Youth from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia Have Fun and Beat Hate

Within the second RYCO Open Call for Project Proposals co-financed by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, the Balkan Urban Movement (Udruzenje gradjana) BUM from Serbia, in partnership with Nevladino Udruzenje PRIMA (Association PRIMA) from Montenegro and Udruzenje PRONI Centar za Omladinski Razvoj (PRONI Center for Youth Development), implemented the project “Looking Forward”.

The project took place from December 2019 to November 2020 and enhanced the engagement of youth workers and youth organizations from the region through online activism for the promotion of diversity, intercultural dialogue and reconciliation in the Western Balkans.

“The project “Looking Forward” was made to inspire and support creative exchange among youth from Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia aiming to enhance reconciliation. Young people learned about each other, had lots of fun on the way and made some strong relationships for the future. The message shared with many young people involved in the project was all about the future, friendships and peace. This is what we wanted to show them through our work and young people gave their voices and creativity to the story,” project representatives from BUM said when describing the key achievements of the project.

Throughout the held activities, youth used online tools and social media to discuss how to overcome prejudices and negative stereotypes in the region. They felt encouraged to engage in intercultural dialogue as a key part of building peacebuilding and regional reconciliation.

Furthermore, project representatives from BUM stated that young participants in the project learned about their similarities and differences and made new friendships. Above all, they learned that when engaged and empowered, youth are ready to bring the desired positive change together.

“I learned that you can have fun while changing the world. You can use humor to beat the hate, how cool is that,” one of the project participants underlined.

The project “Looking Forward” successfully helped youth and youth workers from the region to meet and discuss the importance of intercultural dialogue in building long-lasting peace in the Western Balkans through online activism, new opportunities for cooperation and new partnerships.

In conclusion of the project, participants and organizers gathered in a final conference. To watch the key moments from their event, click the button below.

Looking forward – Final conference

Preuzeto sa: RYCO