The SIMI team wishes alle the best in 2010 to all coworkers, partners, donors and clients!

The World March for Peace and Non-Violence began from New Zealand on 2^nd October. This unique initiative, connecting people of all continents, passes though 100 countries and arrives in the Czech Republic at the beginning of November. Come join in!

On 3^rd November a PEACEPARTY will take place on Wencelas Square in Prague. Wenceslas Square will be filled by the song Imagine and we will join in our voices to the appeal for the end to violence and wars. Together we’ll carry out the largest karaoke for peace, with an attempt at getting Prague recorded in the Guinness Book of Records!

The multicultural march with its diversity, colors, ideas and even dance will come by the center of Prague- invite your friends, your organization, your school....join in your instruments and ideas and become a part of the first peace carnival in Prague!

From 16:00, you can look forward to:

- Performances by the music groups: Marimba Marimba, BENGAS, Ekvator

- Peace Karaoke- Imagine by J. Lennon- attempt at the largest peace karaoke under the direction of 8 SuperStar finalists, the American Harlem Gospel Choir and other artists.

- Multicultural march with floats- the Czech steps of the World March escorted by TiDiTaDe, Capoeira Mandela and many others.

- Release of Thai lantern wishes

Moderated by Lucie Váchová and Jan Budař. Other participants: Zbyněk Drda, Ondřej Brzobohatý, Martin Altrichter, Klára Kolomazníková, Jitka Čvančarová and Miluše Bittnerová.

More information about the entire event can be found here.

Magomed received asylum in the Czech Republic along with his mother. He comes from Chechnya and is disabled. After injury in the maternity ward (due to staff error) he was operated on in Moscow with considerable delay. He has also been operated on several times in Prague and he has been diagnosed with microcephalia and other serious diseases. Magomed is quite retarded and often suffers epileptic seizures, with each seizure worsening his status. Magomed is sweet and cuddly, he know how to show affection. His mother, who has twice been widowed, is a nurse by profession, but she is unable to work, as Magomed is often ill. The family how has decent housing (an integration apartment), but otherwise they live in very difficult financial circumstances.

With the aid of the Olga Havlová Foundation- Committee of Good Will and the Charter 77 Foundation- Barriers Account and members of our Family we were able to provide Magomed with a wheelchair. For this we thank all of our donors for their help and we wish Magomed the best of luck!

On 16^th September an interactive lecture took place as a part of the Days of Prague 11 on the theme “WE LIVE HERE TOGETHER.” The lecture was given by co-workers of the Association for Integration and Migration- Daniela Jasovská and Radka Hájková. The lecture was centered on questions of racism, xenophobia, refugees and all foreigners who live in the Czech Republic. The audience consisted of fourth and seventh year grammar school students in Prague 11.

On 2^nd and 3^rd October the Association for Integration and Migration held a “Pilot Integration Course,” intended for people who have received international protection in the Czech Republic (asylees and persons with supplementary protection).

The purpose of the course was to transmit important basic information, which these people need in order to successfully integrate into Czech society, as well as to serve as a personal gathering and a place for the mutual exchange of experiences and feelings about life in the Czech Republic.