Call for Applications – POP Bosnia 2015

Project on Peacebuilding – Bosnia 2015

When: July 20-24
Where: Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
Who’s eligible: Young people and students (ages 18-30) from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Applicants with artistic skills, advocacy experience, and/or a background working with youth are encouraged to apply. Participants must be fluent in English.

About the Program:

The project seeks applicants for a 5-day program to engage in workshops, discussions, site visits and trainings that explore how arts, activism, and youth can contribute to local and national peacebuilding in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Overview:

Participants will engage in discussions about the legacy of conflict and current human rights issues in the region, participate in art workshops, and develop advocacy skills through specialized trainings. The group will include 10 people representing the Bosnian and international community, in addition to artists and activists from the Prijedor area.

The Context:

Since the war ended almost two decades ago, tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina between members of different ethnic groups pose significant social, political and economic challenges. The conflict has marked the Prijedor region, which saw several tragedies, including displacement, detention camps, and recently discovered mass graves. Young people in the region grow up in segregated communities, attend ethnically divided schools, and learn divergent histories. Despite these issues, the international community has largely ignored the region and institutionalized the divides in the local communities. Our project will provide a space for young activists to share ideas about current challenges, contribute to an ongoing peacebuilding project, and learn advocacy tools that they can employ to help improve their home communities. This project also builds on a partnership between Humanity in Action and Most Mira begun two years ago; you can find more information on our website: https://projectonpeacebuilding.wordpress.com.

The Program:

The 5-day program in Prijedor focused on new perspectives on peacebuilding at the local and national level. Workshops will cover topics including art and activism, protests and social movements, gender, sexual identity, and community organizing. The project will also spend time touring the area and learning the history and context of the local community. The project will conclude by producing a joint art project.

Costs:

Bosnian participants’ travel and accommodation costs will be covered. Please bring additional spending money to cover some food for the week.

Application process:

The deadline for submission is 12 June 2015. Please submit a CV and 300-word statement of interest (including any experience working in the field of human rights, peacebuilding, or youth) to peacebuilding@humanityinaction.org.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and all applicants will be notified in June.