International Centre Interbilim works to assist in the creation and development of the non-governmental sector in Kyrgyzstan. It was registered in 1994 to carry out training and consulting activities for activists on NGO issues. Its mission is to support the protection and promotion of civic rights through advocacy and lobbying, the development of leadership in the NGO sector, and to encourage intersectoral interaction.
Activities
The International Center Interbilim has implemented a number of projects:
- Project to encourage the involvement of local communities in the process of reducing corruption.
- Public monitoring of parliamentary elections.
- Increasing civic activism of youth in Kyrgyz Republic.
- Project to integrate community-based social and economic development in rural southern Kyrgyzstan.
- Supporting civil activists in their efforts to contribute to the development of democracy.
- Project to encourage the participation of citizens in Constitutional Reform.
- Development of an information campaign for the victims of conflict in the south.
- Production of newsletter entitled 'Conflict prevention through increasing accountability of local authorities in the south of Kyrgyzstan'.
One of the organisation's key programmes is a Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Project which is is undertaken in the framework of LivingSidebySide - a model training program created by Legacy International. This encourages inter-ethnic, religious and racial understanding, leadership and conflict resolution skills among young people in societies prone to conflict.
The programme was piloted in 10 schools in Osh, Jalalabad, and Batken, in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Twenty teachers and local trainers are recruited into a Training of Trainers programme so that they can go on to conduct trainings for 200 young people. The LivingSidebySide programme is being considered for implementation nationwide.
Long-range plans for nationwide implementation rest on a number of building blocks:
- A proven curriculum and manuals published in Russian, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and English.
- A capable local NGO prepared to support long-term operations.
- A group of certified teacher-trainers who can carry out quality LivingSidebySide training year after year with teenage audiences either in the classroom or as an after-school activity.
- An advanced training of trainers program to yield larger number of teacher-trainers.
- Long-term support from the Ministry of Education.
International partners include DFID, CASDIN, DCA, and ICCO.
Publications
Multinational Kyrgyzstan: a motherland for all”
In 2013 the CIB finished the short-term project “Multinational Kyrgyzstan: a motherland for all” with the goal to educate on tolerance, deep feeling of unity and understanding of participation of all people of Kyrgyzstan in the development of the country through the book publication. The illustrated Publication in Russian and Kyrgyz languages was produced with the financial support of UNDP.
The main idea of the publication – to inform the KR citizens that thanks to self-realization of representatives of the different nations, their creative activity there was the mutual enrichment of cultures promoting development and disclosure of capacity opportunities of citizens. The achievements of each citizen are the public property, are an example of the constructive labor, promoting new achievements and development of different spheres of activity.
Thanks to the self-realization of citizens Kyrgyzstan reached the considerable achievements in various areas of development of society and the state. Kyrgyzstan - the multinational country with representatives of more than 80 nationalities. Our country is the successful model of cultural diversity rich in talented people and people worthy of universal recognition and respect, the heroes of the book are such sample- individuals.
The book consists of two parts: “In the national memory” and the “Country prosperity – in hands of each of us”. In the first part of the book the life and invaluable experience of the famous people of the country who glorified Kyrgyzstan by their achievements were described, who became the part of the history of the country. The second part is devoted to the compatriots who harmoniously live and successfully work in different spheres of activity of the country, increasing spiritual and material richness of the general homeland – Kyrgyzstan.
The material about the heroes, who have died, was complied on the basis of information of the open sources. The material for heroes of the second part of the book is based on interview of the compatriots of different nationalities. The book is a source of useful data about patriotic attitude of the heroes to their native land, work, profession, surrounding people.
In March of 2013 the presentation of the book for more than 40 participants was held: the current heroes of the book and the relatives of the deceased heroes, representatives of Assembly of the Peoples of Kyrgyzstan, the office of the president and representatives of mass media. The CIB expressed huge gratitude for participation in the project, spoke of the history of the book creation and the purpose of that publication. Books were distributed extended among heroes of the book, NGOs, the public, youth, libraries.
