OSCE mobile.culture.container project opens in Tuzla

TUZLA, 6 June 2001 (OSCE) - Today, Freimut Duve, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, inaugurated the 'mobile.culture.container' project in Tuzla, in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mobile.culture.container, resembling a small tent town, will serve as a meeting point for local youth to exchange ideas and discuss their future.

During the opening session, High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch and Mr. Duve stressed the cultural dimension of peace and stability, and emphasized the meaning of open cultural debate for the future of cities and regions affected by war and nationalistic propaganda. "We are here to defend your future", declared the High Representative.

In a video addressed to the young people, Nobel Prize winner Günter Grass appealed for tolerance, recalling his own difficult youth as a 17-year old soldier misled by the Nazis.

The mobile.culture.container will remain in Tuzla until 6 July and then move on to Osijek in Croatia, Cacak in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and Gorazde in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The culture container project was put together by the foundation 'Defence of our Future' and received financial support from Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Liechtenstein and Spain. Further details can be found on the project web site www.mobile-culture.org.

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For further information please contact the office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, tel. + 43 1 512 21 45-0, Fax + 43 1 512 21 45-9.