Informing the public and communities in an effort to raise awareness on the significance of integrated education, providing diversity training, technical assistance, and incentives to school boards, principals, teachers, and administration officials and renovating 40 school facilities is envisaged by the USAID project on inter-ethnic integration in education.

The project is a four-year initiative worth 5.2 million dollars that is co-financed by USAID and the U.S. European Command and aims at building awareness and providing trainings, technical assistance and incentives to school board, principals, teachers and for those in charge of education in municipalities.

US deputy ambassador Brian Aggeler in his address said that it was of crucial importance for the security and prosperity of a community and country to accept the diversity of others and to respect cultures, languages and ethnic background.

"My colleagues in the embassy and the international community in Skopje are very disappointed and concerned over last week's violent incidents. There is no room for such criminal deeds in a free society and they must be sanctioned in accordance with the law. They suggest that there is urgent need of projects such as this one promoting inter-ethnic harmony in Macedonia," Aggeler noted.

We welcome, he added, the statements by PM Gruevski and by several political leaders who called for calm urging all stakeholders to work on establishing a peaceful coexistence.

The project will be implemented by the Macedonian Civic Education Center in partnership with several other organisations.

"We hope the project will play a vital role in promoting inter-ethnic integration and in raising awareness of students, teachers, school managements and communities," Aggeler said.

Vice PM Musa Xhaferi underlined that there was no room in the society for violent incidents like the ones recorded recently.

"I express our sympathy to the victims regardless of their ethnic background. The attacks are a criminal act and will be treated as such. Macedonia has a proud long tradition of peaceful coexistence. We will build a bright future for all citizens in the country based on this principle, instead on these criminal acts by a small group of individuals," Xhaferi urged.

I believe, he added, that together we can agree on the importance of integration in education, promotion of an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect amongst people and community allowing Macedonia to use its cultural diversity to the maximum.

"Inter-ethnic harmony should start from home and then be spread in the community. We need to join forces and to secure a better future for the children regardless of their ethnic origin and quality education as well," he concluded.

Education Minister Pance Kralev said that multiethnic education was becoming a priority in times of constant changes and reforms while Macedonia was creating a sustainable policy of cultural diversity.