Fifth Srebrenica Youth School: Local Narratives and Global Challenges of Genocide Prevention and Peacebuilding | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
May 20th, 2024
This July, as part of the program marking the 29th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, in cooperation with the Srebrenica Memorial Center, the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) is organizing the fifth edition of the Srebrenica Youth School in Srebrenica (Bosnia and Herzegovina), from July 7 – 12.
Srebrenica Youth School is a week-long educational event organized every July since 2020 at the Srebrenica Memorial Center for youth activists, artists, and students (ages 18 – 30) from the Western Balkan countries and the world. By engaging youth in a series of masterclasses, keynote speeches, and workshops, the school aims to contribute to learning and critical thinking around the subjects of dealing with the past, transitional justice, and prevention of genocides and mass atrocities.
Srebrenica Youth School presents a new curriculum for discussing the prevention of violence and memorialization of the violent past by exposing youth to local narratives through a global lens and master classes by experts from notable universities such as Stockholm University, Columbia University, University of Salzburg, University of Sarajevo, University of Novi Sad, London College of Communication, RMIT University Melbourne, and Manhattan College.
Lamija from Mostar, one of last year’s participants in the Srebrenica Youth School, highlighted the fact that the school not only provides a valuable educational opportunity but also the opportunity to meet new people.
“I applied, first of all, because I thought that as a Bosnian, I need to learn more about these things, even at 19 years old.” When asked what about the program made the greatest impression on her, she replied that it was “being surrounded by people from different backgrounds. I was just very inspired and motivated by them in a way.”
School participants will have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the work of the Srebrenica Memorial Center and join in the Peace March for the last several kilometers before Potočari.
Throughout the school, the participants will be accommodated at the Ensemble House, organized by The House of Good Tones Foundation and Emmaus Foundation. They will also have the chance to visit the House of Good Tones, a local organization dedicated to providing children and young people in Srebrenica access to quality educational, cultural, and entertainment resources.
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According to the general manager of the House of Good Tones, Ismar Porić: ‘‘There is no better place than Srebrenica to create ways to build peace and learn about human rights and democracy. Srebrenica is a beautiful city with rich natural resources and a heavy historical burden.’’
Participants of this year’s School will have the opportunity to learn from local and international experts on peacebuilding and genocide prevention, such as David Simon, director of the Genocide Studies Program at Yale University, Melanie Cammett, director of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, Dino Abazović, sociologist and professor at the University of Sarajevo, and Emir Suljagić, director of the Srebrenica Memorial Center.
Applications for the fifth Srebrenica Youth School are open from May 20 to June 20, 2024 to young people (18 – 30 years old) everywhere. Selected participants are expected to fully attend the program. If you are interested in participating, fill out the form you can find here and send it to [email protected].
The costs of accommodation, transportation, food, and materials for selected participants (citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia) will be covered by the organizers. Selected international participants are expected to cover their transportation costs to Srebrenica and pay a 200 € fee for accommodation, food, and materials. The deadline for applying is June 20, 2024. Applications will be considered as they are received, and applicants will be accepted until we reach the maximum number of 50 participants.