Reconnection
Heartefact’s Reconnection Program is dedicated to fostering understanding and cooperation between Serbian and Kosovan societies. Since Heartefact’s establishment, the Reconnection Program has been at the forefront of efforts to bridge gaps and cultivate meaningful connections amidst political tensions and ethnic divides. The program offers a platform for cultural exchange, theatre productions, book publications, exhibitions, film projects, conferences, workshops, grants, and various other cultural and educational initiatives aimed at breaking down barriers. Over the past decade and a half, supporting people-to-people contacts has been an essential segment of this program, facilitated through various forms of visits, exchanges, and collaborative opportunities.
So far, the program supported the exchange of more than 10 theatre performances in Kosovo and Serbia for the first time since the armed conflict of 1998-1999, facilitated meetings of more than 600 people with different backgrounds and ages through exchange programs, and so far supported over 50 artists exchanges through residencies programs. Three books were translated from Albanian to Serbian and numerous conferences discussing the enhancement of mutual relations between two societies were held.
We are especially proud on the Kosovo School, a unique Heartefact program, which 110 participants, young Albanians and Serbs, successfully completed from 2019 to 2022. Aside from the educational component and the study visits to Prishtina and Belgrade, the Kosovo School also produced joint publications, youth conferences, and collaborative projects, including the “Media Voices” initiative, which connected young journalists from Kosovo and Serbia.
Currently, the Kosovo-Serbia Visiting and Fellowship programs are being implemented as part of the Reconnection program.
In November 2024 NGO Heartefact in Kosovo was founded as independent organization with mission to support Heartefact Regional Newtork , further strengthening its long-term engagement in the region and its commitment to developing programs across the Western Balkans. NGO Heartefact is based in Prishtina and will be in charge of artistic, research and support programs.
Open Call For Participation In The Dokufest Visiting Program 2026
The call is intended for final-year students and young professionals interested in documentary film, contemporary art and culture, media, socially engaged practices, cultural production, and regional cooperation and exchange initiatives.
Serbian journalists visit Pristina: exchange and strengthening of regional cooperation
Over the course of four days, journalists from Serbia had the opportunity to get to know Kosovo’s media landscape, speak with colleagues from different media, and gain broader insight into the social and political context in which media in Kosovo operate.
New Encounters in Pristina: Launch of the New Generation of the Kosovo–Serbia Fellowship Program
On April 1, the new generation of participants in the Kosovo–Serbia Fellowship Program within the broader Reconnection program gathered in Priština for a kick-off event.
Building Bridges Through Media: The Kosovo-Serbia Visiting Program
Over the course of four days, journalists from Kosovo met with colleagues from various Serbian media outlets, ranging from established newsrooms to independent platforms.
Introducing the New Cohort: Five Kosovo-Serbia Research Fellows Selected
As part of the new generation of the Kosovo-Serbia Fellowship Program, Heartefact has selected five fellows who will explore new and constructive narratives in the region. This cycle focuses on topics such as women’s rights, transitional justice, media narratives, social movements, and mental health.
Heartefact’s Kosovo-Serbia Visiting Program in Pristina from December 3 to 6
From 3rd-6th of December 2025, Heartefact organized the Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, held in Pristina, Kosovo. The program brought together participants from Serbia – psychologists, psychotherapists, artists, political science students, and activists – for a four-day visit focused on regional cooperation in the context of women’s rights, minority rights, and transitional justice.
In Belgrade, we brought together activists from Kosovo during a four-day visit dedicated to women’s rights!
From October 23 to 26, 2025, Heartefact organized the Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, held in Belgrade. The program gathered six participants from Kosovo – activists, cultural workers, and researchers – for a four-day visit dedicated to women’s rights, gender equality, and the prevention of sexual violence. Throughout their stay, participants met with leading feminist and human rights organizations from Belgrade.
Open Application Call for Kosovo–Serbia Bridge Fellowship Program
Heartefact is pleased to announce an ongoing open call for the Kosovo-Serbia Bridge Fellowship Program – a cross-border initiative that supports young professionals, researchers, and creatives from Kosovo and Serbia who are eager to build new and constructive narratives about the relations between the two societies. Unlike previous editions, this year’s call will remain open year-round. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and fellows will be selected according to the quality, originality, and potential impact of their proposed research and action plans.
Radical Optimism from a Kosovar Hill — an original text by director Tara Manić about Dua Lipa’s concert in Pristina
We are publishing the original text “Radical Optimism from a Kosovar Hill” by director Tara Manić, first released on September 4 in Nedeljnik. Tara wrote the text upon her return from Pristina, where, as part of our Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, she attended a concert of today’s major pop star — Dua Lipa. We are sharing the text in full.
Young Artists and Activists from Serbia Visited Festivals in Pristina and Prizren as Part of Heartefact’s Visiting Program
As part of Heartefact’s Kosovo–Serbia Visiting Program, we organized a visit in early August to festivals in Pristina and Prizren for a group of young artists and activists from Serbia. During the visit, the participants had the opportunity to attend three major cultural events in Kosovo – the 24th edition of the DokuFest International Documentary Film Festival in Prizren, the 6th edition of the Sunny Hill music festival in Pristina, and the 5th edition of the Autostrada Biennale, an international contemporary art festival.
Open Call: Beldocs Festival (Kosovo-Serbia Visiting Program)
Heartefact invites young people from Kosovo to apply for a four-day visit to Beldocs – the International Documentary Film Festival taking place in Belgrade. The visit will be organized from May 22 to May 25, 2025 (Thursday to Sunday), during the festival’s official dates of May 21 to May 27 2025.
Heartefact’s Visit to DokuFest in Prizren for 13 young students and activists
From August 7 to 11, 2024, Heartefact organized a visit to DokuFest for 13 young film directing and production students, cultural workers, artists, and activists from Serbia. The documentary and short film festival is held annually in Prizren, and this year’s 23rd edition brought together numerous directors from the region, Europe, and around the world. In addition to the film program, participants attended masterclasses, exhibitions, concerts, performances, and met with cultural workers from Prizren, such as Vatra Abrashi from Autostrada, Linda Lulla Gashi, Alba Cakalli and Samir Karahoda from DokuFest, and Bengi Muzbeg from the Lumbardhi Foundation.
Aleksa Krstić from Heartefact Institute on the Oko Balkana radio show at Radio Belgrade
Why does Heartefact translate contemporary literature from Kosovo into Serbian? This was one of the key questions our Aleksa Krstić discussed on the “Oko Balkana” show on Radio Belgrade’s Second Program.
Exchange of Researchers from Serbia and Kosovo as part of Research Visiting Program
In June, Heartefact organized an exchange for 10 young researchers from Serbia and Kosovo as part of our Research Visiting Program. The group from Serbia visited Pristina and Gracanica, while the group from Kosovo visited Belgrade. During these visits, they met with representatives from over 20 organizations from Kosovo and Serbia, as well as university professors, activists, and artists.
Introducing the Second Cohort: Six Kosovo-Serbia Research Fellows Selected
As part of the second cycle of the Kosovo-Serbia Fellowship Program, Heartefact has chosen six researchers who will explore new and constructive narratives regarding the relations between Kosovo and Serbia, ranging from language and translation issues to education, EU-facilitated dialogue, normalization process and other relevant political and social areas. During the three-month research period, participants will spend one month in either Belgrade or Prishtina. Throughout the program, they will have the opportunity to influence dominant narratives and offer new perspectives to the public on the topic of their research.
Open Call for theatrical technicians from Albania, Kosovo and Serbia to participate in five-day masterclass in Video Operation in theatre
Heartefact Fund in partnership with Centar of Visual Arts Multimedia is pleased to announce an open call within the Beyond Stage Mastery project, supported by the British Council through Culture and Creativity Learning Lab grant scheme as a part of the project Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans (CC4WBs). CC4WBs is a project funded by the European Union that aims to foster dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact.
The premiere of the new theater production “Climax” was held at the Heartefact House
On December 14th, the premiere of the new theater production “Climax,” directed by Patrick Lazić and dramaturged by Dunja Matić, took place at the Heartefact House. The inspiration for this project came from the controversial film of the same name by globally acclaimed director Gaspar Noé.
Artistic residencies in Belgrade: Yllka Brada and Tadi
As a result of the open call for artistic residencies of the Reconnection 2.0 project funded by the European Union Office in Kosovo, and implemented by Qendra Multimedia [Prishtina] and Heartefact Fund [Belgrade], two artists have been selected, Tadi and Yllka Brada, who will reside in artistic residencies during November and December 2023 in Belgrade.
Second call for proposals for Kosovo-Serbia research fellowship
Heartefact is pleased to invite applications for the 2024 Kosovo-Serbia research fellowship program.
Heartefact’s Play “A Brief History of Burgers and Other Stories” Performed at the Kosovo Theatre Showcase Festival
The play “A Brief History of Burgers and Other Stories,” an original project by Andrej Nosov and performed by Dutch actor Simon Versnel, was performed on October 27 and 28, 2023, at the Dodona Theatre in Prishtina as part of the Kosovo Theatre Showcase Festival.
Civil Society Check-In: Advancing Kosovo-Serbia Cooperation
Given the current sensitive political climate and recent tensions between Belgrade and Prishtina, there is an urgent need for regional cooperation and the potential for transformative impact. With this conference, we aim to bring together all stakeholders from various organizations working on topics such as reconciliation, transitional justice, economic cooperation, cultural exchange, youth exchange, education, human rights, security and more.
Heartefact has begun preparations for a new theater production inspired by the film “Climax.”
Heartefact is starting work on a new theater production, an authorial project by director Patrick Lazić and playwright Dunja Matić, inspired by the controversial film “Climax” by acclaimed director Gaspar Noé. The premiere of the play is planned for early December at the Heartefact House.
“The Sworn Virgin” performed on the second day of Pride Week
The audience at DorćolPlatz had the opportunity to enjoy the performance of three brilliant actors who visually portrayed all aspects of the social phenomenon of women who, out of necessity for emancipation, choose to take on a male identity.
The first seven researchers selected within the Kosovo-Serbia Fellowship Program
As part of the first cycle of the Kosovo-Serbia Fellowship Program, Heartefact has chosen seven researchers who will explore new and constructive narratives regarding Kosovo and Serbia, ranging from political issues to economy, business, culture, war-related legacies, and other relevant political and social areas.
DEADLINE IS EXTENDED: ARTISTIC RESIDENCIES RECONNECTION 2.0
Qendra Multimedia [Prishtina] and Heartefact Fund [Belgrade] are happy to open the second call for applications for artistic residencies implemented within the joint platform Reconnection 2.0, financed by the European Union and managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo.
Podcast: a conversation between Biljana Srbljanović and Doruntina Basha
As part of the Reconnection 2.0 program, which was created in collaboration between Heartefact and Qendra Multimedia and supported by the European Union Office in Kosovo, translations of plays by author Doruntina Basha, “Stifler” and “Parallel/Normal,” have been published. In this podcast with Biljana Srbljanović, Doruntina talked about growing up in Kosovo, the wall that was built in her elementary school to separate Serbian and Albanian students, the first film she saw and the importance of cinemas for her generation, mass poisoning in schools in the 1990s, femicide, and other topics that inspired her new plays.
Call for proposals for Kosovo-Serbia research fellowship
Heartefact is pleased to invite applications for the 2023 Kosovo-Serbia research fellowship program. Fellowships are available for six primarily young to mid-career professionals (three from Kosovo and three from Serbia) working at local or national institutions, academia, opinion makers, analysts, researchers, or publicly exposed individuals engaged in new media, IT and creative industries.
Opening of Fidan Bejtullahu’s exhibition – We are connecting and telling some other story
On Thursday, 23rd of February 2023, at the “Endžio Hab” Gallery opened Fidan Bejtullahu’s solo exhibition, a visual artist from Kosovo, which was created during Fidan’s one month long artistic residency at the Heartefact House last year.
OPENING OF THE “EMBRACE” EXHIBITION
On Thursday, February 23rd, 2023 at 7 PM, the exhibition “Embrace” by visual artist Fidan Bejtullahu from Pristina will open at the “Endžio HAB” gallery located at 4 Dobračina Street in Belgrade. The exhibition will feature works that Fidan created during his residency in Belgrade held by the Heartefact Fund.
The play “Visiting Mr Green” preformed at the Heartefact House
“Visiting Mr Green” is the first guest play at the Heartefact House that marked the start of a new program line where we will regularly bring plays from the region in front of the Belgrade audience.
Stage reading of a short story “Hunger” at the Heartefact House
On Tuesday, December 13th, as part of the Reconnection 2.0 project, a stage reading of a short story “Hunger” by Dhurata Hoti was held at the Heartefact House. The text was performed by actress Nina Perišić.
Our Son at the Theater of Gjilan after 23 years
Last weekend, the crew from “Our Son”, directed and written by Patrik Lazić, participated at the 5th Kosovo Theater Showcase. This showcase is an annual event that gathers festival selectors, critics and theater experts from all around Europe. Multiple plays, performances, panels and public readings and introduction to the art of Kosovo artists, institutions and organization took place from October 25th to October 29th in many locations in Pristina, Gjilan and Uroševac.
Artistic Residencies in Belgrade: Fidan Bejtullahu and Dhurata Hoti
Through the open call for Artistic Residencies Reconnection 2.0 within the Reconnection 2.0 project funded by the European Union, managed by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by Qendra Multimedia (Prishtina) and Heartefact Fund (Belgrade), two artists, Fidan Bejtullahu and Dhurata Hoti have each benefited a one-month artistic residency in Belgrade which they will be implementing during November and December 2022.
The first seminar of the Kosovo School
The first seminar of the Kosovo School was successfully held on March 7 and 8 in Novi Sad…
Meet The Residents: Artistic Residencies Reconnection 2.0
Milica Denković will be part of the residency in Prishtina, hosted by Qendra Multimedia. Finished Master in New Media Arts at Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Serbia…
Guest performances of “The Kiddo” at the festival “Kosovo Theater Showcase”
As part of the “Kosovo Theater Showcase” theater festival, which is being organized at the Oda Theater in Pristina, the play “The Kiddo” produced by the Heartefact Fund…
Reconnection 2.0 at Kosovo Theater Showcase
Reconnection 2.0 project supported by the European Union Office in Kosovo and implemented by Qendra Multimedia [Prishtina] and Heartefact Fund [Belgrade] will host two events…
Hartefakt fund launches a cooperation project with Qendra Multimedia – Reconnection 2.0
Qendra Multimedia [Prishtina] and Heartefact Fund [Belgrade] are happy to announce the beginning of Reconnection 2.0, a three-year programme…
The second seminar of the Kosovo School
The second seminar within the Kosovo School was successfully held online from April 13 to 19. Seven experts in the field of law…