Providing Interacting Opportunity

Schools can promote social cohesion by allowing children from diverse backgrounds to interact and socialize with each other, developing empathy and trust between groups. The effects of intergroup contact have been studied in a variety of contexts, including conflict areas, and they generally show positive results. In BiH, such an opportunity for interaction is not common in formal education, although the public, especially children, generally welcome it. Studies have reported the detrimental effects of “two schools under one roof” on children’s attitudes toward another ethnic group. To date, intergroup activities have mostly been provided by non-governmental actors. They can effectively improve intergroup trust if designed carefully and with local conditions in mind. Connecting teachers across ethnic lines is also critical to developing social cohesion, as they are responsible for shaping the perspectives of the next generation. The global COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020 facilitated cyberspace interactions, providing a new opportunity for cross-group contact unhindered by physical boundaries and invisible pressures.