Professor Melani Cammett of Harvard University investigates how communities coexist after conflict by studying three post-conflict societies: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, and Northern Ireland.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, bridges represent an important part of cultural and historical heritage. Telling stories of bygone eras, they are often tourist attractions. The Old Bridge in Mostar, Ars Aevi in Sarajevo, Mehmed Pasha Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad, and the so-called ‘Bridge under the Bridge’ in Goražde are just some of the bridges that defy time and captivate with their endurance and unique character.
The memory of the former Yugoslavia is very much alive in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whether it's when you have a beer at Cafe Tito, looking online on the Lexicon of YU Mythology for a titbit from the collapsed state, or in the research being conducted by scholars.
Žepče, a town predominantly populated by Croats and Bosniaks, often evokes issues concerning divisions and tensions. However, the newly reconstructed memorial to civilian victims of war, which was erected in 2017, brings a message of peace not only for young people, but also for all the citizens of this municipality.
With the arrival of a large number of refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the complex state structure, ordinary citizens have often been the ones to offer help.