Community Relations Service

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICE (CRS) DIRECTOR SHAREE M. FREEMAN SPOKE AT THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE) TOLERANCE IMPLEMENTATION MEETING ON PROMOTING INTER-CULTURAL, INTER-RELIGIOUS AND INTER-ETHNIC UNDERSTANDING IN ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN

      WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sharee M. Freeman, Director of the Justice Department's Community Relations Service (CRS), delivered remarks at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Tolerance Implementation Meeting on Promoting Inter-Cultural, Inter-Religious and Inter-Ethnic Understanding. The meeting took place Monday, June 12 and Tuesday, June 13, 2006, in Almaty, Kazakhstan at the Regent Almaty Hotel.

      The meeting focused on ways to promote tolerance of different ethnicities, cultures, and faiths and to implement measures to combat racism, xenophobia, discrimination and anti-Semitism. Director Freeman delivered comments in two sessions. Session I explored the role of inter-cultural, inter-religious, and inter-ethnic dialogue in conflict prevention and post-conflict reconciliation. Session II focused on developing inter-cultural, inter-religious and inter-ethnic partnerships as a tool to counter stereotypes and prejudice and to promote mutual respect and understanding in public and political discourse. Drawing on the expertise and experience of CRS, Director Freeman shared dialogue-based conciliation techniques and strategies with the audience as well as methods to coordinate with the media to promote tolerant and culturally competent discourse in communities.

       CRS is a unique federal agency dedicated to preventing and resolving conflicts arising from racial and ethnic issues. For more information about the Community Relations Service, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, visit its website at: www.usdoj.gov/crs.