Project description: The third Reconciliation Festival entitled “Dare to Reconcile” was held in June in Novi Sad. The main goal of the Reconciliation Festival is to encourage young people from the region to think critically about topics related to peace, reconciliation and interculturalism in the region. In parallel with the festival, a summer school was held for young people from the Western Balkan countries, in order to introduce the idea of reconciliation to the participants with the aim of strengthening the voice of young people who advocate for peaceful coexistence with their peers from the region.
The program included numerous panel discussions: “Resistance”, “Science in the Service of Social Change”, “Silencing Minority Voices”, “Confronting Privilege”, as well as the photography exhibition “We, the People” by Vojin Ivkov, a screening of the films “Story 29” and “Milena”, and the audience also saw the theater play “Neoplanta” by Andraš Urban and the stand-up comedy “Kaj bre” by Marina Orsag and Aleksandar Perišić. The online gallery “The Book of Scars” was promoted, consisting of four photomonographies that examine the possibilities of photography as a medium in the process of dealing with the past and building peace. The presentation of this project was also addressed by photographers Imre Sabo and Igor Čoko from GRAIN, as well as project manager Slaven Rašković from forumZFD. Research on war crimes and other human rights violations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia and Kosovo from 1991 to 2001 was also presented, as part of the project: “The Suffering of Roma in the Wars of the Nineties”. During the festival, a concert by the group “Kal” was also held, which combines Roma music with different musical styles.
From the very beginning, the festival has respected the principles of gender and social equality and implemented them at all levels. The largest part of the program was held in the building of the Union of Youth Associations OPENS in Novi Sad, which is fully accessible to people with disabilities, and interpreter services were provided for those who do not speak English.
Grant amount: 1,600,000.00 RSD
