The Peaceful Villages Evolvement Project will be launched in border villages of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

DVV International will be implementing the project in collaboration with the Association of Adult Education of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan Public Association “Youth of Osh” in the Lakkon jamoat and Somoniyon and Khojai Alo villages of the Chorkuh jamoat, which are subordinate to the Tajik northern city of Isfara, and Kara-Bak, Kok-Tash and Uch-Dobo villages of Kyrgyzstan’s Batken district.  

The newly started EU-co-funded project ‘Peaceful Villages Evolvement’ has the main aim of contributing to the mitigation of major threats to sustained peace in Central Asia through the enhancement of cross-border relations between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.  This objective is expected to be achieved by strengthening the resilience of target villages' residents to hostile rhetoric and (nationalistic, religious) radicalization potentially leading to violent conflict and extremism in two conflict-prone border countries (Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) through the creation of favorable conditions.

The project activities include: 1) strengthening the operational and institutional capacity of Kyrgyz and Tajik CSOs and on enhancing coordination (networking) among them in reducing factors causing radicalization potentially leading to violent conflict and extremism; 2) creation of viable and effectively operating community-based structures (ATC/CLDC), spaces for community security dialogue, social development and community mobilization will be established which can also serve as a platform for cooperation between state and non-state actors; 3) offers of global citizenship education, education for the prevention of violent extremism and community security dialogue, women, youth, and traditional leaders will be empowered in fostering cross-border confidence-building and in addressing conflict; and 4) a business development component in the cross-border region will improve cooperation and support mutual economic interests of Kyrgyz and Tajik communities, leading to joint business development.

Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have not yet resolved the border delineation problem.  Many border areas in Central Asia have been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.  The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the Ferghana Valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan meet.

The border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been the scene of unrest repeatedly since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.  The countries share 971 kilometers of border – of which only 504 kilometers has reportedly been properly delineated.

Last year alone, there were at least fourteen cases of violence, in which six Tajik nationals and one Kyrgyz citizen were killed and more than 60 other people were injured.

DVV International is the Institute for International Cooperation of the Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e.V. (DVV), the German Adult Education Association.  DVV represents the interests of the approximately 900 adult education centers (Volkshochschulen) and their state associations, the largest further education providers in Germany.  DVV International provides worldwide support for the establishment and development of sustainable structures for Youth and Adult Education.  DVV International started its activities in Central Asia in 2002.

The Association of Education of Tajikistan was founded on December 26, 2006 and registered in April, 2007.  The initiators of the organization are German Adult Education Association (DVV International) in partnership with the Association of Scientific and Technical Intelligentsia (ASTI).  The founders of Association were 13 organizations, which work in various areas of adult education.  The mission of the organization is to create opportunities for the adult population of Tajikistan, to improve their level of cultural, historical, civil and professional education.  The educational courses offered should be geared to local labor market demands to improve the participants'' incomes and general livelihood.  Finally, further institutional development of the association, as well as the permanent education of its employees has to be assured.  

Established in 2008, the Youth of Osh Public Association Organization aims to help develop young people as active citizens in Kyrgyzstan through strengthening their capacities and promoting their interests in the community.