Music as a peacebuilding tool

By Lila Burkle

Returning to Amsterdam was quite the experience, especially when I found out at Schiphol Airport that my suitcase didn’t make it on the plane and was still in Vienna. While waiting a few days for it to get delivered to the dorms, I started working on our group's documentary project. We spent hours cutting videos, rearranging them, adding subtitles, and editing the whole thing. Even though the final cut was only a few minutes long, going through all the interviews from Pristina took forever. Editing in Maslow, I enjoyed the first bits of Dutch sunshine after what felt like a long winter in Amsterdam.

Looking back at our time in Kosovo, I realized that we were pretty organized. We had all our interviews lined up before we even got there, making sure we’d get great insights from local artists. Our group also worked really efficiently together, which made the whole process smoother and more enjoyable. I remember sitting in a café in Pristina, coming up with questions for an interview with a local DJ, who’s basically the father of electronic music in Kosovo.

We connected with Toton, the DJ, through Instagram and later met up to chat about his experiences during the Kosovo war and how he’s grown as an artist. Toton, one of the first to mix in Pristina after the war, shared his story and showed us how Kosovars are eager to move forward and innovate in the music scene. His story really showed us how music can provide a sense of normalcy in the aftermath of conflict. Our interaction definitely changed my perspective on the importance of cultural activities, in this case music, in fostering peace and unity in society.

A memorable quote from our discussion was when he said “Everybody understands house music, everybody understands  techno music. The rhythm dictates, rather than opinions and words,” highlighting the inherently unifying nature of music. This helped us show in our documentary the idea that music transcends language and cultural barriers, offering a universal form of communication. The fact that he acknowledged the potential in Kosovo, especially among its youth, emphasized how powerful this unifying force can be in driving social change and forming a strong, undivided society.

Talking to people in Kosovo—from artists to taxi drivers, from random people on the street to shop owners—gave us deep insights into their society. Everyone we met was eager to share their stories, showing a community ready to embrace the new, while valuing their history. Now, our group has shared memories and hats (a surprise gift from Anne, who made sure everyone, including Erik, got one) to remind us of this incredible trip and the experiences we shared.