Partner conference in Bosnia: Focus on building peace
For the first time a weltwärts partner conference took place in this region
In October, a weltwärts partner conference was held for the first time in Eastern Europe. In Sarajevo, Bosnia, weltwärts partner organisations from the region met with their German implementing organisations and members of the Programme Steering Committee. One main subject of the conference was building peace in the Balkans.
weltwärts in Eastern Europe? It’s possible! For the first time since the weltwärts programme was established, a weltwärts partner conference took place in this region. In Sarajevo, Bosnia, 25 attendees came together in early October to engage in dialogue, network and discuss current weltwärts issues. The attendees from the partner organisations came from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia and Serbia.
The organisation team of the conference decided to focus on the topic of building peace in the Balkans in view of the current Ukraine war. Because with the weltwärts programme, young people practice cross-border solidarity and contribute to peace work. In line with this topic, there was an excursion to the War Childhood Museum as well as visits to religious sites in the city of Sarajevo.
Impressions of the partner conference in Bosnia
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![The organisations present their work to one another]( "The organisations present their work to one another")
The organisations present their work to one another. -
![The BMZ representative presents a big thank you to the conference organisers]( "The BMZ representative presents a big thank you to the conference organisers")
The BMZ representative presents a big thank you to the conference organisers. -
![A participant from North Macedonia receives his certificate of participation from the organisers and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)]( "A participant from North Macedonia receives his certificate of participation from the organisers and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).")
participant from North Macedonia receives his certificate of participation from the organisers and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) -
![Musical opening of the partner conference]( "Musical opening of the partner conference")
Musical opening of the partner conference -
![Attendees from Germany, 2 attendees from Albania]( "Attendees from Germany, 2 attendees from Albania")
Attendees from Germany, 2 attendees from Albania. -
![Participants visit the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, where mementos from childhood – during the war – are exhibited.]( "Participants visit the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, where mementos from childhood – during the war – are exhibited.")
Participants visit the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, where mementos from childhood – during the war – are exhibited.
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![The organisations present their work to one another]( "The organisations present their work to one another")
The organisations present their work to one another. -
![The BMZ representative presents a big thank you to the conference organisers]( "The BMZ representative presents a big thank you to the conference organisers")
The BMZ representative presents a big thank you to the conference organisers. -
![A participant from North Macedonia receives his certificate of participation from the organisers and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)]( "A participant from North Macedonia receives his certificate of participation from the organisers and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).")
participant from North Macedonia receives his certificate of participation from the organisers and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) -
![Musical opening of the partner conference]( "Musical opening of the partner conference")
Musical opening of the partner conference -
![Attendees from Germany, 2 attendees from Albania]( "Attendees from Germany, 2 attendees from Albania")
Attendees from Germany, 2 attendees from Albania. -
![Participants visit the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, where mementos from childhood – during the war – are exhibited.]( "Participants visit the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, where mementos from childhood – during the war – are exhibited.")
Participants visit the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, where mementos from childhood – during the war – are exhibited.
In addition, the participants themselves suggested topics and contributed to them during the conference in the form of workshops, for example in the area of equal rights for LGBT+ people or in a “Love Storm” workshop, a strategy for countering hate speech on the Internet.
Participants exchanged ideas about the continuing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the topic of inclusion and news from the weltwärts programme. Since for many participants it was the first partner conference, they were also quite eager to learn more about programme structures and overall goals.
The partner conference was held by the Initiative Christians for Europe (ICE), Dresden, and the partner organisation Archdiocese Youth Centre John Paul II (Nadbiskupijski centar za pastoral mladih “Ivan Pavao II”).