Monthly Archives: April 2021

Stereotypes affect all of us, especially in environments still burdened by conflicts.

Forum-theater performance “Stronger together but rivals forever” that took place in Civil Energy Center in North Mitrovica on 21 of April, dealt with this topic, with the idea to show how much problem of stereotypes prevents us from functioning normally. Through debate, we have tried to change our view of this problem.

Four young people end up in the jungle after the accident. Instead of cooperating together and ensuring their survival, an Albanian, a Croat and two Serb women, burdened by their stereotypes, are divided by nationality, religion and gender. Wasting time in their conflicts, they fail to solve their main problem, survival.

Actors Lidija Nikolić, Emilija Popović, Uroš Cvetković, Miloš Trifunović, Momčilo Jovanović trained by Filip Pajić, they successfully conveyed to the audience the atmosphere and problems of their characters.

This performance was fulfilled more by a discussion between the public and the actors/actresses after the end of the performance.

The activity was carried out in accordance with the recommendations for the prevention and suppression of the spread of the Covid-19 virus. This activity is supported by Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR KS), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union in Kosovo through the project “Transforming conflicting perceptions through increased civic and community engagement in Kosovo” implemented by Artpolis and NGO AKTIV as members of the Kosovo Coalition for Reconciliation (KCR).

On Monday 26 April 2021, the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo (HLCK) published its 2020 Report: “War Crimes Trials: Slow Progress“, which was compiled as a result of monitoring of trials related to armed conflict, as well as ethnically and politically motivated crimes committed in Kosovo. To mark the occasion of this publication, HLCK organized an online conference which hosted a debate on the topic “Reducing the space for impunity: “Dialogue as an opportunity for legal cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo “.

The introductory remarks at the conference were presented by Minister of Justice, Ms. Albulena Haxhiu, Head of the EU Office in Kosovo Mr. Tomáš Szunyog and the British Ambassador in Kosovo Mr. Nicholas Abbott.

The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said that the ministry she led would be addressing war crimes as a matter of priority. In this context, she said that it was very important to strengthen the capacities of the Special Prosecution to address these crimes. The Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Tomáš Szunyog said that EU had supported this process for some time now and that monitoring of these hearing sessions was of fundamental importance to ensure their legitimacy. He stated that thanks to the HLCK’s annual report, there was now an accurate summary of what the justice system had achieved during 2020. The British Ambassador in Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott, emphasized that an increase in the number of prosecutors handling these cases had been noticed and this was a progress, though there was still much to be done.

After the introductory remarks, the report was presented by Ms. Anka Kurteshi Hajdari, who is also its author. Among other things, she stressed that one of the main recommendations contained in the latest HLCK report pointed to the need to establish international legal cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia.

The following panel members presented their views in the session entitled “Reducing the space for impunity: Dialogue as an opportunity for legal cooperation between Serbia and Kosovo”: SPRK Chief Prosecutor Blerim Isufaj, the Acting President of the Basic Court in Prishtina Arben Hoti, the Head of the Legal and Human Rights Office at EULEX Paul Flynn, the HLC founder Nataša Kandić and the attorney at law Artan Qerkini. Representatives of the Kosovo judiciary in this panel mentioned the challenges they were facing in prosecuting war crimes cases, while other panelists offered examples of past cooperation and ideas in terms of opportunities of regional cooperation in the future.

Racism and discrimination are issues of concern in Kosovo society, and they must be fought at all times and in many ways.

Forum-theater performance “Othello from Kosovo” that took place in Oda Theatre on 14 April, put on the surface the problems that communities in Kosovo face, but also there happened a lively discussion about the action we need to take as a society to combat these phenomena and raise awareness.

“Othello from Kosovo” intertwine racist insults, jealousies, and intrigues that still take place in our society. The story begins when three young people prepare to surprise their friend Desdemona at her birthday party, however, the real surprise comes from her.

Actors Art Pasha (Jago), Blendon Ahmeti (Kasi), Djellza Dema (Desdemona), Ergjan Mehmeti (Othello), and Venera Bojaj (Bianca) trained by Edlir Gashi skillfully brought to life these poisonous phenomena of our society.

This performance was fulfilled more by a discussion between the public and the actors/actresses after the end of the performance.

Veton Gashi, from the non-majority community during the discussion said that suffocation of hope to the youngsters of his community is more dreadful than the physical deprivation from life.

“Many people like Jago can use hate speech. It is not easy; I’m one of the youngsters from the community (non-majority) …. A person’s life is not lost only if he is killed, a person’s life is lost when he loses hope if he is offended, threatened, this must change. I think that generation after generation is changing and I hope that this generation that is seeing the performance is positive and will stay like this entire life with us, and to not support Jago and say that he is doing the right thing”, Gashi said, among other things.

The director of Artpolis, at the same time the theater director Zana Hoxha, who facilitated the discussion, after thanking Veton Gashi for his speech, said that “we are ending this session with the hope that this performance has made us reflect and has made us agents for change”.

The activity was carried out in accordance with the recommendations for the prevention and suppression of the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

This activity is supported by Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR KS), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union in Kosovo through the project “Transforming conflicting perceptions through increased civic and community engagement in Kosovo” implemented by Artpolis and NGO AKTIV as members of the Kosovo Coalition for Reconciliation (KCR).

01-04.04.2021

With the motto “Young Woman build peace” had started this edition of Feminist Spring School gathered more than 20 girls from Kosovo and Serbia. 

For four days in a row, 1-4 April, these girls were trained and took the lectures on feminism and more by Anita Panteliq, Marijana Toma, Marijana Stojçiq, and Ajna Jushiq. 

At the beginning of each session, a safe space was created for the participants by introducing themselves in creative forms and interacting by asking questions and exchanging different experiences and ideas. The translation was also provided for them in both languages – Albanian and Serbian so that they could each express themselves in their language and hear and learn the other one.

“History of women’s position and organizing in the second half of the 20th century in the former Yugoslavia”; “Feminist Approach to Justice: UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and Women’s Court”; “Mechanisms of Transitional Justice”; “Forgotten Children of War”, were the main topics that were lectured and discussed during this edition of Feminist Spring School.

That the Western Balkans, once a hotbed of wars, have the potential to become a place of peace is shown by the statement of one of the participants of the Feminist Spring School Majlinda Behrami: “If politicians, who in most cases are men, would be inclined to work to achieve peace with the same will as we are doing in this meeting, the Western Balkans would truly be a place of dreams to live.”

Because of the COVID-19, the first part of the School took part online and was organized by partners “Alternative Girls’ Centre” from Krushevac and “Artpolis – Art and Community Center” from Prishtina.

The project “Young Women Build Peace in Kosovo and Serbia” is implemented in cooperation with Artpolis-Art and Community Center and the “Alternativni centar za devojke” while supported by the European Union in Kosovo and foundation Kvinna till Kvinna.