First nationwide meeting of Coalitions against Hate supported by OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina organized the first nationwide meeting of the 31 Coalitions against Hate in the country, on 14 September 2017 in Vitez, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Part of the OSCE-launched Super Citizens initiative, the Coalitions against Hate work to create positive messages to counter hatred in the society. The event brought together nearly 300 organizations and civil society representatives from across the country.  

“There is a huge potential for action and impact to change the current prevalent negative discourse in the public space,” said Ljiljana Perkusic, Head of the Democratic Governance Section at the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Amina Kurtagic, a member of the Coalition “Ignore Differences” in Sarajevo, said that all Coalitions must work together in highlighting positive stories in the country in order to reach many more people.

Zoran Samardzic, a member of the Coalition “Stop Prejudices” in Trebinje, said that the meeting of all Coalitions is important because it establishes new friendships and contacts. “It is always good to hear of a new idea or a problem that fellow activists face in their everyday work,” he said.

The Super Citizens initiative, under which the Coalitions operate, was launched by the OSCE Mission to BiH in 2013 with the aim of contributing to the reconciliation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina.