|
The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
has organized the seventh study tour within “Serbia and Kosovo:
Intercultural Icebreakers” program on October 23-31, 2017. Young
people from Kosovo and Serbia, active and interested in culture and
arts, spent ten creative and working days in Belgrade, Novi Sad,
Prishtina and Prizren, making friends and exchanging experiences and
knowledge about their societies and cultures.
Participants in the seminar had an opportunity to
listen to lectures by prominent authorities in arts and culture. A
writer Sasa Ilic delivered a lecture on “Literature of the Separated
Worlds - Cultural Exchange as Peace-building Tool (Kosovo/Serbia)”
addressing the history of divided societies, cultural and political
developments since early ‘80s until today, the culture and politics
of denial, the avenues for cooperation in arts and culture,
especially at the literary scene, and the importance of cultural
exchanges. Culturologist Aleksandra Bosnić held a lecture in Novi
Sad on „Value Systems and Contemporary Art“, while theater director
and founder of ARTPOLIS festival in Prishtina Zana Hoxha Krasniqi
talked about „Gender Mainstreaming in Culture and Arts“ and „Art and
Activism in Kosovo“.
Besides lectures young artists were attending
daily workshops held by psychologist Tamara Tomasevic. During the
workshops they teamed up for creative campaigns to be staged in the
period to come. In this way, the program helps the promotion of
young artists from both societies, who will be working together for
breaking prejudices and stereotypes, and promoting good relations
between Kosovo and Serbia. Besides the campaign, young artists
shared their views and impressions in the essays, which will be also
available at our web page.
Every afternoon during the study tour young
artists participated in Cultural Hitchhikers workshop which provided
them a space to make their own impressions about the culture of the
other, discovered with only one person from the other community.
This resulted in creating of their personal inquiry about the
culture, explored and discovered outside the lectures and visits of
official program agenda.
We have also visited different cultural
institutions and organizations in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Prishtina, and
Prizren. We toured the renovated Museum of Contemporary Art in
Belgrade where director of the museum Slobodan Nakarada warmly
welcomed us. In Centre for Cultural Decontamination in Belgrade we
talked with Borka Pavicevic about their activities on Serb-Albanian
relations in culture and contemporary cultural scene in Serbia.
Participants also visited the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade
where professor Milena Dragicevic Sesic talked about “Cultural
Policy and Nationalism; The Reconstruction of Crime: Artists
Challenge”. In Novi Sad we were kindly welcomed at the newly opened
Cultural Center LAB where young artists presented their work. While
in Prishtina, we visited the Faculty of Dramatic Arts where film
director and professor Ismet Sijarina nicely welcomed us with his
students, and showed some of the students’ short films. One of the
visits was to the newly opened center in Prishtina called TERMOKISS
where we enjoyed the tour and presentation made by young artists,
members of this community, and founders of the hub. In Prizren, we
had a great talk with DOKUFEST director Eroll Bilibani about this
prestigious film festival, and we also toured the Museum – Albanian
League of Prizren, Ethnographic Museum where ethnologist Bashkim
Fazliu talked about “Social Engineering: Myths and Nationhood”.
Furthermore, we enjoyed some of the cultural
events, such as a theater play “Bordel Balkan” at the National
Theater in Prishtina, after which playwright Jeton Neziraj talked
with young artists, and shared his views and experiences on the
subject of Serb-Albanian relations in art and culture.
One of the participants, Teodora Savic, student
from Belgrade, speaks about his impressions saying: “This study tour
meant a lot to me. It opened so many new doors, I met great people,
and had so much fun. I’m grateful to the Helsinki Committee that
provide us with this opportunity to see the world form a different
angle. So many beautiful moments stuck in my mind, and I’ll never
forget it. Thank you all for opening some new doors, I’m so glad I
was part of an awesome group of young and talented people! I hope we
will continue to move the borders and to broaden are horizons
together!”
Flutur Mustafa, student from Prishtina, shared her
thoughts: „It was a pleasure being part of the seventh generation of
the Intercultural Icebreakers. I am very glad that I had the
opportunity to get in touch with different point of views, cultural
views, political issues, debates and different ways of interpreting
art. What I really liked was the way we got into each other and
became really close friends. We are the generation that needs to
discuss what happened, understand the mistakes of the both parties
and try to move one. It is not about forgiving each other, it is
about accepting each other the way we are!”
The overall goal of the program is to contribute
to renewing old and create new ties between young people, academic
and artistic community, media and civil society from Belgrade and
Prishtina by promoting intercultural dialogue, reconciliation and
normalization process.
GALLERY::: |
