ocean of negativism. Every day we encounter acts of vandalism in relation to cemeteries and churches; we see walls painted with swastikas and hear insults on the streets. It is no secret that police officers and local authorities in some regions sometimes practice acts of discrimination in relation to certain ethnic groups. Nevertheless, the work done by the schools gives us hope for the future. Every school has anywhere from 300 to 1,000 students, who will be less indifferent and more tolerant than the previous generation.
What is really important is that we have finally lifted the veil that once covered such issues as xenophobia and racism. These problems are widely discussed in the media, at various levels of authority and by public figures. Each month, various Russian regions host seminars or conferences dedicated to these issues. And, although sometimes there might be a huge gap between discussions and practical actions, tolerance is gradually conquering Russian society.
===== Nu, zayats, pogodi!
__________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com