Over the past week I have been staying in Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Other than having the privilege of being surrounded by mountains once again in my life, I have had the opportunity to explore the city, learn about its culture, and dive deep into the history of the country.
The city has a very powerful energy. A lot has been and is still going on in this country. Bosnia and Herzegovina suffered of decades of war. The latest being the Bosnian War that ended in 1995, the year I was born. Because of my study of peace education, I have been learning a lot about Bosnia's history of war and conflict, trying to understand what happened then how it is being addressed today.
Out of all places I have been over the past few months, Bosnia has been the easiest country to find Peace Education programs under that title; in Berlin and on other places, "Peace Education" usually becomes work to address a specific type of violence, or to work in peace with one self. In Bosnia there seems to be international interest, that has led to collaboration for the implementation of peace initiatives. In the geopolitical level, the country is divided into three entities, and they have developed an incredibly complex political system with three presidents and over 200 ministries, for the sake of peace. When I arrived, there was the "March of Peace" going on, a march on commemoration of the murder of aprox. 8000 muslim Bosniak men and boys, they were killed on a UN safe space. A genocide that is not recognized as such by many people here and elsewhere.
What I am learning here is making me question many things, including the legitimacy of the implementation of a nation state, also an effort for peace, yet driven by the international community. The constitution of this country is in a peace agreement signed in Dayton, Ohio, US.
I have a growing big respect for its people and my friends who grew up in this land. If anything, there is hope. People are working. And if Bosnia and Herzegovina is managing to stay at peace, so can Sudan, so can Myanmar, so can Thailand, so can Russia, and so can the US. There is much to be learnt, much to be shared, much to be said about this country. I am very glad to be here.
My last post I presented pictures of a week here, much more is still to come.
BBC Doc, The Death of Yugoslavia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udgvKd-oVxs