WASHINGTON, D.C. -- From May 3-6, 2000, the United States Institute of Peace partnered with the Second Battalion, Second Infantry of the United States Army, in Kosovo to present a workshop on co- existence in a multiethnic society to 33 Albanian and Serbian community leaders from the Gnjilane area. This event was the first opportunity since the hostilities in 1999 for the participants to discuss problems of common concern.

After sessions that focused on building communications and negotiations skills, the participants divided into three working groups on economic development, security and local governance, and education. The task of the groups was to envision the sort of society that they hope for within five to ten years, and then to recommend concrete steps to achieve that goal. The facilitator of each working group prepared a summary of the group's deliberations and conclusions.

Although the reports were not formally adopted by the workshop as a whole, they were accepted by the working groups without dissent. The texts of the facilitators' reports may be found online at:

• Economic Development
  
• Security and Local Governance
  
• Education in Kosovo

The U.S. Institute of Peace is a non-partisan, independent organization created and funded by the U.S. Congress to promote prevention and resolution of international conflicts. Since 1995, the Institute's Balkans Initiative has been active in the region and has sought to foster broad based policy discussions in Washington among government and non-government experts to assist in building consensus on key issues in the Balkans. Over the past several years, a wide variety of foreign affairs, national security, and humanitarian relief practitioners have participated in the Institute's training programs. Participants have included diplomats, governmental officials, and military personnel from the United States and over 40 foreign countries.

For more information regarding the Institute's Balkan Initiative or Training Program please contact either Daniel Serwer, director of the Balkans Initiative or George Ward, director of the Institute's Training Program.