Bringing youth together to deal with the past and build a new shared understanding

More than twenty years later, the war in Kosovo continues to impact the country's development and create divisions between Kosovan Abanians and Kosovan Serbs. To help bridge the divide, USAID supported the 7th Youth Exchange Program where twenty-eight Kosovan Albanian and Kosovan Serb youth aged 16-30 years old had the opportunity to exchange experiences, learn about reconciliation, deal with the past, and engage in intercultural dialogue through interactive and informal activities. Implemented by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), this intense and comprehensive program facilitates relationships among youth who have never before been in contact with members of other communities. 

Jona Rexhepi, a 20-year-old from Pristina, participated in the last exchange program in autumn.  “I was pleasantly surprised by everything, the friendship we made, the dynamics of the program, and more importantly learning about Serbian culture from my friends Dimi and Andrea. The friendship created with Dimi and Andrea, both Kosovan Serbs from North Mitrovica, continues.”  according to Jona. 

Throughout the program, youth faced thought-provoking questions and they shared their perspectives, experiences, and opinions on Kosovo’s painful past and on the work needed to build a more peaceful future. The program further aims to bring young Kosovans together through joint projects on video production, photography, storytelling, and theater performance. 

An important part of the program is dealing with the past and visiting memorials to address the emotional part of reconciliation where reflection sessions provide an opportunity for participants to discuss their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. 

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), one of USAID’s local partners working on reconciliation, is continuously engaging with young Kosovans of different ethnicities in an effort to create an environment where youth can focus on their relationships, common interests, and share their feelings and experiences to build together a new shared understanding of the past.