Reflecting on Peace Lab 2020: the importance of listening to individual voices

By Jasmijn Doorgeest

Usually when the last class of the academic year ends, students can be seen happily trotting down the stairs on their way to summer freedom. This time it was a little different: Anne said her thank-yous, the group did their goodbyes, we clicked on leave meeting and that was it. No shaking hands, no closing of the classroom door, and no scrambling in front of AUC’s rotating doors to get out. 

While this may sound impersonal on the surface, it actually was very much the opposite. Skeptical as some of us may have initially been about our virtual trip to Kosovo, this year of Peace Lab turned out to be one full of open conversations, personal stories and newfound connections. We were lucky enough to meet with more organisations than ever, which—despite at times being mentally tiring—gave us the opportunity to learn from people with a wide variety of occupations. Among them were politicians, activists, NGO members, students and journalists, all with their own distinguished way of looking at Kosovo’s history, present and future--some younger, some older; some fighting for gender equality, others for LGBTQ+ rights; and some of them creating legislation, with others in turn reporting on it.

The variety of people and their unique perspectives made each meeting interesting in its own way. We got to ask questions, repeat them in other meetings, and figure out for ourselves the extent to which the various answers contrasted or complemented each other. Unsurprisingly, we experienced both cases. For example, while many organisations and politicians expressed their wish for a definitive solution to the ethnic tensions in Kosovo, some others considered the current situation acceptable for as long as it’s the lesser of two evils. Still, we also found that many people we spoke to agreed with one another, for example on the need to empower women through the abolishment of Kosovo’s dominantly patriarchal society. As Petrit Selimi said: “Kosovo will not be free until all women are free”.

 

Demonstrators attend a march to commemorate International Women's Day, in capital Pristina, Thursday, March 8, 2018. From https://prishtinainsight.com/can-kosovo-embrace-a-feminism-for-the-99-per-cent/

Apart from the issues themselves, we also talked about personal experiences. We asked why people do what they do, how they ended up where they are now, and what dreams they have for Kosovo’s future. I was personally deeply touched by the stories shared with us, oftentimes revealing how their narrators’ lives have in one way or another been profoundly impacted by the issues they were now fighting head-on. The courageous way in which these people work for a better future, even in the face of resistance and setback, is highly impressive to me. It takes a lot to carry a burden, let alone fight it; and so I leave this course with a deepened respect for activists who continue to strive for a better Kosovo every day of their lives.

The importance stressed in Peace Lab of listening to different individual voices and being receptive to those various perspectives, parallels a general need for similar conversations to happen between different (opposing) population groups within Kosovo. Across our many online meetings in the past couple weeks, a common call for increasing interaction emerged: it is only possible to eradicate prejudice and stereotypes when people engage in conversations with each other, and are willing to really listen. In my mind's eye I see the image of Igo from Kosovo Women’s Network, telling us a story about a number of ethnic Albanian and Serb women standing in the same room. Separated in two groups at first, they slowly started to mix; until finally they came to share with each other stories of pain and grief, leading not only to tears but also to mutual understanding and acceptance. If there is anything I learned from Igo’s story and Peace Lab in general, it’s the significance of individual voices: the listening is where it’s at.