On Wednesday, Laila led our group in a creative workshop on the role of art and artists in activism. We also visited a building that was destroyed in the war but in which Most Mira hopes to build a future youth centre. Laila inspired us to write about the conflict, memorials we had seen, and the potential for a different future. Check out a few of our first drafts of poems from the workshop… Reflecting on Ado’s house, Kevlijani, 22/07/15 Before the house was surrounded by tre

On Day 2, Elma from Humanity in Action led a great workshop on memorialization in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We started by discussing how to interpret memorials, who builds and funds monuments, and what the political purpose is of memorials. Then we analyzed several monuments from other parts of the region. After lunch, we visited monuments in the village of Kevljani and Omarska.

Every year on the 20th of July a collective funeral is held near Prijedor for the burial of victims whose remains were identified in the last year. Most of these victims were found in mass graves and identified by the International Commission on Missing Persons. The ceremony was led by imams from the region, with speeches by local civic leaders. One speaker declared in front of a crowd of more than 400 people that all would forgive if the perpetrators acknowledged what they d

This week we will host the 3rd annual Project on Peacebuilding in Kevljani in northern Bosnia. For the next 5 days, participants gather from Bosnia, Denmark, United Kingdom, and the U.S. The group will explore the work of local peacebuilding in Prijedor and the surrounding region. Look for reflection posts from all our participants and summaries of the workshops! About the Program: The project will include workshops, discussions, site visits, and trainings that explore how ar