News Type: Joint statement

Principles of working towards normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia

Posted on January 18, 2024 by -

Peaceful Change initiative hereby presents a set of principles on working towards the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, developed and endorsed by a range of civil society organisations. These principles constitute a commitment to explore joint approaches that go beyond the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue to contribute to sustainable peace in Kosovo, Serbia, and the entire Western Balkans.

These principles are designed to enhance the contribution of civil society to normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. In the spirit of fully-fledged normalisation, we the undersigned undertake to:

  1. Broaden debate about the normalisation of relations beyond the EU-facilitated dialogue to incorporate issues that, if left unattended, will negatively impact future relations, including transitional justice, education, and people-to-people cooperation.
  2. Develop consultative mechanisms to ensure joint statements are prepared through broad consultation, including with the affected communities, to ensure they are based on complete, timely, and accurate information. Such a process will examine elements such as:
    • Motivation – why is a particular statement being issued at this juncture?
    • Framing – how is the motivation for a statement presented to the audience in question?
    • Content – which areas have the statement failed to take into consideration, especially where minority communities are concerned?
    • Language – does the use of particular words or terminology needlessly antagonize relations between communities?
  3. Maintain open channels of communication – including with central and local institutions – to provide perspectives from different communities, including consultative briefings on specific issues, thereby enhancing the quality of debates about issues related to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
  4. Present human-centred perspectives on the impacts of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, both positive and negative, with a focus on the unintended or unforeseen consequences of implementation on daily life.
  5. React to issues of common concern about civil society in Kosovo and Serbia (such as SLAPPs, media targeting, GONGOs, and donor funding etc.), to create a more conducive environment for civic engagement.
  6. Engage in joint and coordinated advocacy vis-à-vis central and local governments, plus the international community, to promote tangible steps that could contribute to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
  7. Jointly commend and criticise steps taken by central and local governments, plus the international community, that impact positively or negatively the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
  8. Adopt positions that encourage our communities to take proactive steps that contribute to normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia, especially where questions of integration and cooperation are concerned.
  9. Pursue initiatives to uphold the rights of the most vulnerable members of society, regardless of which community they belong to, including reacting to instances of hate speech that negatively impact inter-community relations such as the denial of war crimes, glorification of war criminals, and ethnic slurs.
  10. Raise the visibility of civil society’s contribution to the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia by promoting one another’s initiatives, in particular positive stories of cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Each of these commitments is underpinned by a human rights-based principle that we will act based on what is right, not because we expect or demand a reciprocal response from others. In addition, we acknowledge the risks that civil society actors take when speaking out in public and will continue to be attentive to the context in which civil society operates.

Endorsed by:

  1. Aktiv
  2. Artpolis – Art and Community Center
  3. Belgrade Center for Security Policy (BCSP)
  4. Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT)
  5. Community Building Mitrovica
  6. Foundation Heartefact Fund
  7. Institute for Public Research (IJI)
  8. Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
  9. Kosovo Law Institute (KLI)
  10. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
  11. Local Peace
  12. Livrit
  13. Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policies
  14. Naš Svet, Naša Pravila (‘Our World, Our Rules’), Vranje
  15. New Social Initiative (NSI)
  16. Professor Vjollca Krasniqi, University of Prishtina
  17. Rahim Salihi, Civil Society Activist, Bujanovac
  18. Reconciliation Empowering Communities (REC), Mitrovica
  19. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (VoRAE)
  20. Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Serbia
  21. Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo

Peaceful Change initiative – as part of the UK government funded project, Amplifying Local Voices for Equitable Development (ALVED) – has been regularly convening civic actors from Kosovo and Serbia to improve the environment for normalisation. For further information, please contact Ian Bancroft (Ian.bancroft@peacefulchange.org)

Renewing commitments to the cause of peace

Posted on October 26, 2023 by -

renewing commitments to peace

Civil society organisations in Kosovo and Serbia reiterated their commitment to actively working towards the normalisation of relations throughout the entire region. They call for the building of ties in accordance with the terms and spirit of Article 6 of the recent roadmap on normalisation, through which the parties have agreed to deepen cooperation in a variety of areas.

The violent event of 24th September has had a profound effect on relations within and between Kosovo and Serbia, at a time when they had already been spiralling downwards. 

Divisive narratives – emanating from within politics, the media, and elsewhere – are fuelling tensions, especially between the very communities that endure the burden of conflict. 

Feelings of insecurity pervade communities in very distinct and profound ways. All are contending with the consequences as opposed to the causes of the crisis. Memories of the past are being recalled through the realities of the present. 

The costs of the crisis are more manifest than ever. Many are reported to have left already – or are planning to leave – not just from north Kosovo, but from across the region. 

In such a context, it is more important than ever that we endeavour to understand how different communities are experiencing the rapidly changing context in their daily lives. This is both to mitigate the negative impacts and to salvage the positives that persist, whilst restoring trust and building confidence. 

No development is possible when people feel insecure or uncertain about the future; when there are doubts and hesitations about what will happen tomorrow. We need to build firm foundations on which a prosperous future can be constructed. Whilst there will be doubts and hesitations about the futility of such a course, we firmly believe that there are few alternatives.           

In such moments, we feel it is imperative to reiterate our commitment to peace and to building a better future. We are dedicated to making Kosovo and Serbia the best possible places to live, especially for future generations.    

Armed resolution of conflicts must not be an alternative to dialogue, no matter how long it might take. We must listen to one another and develop joint initiatives to transform our society.

It is vital that people stand together to confront conflict-generating narratives whilst opening – and themselves remaining open to – new channels of communication and new sources of information. Regardless of the challenges and setbacks, we remain committed to this course.

We are civil society actors committed to actively working to normalise relations throughout the entire region. We call on authorities at all levels to support steps to build ties and cooperation within and between the people of Kosovo and Serbia, in accordance with the terms and spirit of the recent roadmap on normalisation – especially Article 6, through which the parties have agreed to deepen future cooperation in a variety of areas. We condemn all conflict-generating language, especially when it is targeted at those dedicated to building stronger ties between Serbia and Kosovo.

We undertake to do whatever is possible to restore trust – in each other, in our own institutions, and in our international partners.  We are committed to creating a better environment, a broader space, in which inter-communal relations can be enhanced for the benefit of all people in Serbia and Kosovo.

Signatories

  1. Aktiv
  2. Artpolis 
  3. Centre for Peace and Tolerance
  4. Community Building Mitrovica
  5. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (BFPE)
  6. Foundation Heartefact Fund, Belgrade
  7. Gorazdevac Media Group
  8. Institute for Public Research – IJI, Gracanica
  9. Kosovo Law Institute
  10. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
  11. Local Peace
  12. Livrit Creative Center
  13. New Perspektiva, Kosovo
  14. New Social Initiative (NSI), North Mitrovica
  15. Peer Educators Network – Pristina
  16. Rahim Salihi, Civil Society Activist, Bujanovac
  17. Vjollca Krasniqi, University of Prishtina
  18. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians in Kosovo
  19. Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Kosovo
  20. Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Serbia

Peaceful Change initiative – as part of the UK government funded project, Amplifying Local Voices for Equitable Development (ALVED) – has been regularly convening civic actors from Kosovo and Serbia to improve the environment for normalisation. For further information, please contact Ian Bancroft (Ian.bancroft@peacefulchange.org).

Youth perspectives on peace in south Serbia

Posted on October 26, 2023 by -

Civil society organisations from Serbia have come together to issue a joint call on authorities and the international community to take steps to ensure greater participation of young people in the decision-making processes and peacebuilding activities in accordance with the principles of UN Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security.

The statement also reflects upon the ten-year anniversary of the Seven-Point Plan for the Integration of Albanians and underlines the importance of incorporating the youth perspectives to fulfil the plan’s commitments.

Engaging youth in south Serbia

We the undersigned hereby call for greater steps to ensure youth participation in decision making and peacebuilding process in south Serbia, in-line with the spirit and principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security.

The demographic crisis that impacts communities throughout Serbia and the Western Balkans is first and foremost a question of young people; of those deciding to leave their homes because they don’t see any viable future. To understand the causes of – and potential solutions to – this problem, young people must be heard.

Ten years on from the Seven Point Plan pertaining to the Albanian community in south Serbia, we firmly believe that it is time to incorporate youth voices to ensure the realisation of its commitments. All communities are affected by the failure to resolve issues pertaining to integration.

Many of the areas covered by the plan affect young people, particularly those pertaining to economic recovery; education, culture, and media; and security and confidence-building measures.

Whilst we welcome recent efforts to rejuvenate the plan and its implementation, we feel that progress can be accelerated by listening to the views and visions of young people regarding the resolution of outstanding issues in south Serbia.

With respect to the economy, for instance, high rates of youth unemployment continue to drive people to seek opportunities elsewhere; a problem which is further compounded by a lack of progress on diploma recognition. Any plan to revitalise the economy of south Serbia must have young people at its heart.

The inherent energy and creativity of youth mean they are an unavoidable element of any advancement in the spheres of education, culture, and media. Language remains a key obstacle to integration, and we will endeavour to work through formal and informal education structures to find sustainable solutions.

Experiences here and elsewhere demonstrate that young people possess the requisite courage and bravery to confront legacies from the past and build confidence for the benefit of the future. By standing up to hate speech and divisive rhetoric, we are committed to reducing tensions where they may surface and challenging the ways different communities speak about one another. Whether through sports, arts, culture, or other means, we will explore ways to bring together young people from different communities. There are already many positive examples that we will celebrate and share.

With the Coordination Body for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja now under new leadership, we believe that this is an important moment to embrace new approaches to resolving the challenges facing all communities in south Serbia.

We also welcome the newly-composed Albanian National Council (ANC), and hope that its mandate will be used to explicitly advance the interests of young people in south Serbia; not only with respect to the Seven Point Plan, but in the domains of culture, education, information, and official use of language and script. We call on all political actors to engage constructively with the ANC and its leadership.

Finally, we call for the international community, especially the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to actively consult with youth activists and civil society representing youth to ensure that their needs and concerns are mainstreamed into deliberations about south Serbia.

For too long young people in south Serbia have been spoken about, but rarely spoken to. We know from firsthand experience the challenges facing young people, and we stand ready to propose solutions to ensure that as many as possible choose to remain in south Serbia and build a vibrant home for themselves and their families.

Signatories

  1. Urduženje mladih “Naš svet, naša pravila”
  2. Udruženje “Livrit”
  3. Udruženje “Beyond”
  4. Udruženje “Budi aktivan 16”
  5. Građanske inicijative
  6. Inicijativa mladih za ljudska prava Srbija
  7. Udruženje “Erudita”
  8. Hanapress.net
  9. Udruženje Romkinja Bujanovac
  10. Udruženje “The Future”
  11. Omladinski centar za promene
  12. Info Wiki
  13. Agreenment
  14. Qendra B

Standing up for diverse points of view and freedom of expression

Posted on August 18, 2023 by -

We the undersigned strongly condemn all acts of intimidation directed towards Sofija Todorović, program director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Serbia.

We are, in particular, deeply concerned about the graffiti daubed on a building near where Ms. Todorović lives. It is imperative that such matters be urgently investigated by the appropriate authorities. No individual should be subject to threats of physical violence. 

All citizens must be entitled to openly express their views on all matters without fear of reprisals or ramifications. This also applies to the issue of Kosovo’s status.

The normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia can only be achieved through open and sustained dialogue, of which disagreement is a fundamental part.

For over a decade, the respective governments in Kosovo and Serbia have been involved in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, reaching compromises through face-to-face engagement under EU mediation. 

The recent agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is a recommitment to continue talking; to continue finding solutions that can benefit all communities. Whilst there has been a spike in tensions, we firmly believe that only through dialogue can de-escalation be achieved and the foundations for progress put in place.  

Regardless of one’s views on Kosovo’s status, one should be able to express them openly and confidently. Attempts to silence voices such as Ms. Todorović’s must be widely denounced.

Articulating a vision for the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia requires voices willing and able to speak truth to power. In the absence of consensus, it is even more vital to create safe spaces where ideas can be proposed and different viewpoints heard.

The stifling of alternative perspectives – especially through tangible threats – will ultimately damage not only relations between Kosovo and Serbia but the evolution of democracy.

We stand in solidarity with Ms. Todorović and remain committed to debating issues that cause tensions within and between Kosovo and Serbia, with a view to finding solutions that can benefit all communities.        

Signatories

  1. Aktiv
  2. Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP)
  3. Center for Democracy and Education – Lugina, Bujanovac
  4. Civic Initiatives
  5. Community Building Mitrovica
  6. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (BFPE)
  7. Kosovo Law Institute
  8. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
  9. Local Peace
  10. Lugina Lajm Portal – Bujanovac
  11. New Social Initiative
  12. Prof. Vjollca Krasniqi, University of Prishtina
  13. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (VoRAE)
  14. Youth Initiative for Human Rights Kosovo
  15. Rahim Salihi, civil society activist, Bujanovac
  16. Ramadan Ilazi, Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)

Peaceful Change initiative – as part of the UK government funded project, Amplifying Local Voices for Equitable Development (ALVED) – has been regularly convening civic actors from Kosovo and Serbia to improve the environment for normalisation. For further information, please contact Ian Bancroft (Ian.bancroft@peacefulchange.org).

PCi condemns violence in north Kosovo

Posted on May 31, 2023 by -

Mitrovica monument in Kosovo

Peaceful Change initiative (PCi) strongly condemns the appalling violence against KFor peacekeepers in Zvečan, plus the attacks against journalists covering developments on the ground. This is arguably the most serious incident in Kosovo since 2011. The situation remains volatile and we add our voice to those calling for calm and restraint. 

Sustainable solutions can only be achieved through dialogue, not only between governments but involving all elements of society. To this end, we stand in solidarity with those civil society organisations from Kosovo and Serbia who continue to propose constructive ideas for how to de-escalate the current tensions and build trust and confidence between the various parties. Their efforts are vital for demonstrating that a different future is possible.   

The public stances they take are often unpopular within their own communities, where they often face threats and intimidation for criticising, in particular, their own political leaderships. However, at the same time, these public stances are rarely heard by other communities, such is the manner in which information exchanges are siloed. Such civic actors deserve our support in these trying moments to help amplify their messages in order to ensure that they are heard by as wide and diverse an audience as possible.  

In times of crisis, it is vital that civil society continue to provide alternative channels of communication that can confront the spread of disinformation which can have a profoundly destabilising impact within and between communities. Civil society organisations, through their ties with their constituencies, can relay the perspectives of citizens who find themselves on the front lines of conflict; those who typically bear the brunt of such crises. 

Peace is a long-term project which can be severely impacted by such violent episodes. For the sake of the normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia – a process that should have been reinforced by the recent roadmap and implementation annex agreed between the two under EU facilitation – civil society must continue to identify and advocate for key issues for the process. 

A failure to capitalise now could see relations deteriorate further, and the process of integration unravelling to the extent that all the gains from the 2013 Brussels Agreement, whose tenth anniversary has just passed, are lost.

Since 2020, PCi has been engaging a diverse group of civil society organisations from Kosovo and Serbia to explore common responses and approaches to issues that impact the environment for the normalisation of relations. Learn more about our work in Kosovo and Serbia.

Ukrainian civil society call for broader solidarity across international NGOs

Posted on May 19, 2023 by -

Blue pixelated map of Ukraine

Ukrainian civil society call for broader solidarity across international NGOs to work for a dignified and just peace in Ukraine.

PCi supports the calls put forward in the recent joint statement by Ukrainian civil society, among the signatories of which are our partners whom we have seen work tirelessly to build understanding across divisions at least since 2014. We support the call for approaches to international peace work that, in the words of the statement, “bring a new imagination and new approach”.

Acknowledging the unprecedented nature of the conflict that was unleashed on 24th February 2022, we support the call to maintain solidarity across peace movements. As committed peacebuilders, we do not take this lightly. While looking to end war our community must not lose sight of the principles of dignity and justice that are the essential components of a sustainable peace.

The civic organisations in Ukraine, including a wide range of peacebuilders, mediators and dialogue facilitators, have formulated a set of positions they urge peace movements in countries supporting Ukraine to process and internalise when calling for their governments to end the war by ending the provision of military support. The statement emphasises that:

  • Ukrainian voices should play a central role in organised actions for peace in Ukraine, following the principle ‘nothing about me, without me’.
  • Calling for an end to armed resistance is a call to surrender, that it is not a path to peace by peaceful means, as demonstrated by the treatment of persons in occupied Ukrainian territories or of dissenting voices in Russia itself.
  • Ukrainian civic organisations are asking for adherence to the UN Charter and to human rights law, and that any compromise of these principles would set a dangerous precedent for other revisionist powers and therefore to global peace more broadly.
  • Framing the conflict as a proxy war is an offensive narrative that denies Ukrainians their own agency and choice to follow a democratic future.

The statement is important and acknowledges the cost being borne across many countries and appreciates the sacrifices being made to support Ukraine in its resistance to aggression and occupation.

Condemning attacks on academic freedom

Posted on March 23, 2023 by -

demonstration in support of Jelena Lončar, Stefan Surlić, and Marko Veković

Peaceful Change initiative strongly condemns the threats made against academics from the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade in Serbia.

A group of people demonstrating in front of the University of Belgrade.
Demonstration in support of Jelena Lončar, Stefan Surlić, and Marko Veković. Photo: Twitter/@parun_

We stand in solidarity with our colleagues Jelena Lončar, Stefan Surlić, and Marko Veković, who have demonstrated considerable courage and determination in the face of attempts to brand them as ‘traitors’.

Such intimidation constitutes a fundamental attack on academic freedom. It is imperative that scholars be free to pursue knowledge and explore ideas without fearing for their security or safety. We are encouraged by the outpourings of support and solidarity they have received.

The research each has undertaken has contributed to the body of understanding about relations within and between Kosovo and Serbia. They have fostered vital links that have deepened understanding about the perceptions of different communities, and explored themes that shine a light on some of the contemporary challenges facing Kosovo and Serbia.

It is for these reasons that PCi supported an academic exchange between the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade, and the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Prishtina, as part of our UK-government funded project, ‘Amplifying Local Voices for Equitable Development’ (ALVED).

Their research is intended to guide and inspire other aspiring academics, who should be free to pursue their academic interests without fear of reprisal. The academic community should be about debate and disagreement, no matter how sensitive the topic, not self-censorship deriving from concerns about what their peers will think.

Where such incidents are not firmly condemned, they are tacitly supported. As such, it is incumbent on all authorities to voice their opposition to such acts and to ensure that they are thoroughly investigated. All perpetrators should be brought to justice.

We will continue to support all those who seek to improve understanding between those in Kosovo and Serbia, for the future of our communities depends upon deepening our knowledge about one another.

Moving from agreement(s) to peace

Posted on March 14, 2023 by -

Civil Society Organisations from Kosovo and Serbia speak out together

Civil society organisations from Kosovo and Serbia speak out together to emphasise the importance of building goodwill and trust in order to make it possible for political agreements to take hold, bring peace and benefit their societies.

The so-called status quo is taking communities on a collision course, deepening divides and entrenching misery.  People don’t know where they stand, nor what they can expect for their societies. The only predictability is frustration and disappointment.

The narrative of coercive diplomacy – that agreement is being forced upon us – only undermines the sense that implementation will happen in good faith. We need to be able to believe that the stakeholders are dedicated to their process for the right reasons. They must stand up for the commitments they enter into on our behalf.

Ambiguity can no longer be constructive. Uncertainty breeds uncertainty. People don’t know how moving to the next stage will affect their everyday tangible needs, including implications for their own jobs and access to services. This is not simply a question of transparency. Decision-makers must be proactive in addressing the legitimate concerns of citizens whilst emphasising the benefits that can and must be grasped.

Any agreement must also be underpinned by specific guarantees. To create certainty in and for the future, steps forward need to be irreversible. We must cease to live in a cycle of integration and disintegration. People must have the confidence to invest in themselves and their careers, and ultimately their communities.

Many people already feel that the system does not work for them. Reforms that address essential needs, including the fight against corruption and developing an effective judicial system, cannot be addressed effectively. Civic voices are not as strong as they should be in public policy, and the possibility to build civic alliances is compromised. Issues of concern to the public are politicised in a way that they cannot be brought up by civil society.

Narratives among politicians and in the media too often emphasise difference and separation. The tangible result is outward migration, further depleting our societies of the very human capital on which we depend. Instead, we want to live in societies that celebrate diversity and see it as a strength. Trust between people is a necessary condition to move beyond the obstacles that our communities have been experiencing for many years.

Whilst integration into the European space will dissolve some of the divisions that we see today, reform must be pursued as an end in itself, not simply as a means to enter the EU. The dialogue is an essential but insufficient part of this journey. It must be supplemented by complementary processes that transform relations within and between communities and lay the foundations for a peaceful and prosperous future. Without this, we risk repeating the mistakes and missed opportunities of the past decade and more.

Signatories

  1. Aktiv
  2. Centre for Peace and Tolerance (CPT)
  3. Community Building Mitrovica (CBM)
  4. Center for Democracy and Education – Lugina, Bujanovac
  5. Livrit Creative Center, Presevo
  6. Lugina Lajm Portal – Bujanovac
  7. Local Peace, Leposvic
  8. Media Centar, Caglavica
  9. New Social Initiative (NSI)
  10. Radio Peja
  11. Radio Gorazdevac
  12. Radio Astra, Prizren
  13. Professor Vjollca Krasniqi, University of Prishtina
  14. TV Prizreni
  15. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians (VoRAE)
  16. Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) – Kosovo
  17. Youth Initative for Human Rights (YIHR) – Serbia

Women’s voices for peace in Serbia and Kosovo

Posted on March 8, 2023 by -

women's voices

On International Women’s Day, civil society from Kosovo and Serbia are united in their calls for more women’s voices to be heard in the normalisation process. The signatories also voiced their concerns about the failure to incorporate gender-specific considerations into the various dialogue agreements and, in particular, the Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia.

To mark International Women’s Day, this 8th March, we the undersigned call for more women’s voices to be involved in the process of normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

UN Security Council Resolution 1325 specifically acknowledges the vital role that women play in the promotion of peace. Furthermore, Resolution 1325 also calls for the equal participation of women in peacebuilding processes.

A global study on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 found that the participation of women led to a 20% increase in the possibility of a peace agreement lasting two years, and a 35% increase in the possibility of it lasting fifteen years.

As such, we call for more meaningful participation of women in negotiations pertaining to relations between Belgrade and Pristina. In over a decade of talks pertaining to the Dialogue, very few women have been given an opportunity to engage in the process.

We are also concerned by a failure to incorporate gender-specific considerations into the various dialogue agreements and, in particular, the Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia. There is a need to better mainstream gender perspectives to ensure that each and every decision within the dialogue process takes into account the specific needs and concerns of women.

Women and women’s groups – whether from civil society, business, politics, academia, or elsewhere – bring particular skills and insights that benefit the overall peacebuilding process. Such voices are also vital for the long-term sustainability of any agreement reached between Serbia and Kosovo.

If women continue to be excluded from the process of normalisation, then it will be to the detriment of both Serbia and Kosovo, and indeed the expressed aims of the European Union and its member states. 

Signatories

  1. AKTIV
  2. Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP)
  3. Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT)
  4. Community Building Mitrovica (CBM)
  5. Centar for Democracy and Education – Valley
  6. European Fund for the Balkans
  7. European Movement in Serbia
  8. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (BFPE)
  9. Human Rights Council – Bujanovac
  10. Dr. Jelena Lončar, Academic
  11. Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS)
  12. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
  13. Livrit Presevo
  14. Media Center Caglavica
  15. New Social initiative, Mitrovica (NSI)
  16. New Perspektiva
  17. NGO Be active 16
  18. Peer Educators Network (PEN)
  19. Radio Gorazdevac
  20. Radio Astra
  21. Radio Peja
  22. Rahim Salihi, Civil Society Activist, Bujanovac
  23. TV Prizreni
  24. Valon Arifi, Civil Society Activist
  25. Violeta Haxholli, Kosova Democratic Institute
  26. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians
  27. Professor Vjollca Krasniqi, University of Prishtina
  28. Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo (YIHR KS)
  29. Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Serbia (YIHR Serbia)

A time for new constructive voices

Posted on December 21, 2022 by -

picture from kosovo

Following a gathering in Gračanica/Graçanicë, a diverse group of civil society organisations from Kosovo and Serbia have adopted the following joint statement calling for new constructive voices – voices that look to the future whilst retaining a keen eye on the past; voices that seek out partnerships and coalitions beyond the red lines that are supposed to define them; and voices that stand up publicly against divisive and derogatory rhetoric.

The constant cycle of escalation and de-escalation in relations between Kosovo and Serbia represents a failure of political imagination.

The energy taken up in contending with the latest crisis distracts from the mountain of pressing issues which directly impact the day to day lives of citizens in Serbia and Kosovo. 

The trend is already for people to be leaving Serbia, Kosovo, and elsewhere in the Western Balkans, especially amongst the youth. As new barricades are erected, so new bags are packed. Very few are likely to return. The future of our countries will be lived elsewhere.  

Many groups deemed outside the spectrum of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue are fundamentally ignored. The Roma community, for one, finds itself marginalised in both Serbia and Kosovo.

With the prospect of violence more pronounced than it has been for a decade, it is time for new constructive voices to be heard – voices that look to the future whilst retaining a keen eye on the past; voices that seek out partnerships and coalitions beyond the red lines that are supposed to define us; voices that stand up publicly against divisive and derogatory rhetoric.

We, the undersigned, endeavour to maintain channels of communication that reduce the possibilities for misunderstanding and disinformation. Too often we have talked past one another, insisting on the pertinence of one point whilst underestimating or completely ignoring the existence of another.

We think we understand the minutiae of an issue but fail to consider how it is understood or viewed by other communities. We all should be committed to listening with open ears and open minds.  

Only by sharing perspectives and perceptions from our respective communities can we start to move towards a common path for the future. Many of the problems our respective communities face are almost identical, yet we rarely acknowledge this fact.   

If ever there was a time for solidarity in the last decade it is now. The war in Ukraine is a painful reminder of the stark realities of war, even as the legacies of our own remain close to hand.

The cause of peace requires not just words to that effect, but images and relationships that embody togetherness. We stand opposed to all undue projections of force and all narratives of hate and division.

The futures of Kosovo and Serbia are inescapably tied-up with one another, and an agreement on the normalisation of relations is a vital first step in building a better tomorrow. But it is only a first step.    

Signatories
  1. Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC)
  2. Aktiv
  3. The Balkan Forum
  4. Belgrade Centre for Security Policy
  5. Centar for Democracy and Education – Valley, Bujanovac
  6. Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of the Balkans, Belgrade
  7. Center for Peace and Tolerance (CPT)
  8. Community Building Mitrovica
  9. Civic Initiatives
  10. European Fund for the Balkans
  11. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society (BFPE)
  12. Forum for Development and Multiethnic Collaboration (FDMC)
  13. Goraždevac Media Group
  14. Institute for Territorial Economic Development – InTER
  15. Jelena Lončar, Academic, University of Belgrade
  16. Kosovar Center for Security Studies (KCSS)
  17. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)
  18. Local Peace
  19. Milan Antonijević, Lawyer, Serbia
  20. New Perspektiva
  21. New Social Initiative (NSI)
  22. NGO Integra
  23. NGO Be Active 16, Presevo
  24. NGO Livrit, Presevo
  25. Peer Educators Network (PEN)
  26. Rahim Salihi, Civil Society Activist, Bujanovac
  27. Radio Peja
  28. Radio Astra, Prizren
  29. RTV KIM
  30. TV Prizreni, Prizren
  31. Valon Arifi, Civil Society Activist
  32. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians in Kosovo (VoRAE)
  33. Vjollca Krasniqi, Academic, University of Pristina
  34. Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo
  35. Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Serbia