MISSION
Our Mission
The mission of HERMES is education for democratic citizenship, through developing and applying innovative
(non-formal) educational programs based on promoting
non-violent communication methods such as structured and critical thinking, active listening and radical empathy as
conflict resolution and prevention tools.
HERMES’s activities revolve around using applied debating skills for the purpose of fighting discrimination, contributing to active participatory citizenship, raising awareness about human rights and facilitating the building of an open and inclusive democratic society.
The objectives of HERMES are:
- Building understanding and bridges in the former Yugoslavia region through human rights-based historical education about the conflicts of the 1990s;
- Contributing to depolarization in society and increased understanding among various (conflicting) groups;
- Generate and improve the quality of dialogue as a quality tool for the prevention of misunderstandings and conflict resolution;
- Empowering society’s vulnerable, marginalized, discriminated groups;
- Educating youth through critical pedagogy methods to be (pro)active, critically minded citizens in democratic societies.