Renewing civil dialogue in Kosovo
The way forward
The Mother Teresa Society in Prishtinë/Pristina and the Centre for Regionalism in Novi Sad formed the Civil Dialogue Council under the auspices of the OSCE. The council aims at decreasing tensions and creating bridges of understanding through the exchange of ideas. In the last two years, more than 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have come together under the council to discuss common interests and concerns.
Just a month after the riots, the council hosted a roundtable in Prishtinë/Pristina, bringing together NGO representatives from Kosovo and Belgrade, and a guest speaker from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Representatives of Serbian NGOs were optimistic about the potential of dialogue. "Before the riots, we were very close to achieving something," said Snezana Karazic from the Women's Committee for the Protection of Human Rights. "We have to continue what we have started so we can save some elements of the foundation."
Getting people involved
Roundtable participants urged that experts from neighbouring countries be invited to discuss their experiences in conflict resolution and mediation. They also agreed that local and international media outlets and religious groups should be encouraged to promote themes of tolerance and foster respect for diversity.
Participants said that the success of civil dialogue depended not only on NGO participation, but on increasing collaboration with individuals and institutions that would support the discussion process. The next meeting, to be held in Prishtinë/Pristina in June, will be open to a larger number of participants. "If we want to have better results, everyone has to put in their share," said Nenad Rikalo from the NGO Future Kosovo.
Local NGO representatives also discussed the need to be more involved in field work. "We need to go out there and ask the people of Kosovo for their ideas on how to bring about changes in their day-to-day lives," said Jetmir Balaj from Forum NGO.
Democratic society is the common goal
Many participants said exchanging ideas held the key to strengthening democracy in Kosovo, and they expressed the need for it to continue despite obstacles. Dom Lush Gjergji, president of the Mother Teresa Society and co-head of the Civil Dialogue project, explained that much of what had been achieved over the last five years had been done behind closed doors, leaving out the general public. "Only jointly and with better organization will we be able to tackle challenges and reach our common goal," he said.
Zivorad Kovacevic, co-head of the project from Novi Sad, said the project should promote communication at the grassroots. "We are not political, we are not going to discuss the issue of Kosovo's status," he said. "We want to promote human, inter-ethnic and inter-personal communication."
"The OSCE will continue to promote dialogue in the belief that the majority of people in Kosovo reject violence and want to achieve a more tolerant, open and democratic society," said Ambassador Pascal Fieschi, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. "We have suffered a setback, but there is no alternative to resuming dialogue and tolerance-building."
The Mother Teresa Society in Prishtinë/Pristina and the Centre for Regionalism in Novi Sad formed the Civil Dialogue Council under the auspices of the OSCE. The council aims at decreasing tensions and creating bridges of understanding through the exchange of ideas. In the last two years, more than 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have come together under the council to discuss common interests and concerns.
Just a month after the riots, the council hosted a roundtable in Prishtinë/Pristina, bringing together NGO representatives from Kosovo and Belgrade, and a guest speaker from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Representatives of Serbian NGOs were optimistic about the potential of dialogue. "Before the riots, we were very close to achieving something," said Snezana Karazic from the Women's Committee for the Protection of Human Rights. "We have to continue what we have started so we can save some elements of the foundation."
Getting people involved
Roundtable participants urged that experts from neighbouring countries be invited to discuss their experiences in conflict resolution and mediation. They also agreed that local and international media outlets and religious groups should be encouraged to promote themes of tolerance and foster respect for diversity.
Participants said that the success of civil dialogue depended not only on NGO participation, but on increasing collaboration with individuals and institutions that would support the discussion process. The next meeting, to be held in Prishtinë/Pristina in June, will be open to a larger number of participants. "If we want to have better results, everyone has to put in their share," said Nenad Rikalo from the NGO Future Kosovo.
Local NGO representatives also discussed the need to be more involved in field work. "We need to go out there and ask the people of Kosovo for their ideas on how to bring about changes in their day-to-day lives," said Jetmir Balaj from Forum NGO.
Democratic society is the common goal
Many participants said exchanging ideas held the key to strengthening democracy in Kosovo, and they expressed the need for it to continue despite obstacles. Dom Lush Gjergji, president of the Mother Teresa Society and co-head of the Civil Dialogue project, explained that much of what had been achieved over the last five years had been done behind closed doors, leaving out the general public. "Only jointly and with better organization will we be able to tackle challenges and reach our common goal," he said.
Zivorad Kovacevic, co-head of the project from Novi Sad, said the project should promote communication at the grassroots. "We are not political, we are not going to discuss the issue of Kosovo's status," he said. "We want to promote human, inter-ethnic and inter-personal communication."
"The OSCE will continue to promote dialogue in the belief that the majority of people in Kosovo reject violence and want to achieve a more tolerant, open and democratic society," said Ambassador Pascal Fieschi, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo. "We have suffered a setback, but there is no alternative to resuming dialogue and tolerance-building."