Archive: 26.12.2019.

Podgorica, PR press servis – It is crucial to raise awareness, inform, and empower students to create equal and real opportunities for everyone in the school environment, and the workshop provides an opportunity to reduce the social distance and discriminatory attitudes students may have towards trans individuals.

This message was conveyed during the “Living Library” workshop, organized by the Spektra Association at the Economic School “Mirko Vešović,” as part of the project “Empowering the Trans Feminist Movement in Montenegro,” supported by the Trag Foundation.

Psychologist at the Economic School, Mirjana Vuksanović, stated that from a psychological standpoint, the “Living Library” workshop offers students the chance to ask questions they often have but do not receive answers to, or the answers they do get are often full of prejudices.

“They can learn everything they are interested in regarding the problems and daily lives of trans people. Among the students, there is social distance, and discriminatory attitudes towards trans individuals are widespread. The workshop is precisely an opportunity to reduce that and for students to understand how these attitudes can further impact a person,” said Vuksanović.

She explained that, since a negative attitude towards a person or situation is acquired through individual experience and is learned, it can be changed.

“It is learned and acquired based on experience, personality traits, upbringing, surroundings, and many other factors, so this workshop is an opportunity for our students to directly ‘hear’ from trans individuals, speak with them, and ask them whatever they want,” Vuksanović added.

Because of this, she considers the collaboration with the Spektra NGO crucial, as well as the work on informing students.

“After the workshop, we will sign a Memorandum of Cooperation, strengthening our partnership and implementing future activities,” Vuksanović announced.

She emphasized that it is very important to raise awareness, inform, and empower students so that they can create equal and real opportunities for everyone in the school environment.

“Considering that the workshop participants were future lawyers, economists, and people who can change the world, it was an opportunity for them to understand the different experiences of different people, as well as to realize that our differences can enrich us with one more experience. When we are empowered, we are better prepared to seize opportunities and become agents of change,” Vuksanović concluded.

Marija Brajković, a professor of legal subjects at the Economic School, said that she enjoyed the workshop, asked more questions than planned, and received clear, precise, and detailed answers to all her questions.

“I am very satisfied. Everything went perfectly. The students have positive impressions, just like me. From a legal standpoint, we all have the right to life, and we do not have the right to disrupt other people’s choices. I think that, after this workshop, our eyes have been opened, so to speak,” Brajković said.

She added that it is important to be a good and just person.

“It’s important to walk confidently through life with your head held high. I look forward to future collaboration with Spektra,” Brajković concluded.

Personal stories were shared during the workshop by the Executive Director of the Spektra Association, Jovan Ulićević, and representatives of the association Nikola Ilić and Dante Ognjanović, in front of 17 students, three professors, and two professionals from the psychological-pedagogical service.

Source: PR Centar