“How Do I See You? – Kosovo:” OSCE Mission and DokuFest bring youth from different communities together through intercultural exchange camp

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo, in co-operation with DokuFest, completed on 7 May 2023 an eight-day intercultural exchange camp as part of “How Do I See You? – Kosovo” initiative.

The activity connected 14 young people from different communities, areas and backgrounds, in order for them to know each other better, and jointly deconstruct prejudices that might affect dialogue and mutual understanding. It included cultural visits throughout Kosovo, meetings with organizations promoting cultural exchanges and dialogue, and exploring media and film literacy as means to share experiences and overcome differences.

Participants also had the opportunity to challenge their initial views on what it means to live in a multicultural society. They referred to the camp as a great opportunity to discover the various communities living in Kosovo, as well as the richness of a diverse and inclusive society. 

“Thanks to this opportunity, I had the chance to get acquainted with other young people coming from different communities. We exchanged ideas and views and most importantly, we shared this experience together. Together we also discovered new places and met with inspiring people. I am now looking forward to saying to all my friends about how incredible this journey was,” said Doruntina Azemi, one of the participants.

Emre Ismaili, another participant, remarked, “This camp has made us appreciate the nuances of diversity.”

As a result of this activity, an exhibition with audio and video material from participants’ interviews with one another, focusing on their perspectives about inter- and intra-community dialogue, as well as illustrating their journey and ‘how do they see each other,’ will be organized during the DokuFest film festival taking place from 4 to 12 August 2023 in Prizren.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo was one of the first supporters since the first DokuFest in 2002, which in addition to the festival itself works with young people in filmmaking to develop their personal creative productions on dialogue and human rights storytelling.