Partners and Supporters:
Tha Balkan Trust for Democracy
Project description: The phrase that best describes northern Kosovo in the last 15 years is “closed society”. This situation is a consequence of constant feel of existing “external threat”, caused by fear that the north will be integrated into wider Kosovo, or overrun and assimilated by Kosovo Albanians. Consequently, democratic potential of the society is impaired and heading toward complete detachment of political elites and its constituency i.e. community itself. Public space is clogged with news and controlled discussion on Kosovo status and integration of the north, which does not leave space for opinion which differs from the official narrative. This is especially evident when it comes to transparency of the Brussels agreement itself, where people from the North do not have necessary information on the agreements reached nor on the process of their implementation. There is no culture of dialogue embedded in core of the society of northern Kosovo. This contributes to the widespread feeling of helplessness and inability to participate in public life. There is no arena for exchange of ideas and familiarization with its diversity.
Project objectives:
1. to reinvigorate debating culture among youth from Mitrovica, Prishtina and Belgrade in order to discuss open topics/issues informatively and openly;
2. to decrease a huge discrepancy in attitudes, views and interpretations of the past events between youth (students) from Mitrovica, Prishtina and Belgrade;
3. to contribute to participation of community, civil entities and youth in decision-making processes and public life
Project activities:
· 3-day training on debating skills for students from Mitrovica, Pristina and Belgrade
· 4 Mitrovica Social Club debates organized with the help of the students
· 3 competitive student debates in Mitrovica, Pristina and Belgrade
