Multi-ethnic dialogue in the Western Balkans

1. Multi-ethnic dialogue in the Western Balkans Tatjana Popović, director, Nansen Dialogue Centre Serbia

2. OSCE and Serbia (former Yugoslavia) • 1975 Helsinki conference gathered representatives of US, EU countires, but also neutral and non-aligned countries, • Oct 1977 to March 1978 Belgrade CSCE member states meeting, 3 most important Helsinki Chapters discussed: • Sovereignty and territorial integrity, • Respect for Human rights and fundamental freedoms, • Co-operation in the Field of Economics, of Science and Technology and of the Environment.

3. Belgrade 2008

4. Belgrade 2008, 30th annivarsary • Addressing the opening session on 8 March, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Hans Ola Urstad, noted that: "While the CSCE benefited itself from the ending of the Cold War divide, it was also a catalyst of this change and promoter of democratic evolution and respect for human minority rights."

5. Belgrade 2015, 22nd OSCE Ministerial Council • “Last January, when I presented Serbia's Chairmanship priorities at the Permanent Council in Vienna, I referred to the primary importance of rebuilding trust and confidence to create a positive agenda for the future. I highlighted some key words that should determine our action at this point in time more than ever before: dialogue and compromise, peaceful resolution of disputes, confidence-building, solidarity, responsibility and cooperation. In such complex circumstances, the issue of rebuilding consensus on European security must be our central concern.” (H.E. Mr. IvicaDacic, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia.

7. Nansen Dialogue Network • Nansen Dialogue Centres: Serbia (Belgrade), Montenegro (Podgorica), Bosnia Herzegovina (Sarajevo, Prijedor, Mostar), Kosovo (Pristina and Mitrovica), Croatia (Osijek) and Macedonia (Skopje) . • Nansen Dialogue Network (NDN) built partnerships with local, national and international actors to jointly support dialogue and peacebuildingprocesses. • Dialogue as an effective toolforreconciliation and peacebuilding. • Member of Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflicts (GPPAC) and European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO).

8. Nansen Dialogue • A tool • A social process

9. A Tool and a social process • “Dialogue is the process of genuine interaction through which human beings listen to each other deeply enough to be changed by what they learn. Each makes a serious effort to take others’ concerns into her or his own picture, even when disagreement persists. No participant gives up her or his identity, but each recognizes enough of the other’s valid human claims that he or she will act differently toward the other.”(Pruitt, Bettye, Thomas, Phip, Democratic Dialogue – a handbook for practitioners, UNDP, One United Nations Plaza, NY 10017)

10. Strategic focus and target groups NDN recruits participants with institutional connections in multiethnic communities (particularly in those ethnically divided) • Municipalities (local political and administrative leaders) • Education sector (teachers, parents, pupils/students, administration, high level decision-makers) • Returnees – people involved in reintegration

11. Effects • Montenegro: official support of the Ministry of Education to NDC MNE School Mediation programmes in primary schools; • Serbia, AP Vojvodina: MoE and Provincial Secretariat for Education support School Mediation-Violence Prevention in Multiethnic Communitiesproject (5 multiethnic municipalities, ongoing); • South Serbia, Bujanovac, 2007-2013: Albanian and Serbian teachers and students work jointly as school mediators, inter-ethnic collaboration established, local aauthorities partners; • Macedonia, Jegunovce: the first bilingual multi-ethnic school (Fridjtof Nansen) in the country. Several other school initiatives are also currently being taken, using similar model.

12. And more… • Srebrenica-Bratunac Dialogue Centre (teachers & students interethnic cooperation); • Stolac Highschool Media Club; MoU signed with cantonal MoE-joint work on education, • Supporting Serbian returnee processes to Albanian villages in Kosovo and supporting the multiethnic neighborhood in Mitrovica • Spreading of Fridtjof Nansen Schools in MAK; • The New School (Ser – Cro) Project in Vukovar, Croatia.

13. Awards, official support • Ministries of Education in Montenegro and in Serbia officially support School Mediation projects, the work on Education for Peace integration in school curricula and Regional Arts Competition promoting peace. • OSCE Max van der Stoel Award received by NDC Skopje in 2011 as recognition for its contribution toward bilingual education models, and cooperation between different ethnic groups.

14. Cooperation with OSCE in the region • School of Democratic Dialogue, Montenegro • 2012 Vienna, Dialogue and mediation training, Folke Bernadotte Academy, Tatjana Popovic one of facilitators • 2013 School mediation in Bar, Montenegro • April 2015, Vienna, UN, regional organizations, civil society join forces to address peace-building and support democracy, Ivana Gajovic representing the NDN OSCE Secretary General LambertoZannier said: “The OSCE has strived for close co-operation and co-ordination in areas ranging from mediation, dialogue facilitation, and protection of minorities, to capacity-building activities, electoral observation and humanitarian assistance. We aim for an efficient division of labor, complementarity and mutual support. Our response to the crisis in and around Ukraine provides an excellent example.”

15. OSCE - High Commissioner on National Minorities, Astrid Thors visits Nansen Dialogue Centre Skopje • December 2014 in the premises of the primary school Bratstvo Migeni in Tetovo Municipality, Nansen Dialogue Centre Skopje organized a roundtable with in order to discuss the risks associated with the trend of separation of schools in the municipality of Tetovo, and sharing experiences related to the application of the Nansen model for integrated education.

16. Cross-sectoral cooperation • Declaration on Joint Cooperation and Cooperation with Civil Society Organisations in the field of Peace Education, signed in December 2009 by the Deputy Ministers of Education from Serbia and from Montenegro. • Consultative processes and the signing facilitated by NDC Montenegro and NDC Serbia.

17. Promotions

18. Nansen approach • Providing safe space for dialogue and consultations, away from public eyes, without media attention in the initial phase. • When trust was built and working relations established, the time was ripe for creating media strategy and joint statements, planned in advance. • Raising awareness in the public by using local media. • Long-term presence within the community. • Forming lasting relationships: local stakeholders became associates and partners.

19. Inter-ethnic dialogue in South Serbia • Bujanovac municipality, Serbs, Albanians and Roma • Intra group work: a)individual meetings with political representatives, political parties ethnically based. b)Meetings with school principals

20. Inter-ethnic dialogue in South Serbia • Inter-group work: dialogue seminars away from Bujanovac, the first seminar for local political parties representatives, international facilitators and locals. • Gradually re-establishing trust and relationships, respect “others”, exchanging experiences, step by step reconciliation;

21. Neutral facilitators • Facilitators: Norwegians and local coordinators (Albanians and Serbs) • Continuous presence in the community • Careful design of dialogue workshops • Fostering social interactions: social events • Consultations with local population, opportunity to express their needs to the representatives of local self-government

22. Overcoming challenges • Facilitators: Norwegians and local coordinators (Albanians and Serbs) • Continuous presence in the community • Careful design of dialogue workshops • Fostering social interactions: social events • Consultations with local population, opportunity to express their needs to the representatives of local self-government

23. Focus on present and on future • 1)Programme for local self-government: Politicians and local administration representatives: phase 1: professional trainings (communication, dialogue, conflict analysis, negotiation skills), phase 2: representatives of different ethnic groups jointly formed plans and strategies for future work at municipal level; • 2)Educational programme: Professional trainings for teachers, pedagogues and students: Peaceful conflict resolution and School Mediation. Implementation of School Mediation and Social competence skills.

24. Methodology • Elicitive and participatory approach • Circle of trainings • Consultancy and supervision • Transfer of knowledge and skills • Adapt to local situation • Local population have to take the responsibility for changes.

25. Schools cooperation project – School mediation • 2007 – 2013 • Inter-ethnic dialogue: Serbian and Albanian schools; • Lillehammer-Bujanovac schools cooperation, both municipalities support the project; • Professional trainings for teachers, principals, pedagogues: • School mediation: training for teachers and students; • On-job educatin in Lillehammer schools • Cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

26. Achievements • Local self-government: improved cooperation between representatives of Albanian and Serbian political parties, • 6 school mediators clubs established in 4 primary and 2 secondary schools, teachers’ mediators and peer mediators’ teams equipped with mediation skills, • Inter-sectoral coordination of efforts fostered: local authorities, schools, ministry of education, • Schools adapted new methodologies (organisational and teaching) to their own circumstances • Local and national institutions coordination of efforts