Belgrade, 30.06-01.07. 2025.
Civic initiatives held a two-day training “Introduction to transitional justice for young people” in Belgrade, from June 30 to July 1, 2025. The training was intended for young people who want to be more actively involved in the processes of dealing with the past, building peace and social justice in their communities.
During the program, participants had the opportunity to learn about the basic concepts of transitional justice, its historical development, key mechanisms and challenges faced by this process, especially in the context of the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Discussions addressed issues of justice for victims, societal responsibility, institutional and individual memory, as well as the role of youth in building a more inclusive society.
On the second day of the training, through interactive methods, the issues of discrimination as a cause of human rights violations and mass crimes were raised, and through the game, the participants put themselves in the positions of the discriminated and those who discriminate. This exercise served as an introduction to a deeper discussion about the causes and consequences of discrimination and the possibilities of breaking and preventing such patterns through transitional justice.
A special segment of the training was dedicated to the role of art in the processes of dealing with the past. Through examples of regional “artivist” initiatives, participants explored the ways in which art can contribute to opening dialogue, revealing truth and building trust. In the final part of the session, they worked in groups to design art projects that respond to the theme “Everything (is) Peace(ë)”, developing ideas that connect creativity, social engagement and the culture of remembrance.
The training provided a space for exchanging opinions, learning, networking and inspiration, and according to the participants themselves, it was a valuable experience that further motivated them to engage in their local communities.
The training was implemented as part of the GeNarration Peace – Art is the way project, which Civic Initiatives is implementing together with Peace Action from North Macedonia and Integra from Kosovo, and is supported by the Western Balkans Fund.