Journalists in Italy will discuss problems of tolerance in Northern Caucasus

A conference called "War and Peace" devoted to problems of tolerance in Northern Caucasus is opening in Italy today. Problems of Beslan, attitude of the veterans of wars in Chechnya towards today's Caucasus and its residents will be discussed at the conference. 

The conference will be held in the town of Cromaniola, not far from Turin, from April, 7, till April, 14. It is organized by the international Association "Ever Changing World". 

The Association "Ever Changing World" studies the countries of the former USSR and holds such conferences twice a year. Vera Politkovskaya, daughter of the lost journalist of "Novaya Gazeta" Anna Politkovskaya, Anjelo Baracca, professor of the University of Florence, Liza Clark, President of international movement "Peacemakers", Arkady Babchenko, veteran of Chechen wars and journalist of the Russian "Novaya Gazeta", Ella Kesaeva, founder of the Committee "Voice of Beslan" and other political and public persons from Italy and other countries of Europe will take part in the present conference.

"New international projects in Northern Caucasus, ways of settlement interethnic conflicts in complex zones of the region will be discussed. There will be also a public debate with participation of the veterans of Chechen wars from opposite parties", Massimo Bonfatti, one of the organizers and leader of the Association "Ever Changing World" said to a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

Bonfatti also told us about the project "Factory of Peace". We are currently planning to create an inter-cultural association in Prigorodny district of North Osetia or in its neighbourhood and invite Ingush and Osetian children from villages to Italy. Then we want these children to make friends with Italian schoolchildren aged from 10 to 15 and start corresponding in order to "open the doors" for Osetian and Ingush children to Italy and for Italian children to Osetia", Massimo Bonfatti said.