Divided Past – Joint Future

Strengthening the role and recognition of civil society organizations in the peace and reconciliation process in the Western Balkans and Turkey

Civic Engagement, Culture, Diversity, Education, Peacebuilding

Finished

Duration

2016 – 2019

Within the last years, the number of conflicts in the Western Balkan and Turkey – often with an ethnic or religious background – is on the rise again. In contrast, the topics peace and reconciliation markedly lost in popularity. This is where the project „Divided Past – Joint Future“ sets in.

IZ is a member of a consortium of 18 organisations which, under the leadership of Youth Communication Centre Banja Luka, try to strengthen the role and recognition of civil society organisations in the peace and reconciliation process. Apart from research on and broadening of these capacities, models for intersectoral cooperation of civil society, citizens, administration and commerce are being developed within so-called “Social Innovation Labs”. The project is promoted by the EU Civil Society Facility.

Participating Countries:

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey

Funded by:

EU Civil Society Facility

Project partners

Youth Communication Centre Banja Luka, Educational Centre- Krusevac, Forum MNE, Youth Cultural Centre- Bitola, Youth Resource Centre, Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfi, The Zamah Foundation, EUROCLIO, Institute for Social Research Zagreb, LENS, MOVIT; The Progress Institute, Beyond Barriers Association, Youth Peace Group Danube, Vojvodina Environmental Movement, War Trauma Centre and South East European Youth Network