From April 15th to 18th, 2024, a conference on understanding historical narratives and their impact on identities in Central and Southeast Europe was held in Ohrid, North Macedonia. Building upon previous initiatives supported by the International Visegrad Fund, this conference aimed to deepen discussions on the role of history in shaping contemporary political identities and fostering mutual cooperation within the region.
The conference “Understanding Matters: Southeast Europe as a Battlefield of Narratives” in Ohrid brought together experts, academics, and intellectuals from the Visegrad Group (V4) and Southeast European region to explore historical narratives in bilateral issues. Discussions focused on disputes between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, and Kosovo and Serbia, emphasizing the need for dialogue, mutual understanding, and analysis of complex historical disputes.
Simultaneously, a workshop titled “Promoting Mutual Understanding between Kosovo and Serbia through Media and Academic Cooperation” was held. This workshop gathered journalists and editors from Kosovo and Serbia to deepen dialogue and understanding between the two societies.
The workshop provided a platform for the exchange of experiences and ideas among journalists and editors from Kosovo and Serbia, further strengthening media and academic cooperation.
The conference was a continuation of previous initiatives focused on exploring national histories and their impact on political identity in Southeast Europe. The discussions stemmed from the results and conclusions of a series of events supported by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Kosovo during 2022 and 2023.
