5 ways of how 'crossing bridges' transforms you. (Part 2 to my earlier post)

(By Michael Vermeer)

Thinking about how Peace Lab transformed us I came up with the following points. It’s not a comprehensive overview, rather a list of points I came up with while pondering this question in the plane back to Amsterdam. (So Peacelabbers, please feel free to add any point I have missed in the comments section). Here we go:

1. The course focuses more on practise than theory of peace building. In a classroom environment one can learn a lot about human rights and peace building but these concepts do not come alive until one experiences them in the field. Academic papers can give good insights into schematic overviews of the peace building process but only this trip enabled us to question practitioners in the field how useful these frameworks were and what limitations they run into when practising peace building.

2. The course was very immersive instead of detached. In a classroom environment presentations and discussions often remain detached or abstract. Emotions rarely come to play in them. This trip allowed us to experience Kosovo’s culture and dilemmas with all our senses. When we visited Serb students at the University of Pristina in Mitrovica the different realities and beliefs separating us and them not only showed us ‘just another perspective’, it affected many of us emotionally and thus made us think about the situation much more engagingly. The tour of ‘The Ideas Partnership’ at the Roma settlement in Vushë Kosova inspired us through the efforts of volunteers trying to improve the situations of children growing up in poverty. This visit affected many of us emotionally and showed the importance of social justice in a way that a classroom lecture would have never been able to achieve. 

3. Although the trip was immersive and at times emotional we still managed to be critical of ourselves and the organisations we met. Through all the different perspectives we encountered we were able to form our own informed views on many topics. When we had interviewed more people we were able to refine our questions. Often these questions would pick up a subject from the last meeting. The many angles that we received thus helped us in developing critical thought in the field.

4. We acquired knowledge both through formal and informal situations. The meetings and schedule provided a great range of formal settings in which we could learn from inspiring actors in the field. But just as in usual AUC classes these meetings were not the only placed where we learn. At AUC students learn a lot from each other by living all together in the dorms. This is a crucial component of our student experience. During the trip to Kosovo the time we had to socialise with students from the university in Pristina and the people working for the LGBT organisation Qesh gave us so many insights. It was really fun to experience the city from their point of view and we shared so many common interests, from music to art. After hanging out and going out with them the life of people like us in Kosovo became so much more real. Only then did I start to understand the enormous impact that for instance visa liberalisation would have on their lives. If the course had just stayed classroom based or if we had only talked to actors in the field of peace building, this would have just stayed abstract.

5. Finally the trip was extremely intensive. We visited so many institutions and organisations that we had an information overload. In ten days we got to experience Kosovo in such a rich and engaging way. What might have otherwise taken people months, we learnt in such a small period of time. Even after half a week of being back in Amsterdam I am still processing all my thoughts and impressions; I am even still dreaming about Kosovo. This last point might be the most important of all, since it ensures that even after one is done with the course content, it still reverberates in the minds and hearts of the students who took the trip.

So to conclude my thoughts, I am convinced that this course offered me and the other AUC students a unique, intensive, practical and critical experience which no other course in AUC’s curriculum could have offered us. It has truly changed us. In the conversations I am having with friends now I am back home I am having difficulties describing to them this trip and what I have learnt. They might ask me how the weather was in Kosovo, and to no-body’s surprise it was of course better than here in Amsterdam. Yet when I talk of Kosovo I also let no opportunity pass to tel everybody of the extremely unjust visa-situation of Kosovo’s citizens. Through hearing students’ personal stories I have become a real fan of EU enlargement for the Balkans. While I always took a bit of a critical distance to Human Rights the incredibly brave work people at Qesh are doing in furthering rights for Lesbians, Gays and Transgender people in Kosovo has made me re-appreciate Human Rights. While their battles have been fought and won in the Netherlands we should not become complacent at defending them since they are not a given for everybody around the world. 

Finally, the trip has also turned me into an ambassador of Kosovo’s people in general, as I try to change my friends’ minds about the country by not only explaining its history (literally nobody here understands Balkan history!) and the war but also about all the positive stories we have heard and projects (especially Community Building Mitrovica!) we have visited. It will take months for me to realise how much I have taken with me from this trip and I think for all others it will be no different. In the end I hope that all the anger, happiness and inspiration we have taken with us from Kosovo and stored in our memories will some day reemerge in which ever position we will work. Whether that may be in academia, in a community project or in a business, in politics or diplomacy all these perspectives from ‘the street’ to right up to the highest echelons of Kosovo’s International Organisation apparatus will hopefully encourage us to keep taking account of as many perspectives as possible.

The Beauty of a Post-Conflict Society

(By Dirk Jan van Egmond)

War devastates a society. It ruins houses, interrupts daily life and displaces people from their homes. Just as wildfire wipes away a forest as it once was, post-conflict societies will never be the same. A forest will always be scarred by the occurrence of a wildfire. At the same time, however, new fertile soil is created, supporting the growth of new plants and trees. After a war, people have to move on, even though they might be severely scarred by what happened. While the past can be considered a burden for a post-conflict society, ten days of experiencing Kosovan daily life also showed me that conflict sometimes creates new fertile soil. The devastating wars of the 1990s certainly left their marks and they still impact many aspects of society. At the same time, the rather young population in Kosovo appears confident to build a prosperous and peaceful future. This current transitional state of Kosovo offered me the exceptional opportunity to experience the beauty of a post-conflict society. 

Those who live in a post-conflict country have to be creative. How to get around when public transport is not guaranteed? The citizens of Pristina found a way. For just 50 cents per person, one can carpool within and around the Kosovan capital. Just stand near a bus stop and raise your hand and you will be taken to your destination. Seatbelts and hands-free calling are problems for the future. This carpooling business also offers solutions for other post-conflict discomforts. It represents a modest source of income for those who are unemployed, and many Kosovans are unemployed, and it offers a cheap and swift mode of transportation for those who do have a job. 

Kosovo wants to be part of the world and everyone who visits Kosovo will notice. European and American flags often wave next to the, EU-inspired, Kosovan flag. Conversation with the locals will teach you that multiple Kosovans love the United States, maybe to a frightening extent; and that many Kosovan citizens dream of being a member of the big EU-family and to be able to travel to other places once visas do not form an obstacle anymore. 

Some advice: when staying in Kosovo, it is not that crucial to learn Albanian or Serbian, as many Kosovans speak the language of the country they lived in during the war as a refugee. Although Kosovans stayed in many different countries during the wars of the 1990s, Switzerland, Germany and Australia seem to be the most prevalent resorts. For this reason, knowledge of German, English and occasionally French will allow you to get around in many parts of the country. 

Kosovo’s pursuit to be part of the world also becomes apparent in its effort to represent itself to international visitors. Esthetics, understandably, does not enjoy priority in (re)building homes. Restaurants and bars, however, are often in perfect condition. Maybe even so perfect that it causes you, as a visitor, to feel guilty when looking at the simple and seemingly unfinished homes of many Kosovans. In the well-maintained restaurants, waiters are still a bit clumsy, but will do their absolute best to make sure you will not see the bottom of your wineglass.

Kosovo’s wish to move on and to become a strong and independent Balkan country is supported by Kosovo’s rather young population (about 50% of the population is under the age of 25). This translates into Pristina being a lively student city with a vibrant nightlife. Consequently, you will often hear the claim that Kosovo is probably the “youngest” country in the world. 

The Newborn monument in the center of Pristina reminds each visitor of how Kosovo wishes to represent itself: as a new country that rose from the ashes of its devastating past and that is ready to move on to a brighter and more peaceful future. Although there are still many obstacles to overcome, it seems that all the conditions are in place for Kosovo to become a strong and prosperous Balkan country. My advice thus is to be fast to visit Kosovo and to enjoy all the beauties only a post-conflict society can offer you.

When independence comes at a price

(By Rebecca Franco)

We have been back for a couple of days now, and while my sleep deprivation is slowly decreasing, my understanding of all the impressions I had during the trip is slowly increasing. The day after our return to Amsterdam, I met up with a friend who asked me about the trip. I started rambling on about what I had experienced during the 10 days in Kosovo. After five minutes, my friend asked me to slow down because I was talking so fast that she could hardly make up the words that were coming out of my mouth. I guess that remark encompasses my feelings towards Kosovo: there are so many things you could tell about Kosovo that it ends up being incomprehensible…

Still, now that I am back home, back in the comfort of my own bed, room, and – not unimportant – own bathroom, I appreciate even more so our 10 days in Kosovo. I appreciate the braveness of the Kosovar people, the joie de vivre of many young people we’ve met, and the improvements Kosovar society has made in the last 15 years. I, nevertheless, also acknowledge the difficulties that lay ahead, the differences that must be overcome, and the tiredness of the Kosovar people that are only a natural result of those difficulties and differences.

Even though many of the difficulties and differences are to be overcome by the Kosovars, I believe that the international community, and we, citizens of that international community, have a responsibility as well. If you would ask most Kosovars what hinders them most in achieving their dreams and ambitions, many would mention the current visa restrictions. How can you become more tolerant and open towards your Serb/Albanian neighbours if your neighbouring countries are not open to you? Given that the European Union is responsible for the isolation of Kosovo, and given that the European Union is a democratic institution in which ultimately, its citizens (should?) have a say, then is it not our responsibility as European citizens to call for visa liberalization?

Our amazing host that showed us around Kosovo (and Kosovar bars) told me that the visa restrictions ruined her dreams. Not the expulsion from her home when she was fourteen, not her Serb neighbours that forced her out, not the economic challenges her newly-founded country deals with, not anything but the visa restrictions. Her parents travelled all over Europe during the time of ex-Yugoslavia. Her family had a holiday home in Croatia when she was younger. She can today not visit that house anymore. The independence that many Kosovar Albanians dreamed of has come at a price: their freedom of movement. 

The emotions that come up when thinking about her story, and the story of many others we heard during our short ten days in Kosovo, need to be capitalized to call for action. I changed my mind a lot for my project about Kosovo. Now that I am home I can take a little bit of distance so to bring everything I learned and heard in Kosovo together. A campaign can help put pressure on the European leadership (that is: our leadership) to push the visa liberalization through. Maybe it will help, maybe it will not, but at least it is a way to channel our emotions into action and show the Kosovar people we stand (or preferably walk/ride/fly) with them. Who’s with me?

Sign the petition; share it with your friends, family, acquaintances, annoying aunts, lost lovers and what not. http://bit.ly/1H3i56Q 

Bringing Serbs and Albanians together

(By Sophie Lagarrigue)

Wow, what a trip. Now that I am back in Amsterdam I realize how much my perception of reality can change in only ten days. We have heard so many different perspectives on the history of Kosovo, the relations between Serbs and Albanians, the presence of the international community in Kosovo and the influence of the Kosovar and Serb government, that I now have difficulties to know what the real truth is.  Most of the people we met seemed to be convinced of their own reality, but some stories that people told us completely contradicted stories we heard of others.  I definitely need some time to shape my own opinion about the most effective way of peacebuilding, but I already realized during the trip that for me, peacebuilding is all about bringing people together.

The first day we met a group of Albanian students from the University of Prishtina, and one of them, to my surprise, told us that he has a few Serbian friends. This made me realize that there must be something about friendship that is stronger than ethnic differences. The same day, we visited an LGBT organization called Qesh, and spoke with some of their inspiring people. One of the members of this organization told us that the Kosovar LGBT community includes Kosovar Serbs, Kosovar Albanians and other minorities. She continued that nobody within their community cares about ethnicity and nobody cares about religion. I was amazed by the fact that sexuality in this case creates a common identity amongst people from different ethnic groups that is stronger than their ethnic identities.

The days that followed, we visited several organisations such as the International Organization for Migration, Community Building Mitrovica and OSCE, which have both Kosovar Albanian and Kosovar Serb employees. According to the people we spoke with, there are no problems between these employees, and they work together just as other employees to achieve the goal of their organization. Thus, work can be a great place for Serbs and Albanians to cooperate, and it seems to me that having a common goal creates a bond between people that is stronger than the separation between their ethnic groups. However, I still do not understand why everyone’s common goal of ‘living a peaceful life’ is not strong enough to prevent wars, genocides and other horrible events from happening.

The last day of our trip we had a free afternoon, so I decided to walk around in town and enter several shops. In one of the shops, a sweet Albanian girl helped me with finding clothes. However, we had some difficulties with communicating since I do not speak Albanian. Her boss came to help, and it turned out that his English was perfect. He had worked as a translator for UNMIK and EULEX, and told me all about the pros and cons of the organizations. After a long conversation between the clothes racks he asked if I wanted to join for a coffee. We went to a café and continued our conversation there. When I asked him if he wanted to share some positive news about Kosovo, he replied that he was actually quite a pessimist, but that the situation is Kosovo definitely got a 100%, no, even 300% better than before. He also told me that the Albanians and Serbs are actually very good in cooperation, especially the mafia, since Kosovar Albanian mafia steal cars and deliver them to the mafia in Kosovar Serb enclaves. Since the Kosovar police are not welcomed in those places, the cars will never come back. Even though these illegal practices are wrong in every sense, it shows that Serbs and Albanians are not deemed to be separated, and that cooperation between the two ethnic groups is possible.

Based on the encounters we had during the past ten days, I can tell that my perception of reality is full of hope for a future in which Serbs and Albanians do not only live side by side, but also communicate, cooperate, and live peacefully together. However, I realize that this is my own view, and that there are people who believe in a completely different reality. For this hopeful future to happen, the big challenge is to convince those people that a peaceful future is possible only if everyone believes it is.

Spirit City (Chiara Tulp)

On Thursday our group went to visit Mitrovica, a town located in the north of Kosovo. For many of us it was the first time, Ivan and I however, were lucky enough to make this our second visit to Kosovo, and Mitrovica. Just like last year, the drive towards Mitrovica as well as wandering around the city gave me an instant feeling of home, Jo then explained to me that Mitrovica was my ‘Spirit City’. I come from a small town in a wine region in Germany (Bensheim and er Bergstraße) and Mitrovica, with the wooded mountains surrounding it and modern high buildings reminds me of it a lot. When I told this to our teacher Anne, she immediately asked me whether I was from Heidelberg, which is indeed very close to my hometown and the landscape resembles to that of Mitrovica. What added to this impression was our final appointment that day.

In the afternoon we met with students and teachers from the International Business College Mitrovica. This university is unique to Kosovo in many ways: it is one of the few opportunities for young Kosovars to study in English. Furthermore they created two campuses to offer Serbian Kosovars, who mostly live in the northern part of the city, and Albanian Kosovars, who live in the South, equal opportunities. Even though it has been 16 years since the war in Kosovo had ended, Mitrovica is still divided, not only due to the tensions between north and south, but also because it has two parallel institutional structures, including police forces, municipalities and mayors from the Kosovar system, but also under Belgrade’s supervision. Since tension between the two dominant ethnicities is still very much present, the two campuses are crucial to ensure the sense of security of their students. Another unique aspect of their education is the practical approach to learning. Students try to gain as much work experience throughout their studies as possible. For the majority this means working with local enterprises and businesses, as well as thinking ahead on how to apply their skills to give back to their community and city. Our group was received in the northern campus of the ICBM. Both, teachers and students were very proud of their recently finished campus. After walking through the modern building (the architecture quite similar to our own university in Amsterdam), we sit down in the acclimatized (!) library. Upon entering the room many of us let out a big sigh of relief, since we had been walking through the town and had meetings in small stuffed rooms all day, and that with 35 degrees and sunshine (horrible, right?). The library is located on the top floor of the university, and whilst sitting down we could see many rooftops of the new, modern buildings of Mitrovica. Together with the cool room and landscape in the background, I almost felt like I was transported back to my high school, from where we could often look out of the windows and see some of the higher buildings in my hometown or the wine hills.

Considering that Kosovo almost completely rebuilt itself in less than twenty years and that Mitrovica remained the center of violent outbreaks for many years after, this impression was almost surreal. It shows how much progress a country can make, especially with students that are so motivated to learn and willing to put their energy and knowledge into their hometown. What struck me about this is the sharp contrast that stands between the new modern site of Mitrovica we could experience from the library, towards the dry, hot and to be honest, dirty reality we found in the side roads outside. It was quite confrontational to leave that clean, modern impression and suddenly face, poor roads, torn down houses and giant heaps of trash, simply thrown together in the middle of the road or in backyards. To me this made me realize what this city, and Kosovo in general, has already achieved and, at the same time, remember the challenges that still lie ahead.

How does crossing bridges transform you? Part 1

(By Michael Vermeer)

On the last night of our trip we had dinner with the entire group at a restaurant on Mother Teresa Square in the center of Pristina, Kosovo. It was a balmy night, we ate Mediterranean and Kosovar dishes and merrily mingled with each other around one long table. Everybody changed seats multiple times during the course of the evening; the smaller friend groups and divisions which had characterised our group before we had left had dissolved. The distance between us had gone.

During the past ten days we had gotten to know each other so well - I had never expected that. Moreover, this evening was a great opportunity to draw a balance, to provide everybody a space to express their experiences, insights and emotions. The individual speeches revealed that the trip had not only transformed this group of students socially but had also made a deep impact on their academic awareness. To some extent every university course is of course meant to transform a student’s understanding of a subject by providing them necessary knowledge and tools to critically evaluate and utilise that knowledge - but this course had made an incredible impact on its students which cannot be compared to other courses at AUC.

On this last night, it seemed, that for most students this course had succeeded exceptionally well in transforming their academic outlooks in many different areas. For me personally, Peace Lab’s trip to Kosovo radically changed my view of the Balkans and how I see the impact of ‘high diplomacy’ on everyday citizens. It also demonstrated the resilience and necessity of brave grassroots organisations such as Qesh, Kosovo 2.0 and Community Building Mitrovica in creating public spaces open to alternative voices and conducive of mutual understanding and cooperation between differing people. The trip also gave me a deeper insight into the complex interplay between (ethnic/national) identities, reconciliation and alienation through our visits to Mitrovica and Vetevendosje. 

Rather than focussing on these and other insights I want to explore what set this course apart from all others in its ability to transform us in such a short period of time. It’s not a comprehensive overview, rather a list of points I came up with while pondering this question in the plane back to Amsterdam. Interested what these points are for me? Tomorrow you can read what I came up with in part 2!

Final day before leaving

(By Olafs Arnicāns)

Another hot summer day here in beautiful Prishtina! And yet another day filled with new experiences, meetings and refreshing drinks. As I’m writing this, smooth jazzy tunes are playing in the background in one of my personal favourite spots in the city- Half&Half Café. The urban hipsterish interior accompanied with great staff and of course amazing coffee always works. The co-owner gives me a soft drink on the house. And in case anyone is wondering, the working staff in every café, bar, and restaurant are fantastic. Once you enter a place with a smile the locals cheer you back. Finally before you leave, a handshake and a brotherly pat on the shoulder seems like a custom.

It’s our final full day here in Kosovo and it begins to feel like we’re so used to this place that we should (have to) stay longer. One of the ways to show you know any new city is when you have saved the Wi-Fi passwords on your phone from so many places, that you always stay connected when walking through the streets.

Today, June 16, we had our final two meetings. With a few tired faces from the day (night) before, we first visited the editorial office of the local magazine called Kosovo 2.0. The rather unique magazine in the region shares and generates various stories, discussions and commentaries about Kosovo and the world. Published only twice a year (!), each issue deals with a single theme, including public space, sex, corruption, religion, sports and migration. In their own words: “Kosovo 2.0 pulses with voices unfettered and unafraid. Interactive blogs, articles and multimedia bring the untold stories and views of your world and their world.” I think this also perfectly describes the reason why we just had to talk with them as well. The office is situated in the centre of the city and we’re welcomed with smiling yet slightly stressed young faces. The new issue is going to be published in three weeks. We had a long talk with editor-in-chief and co-founder, Besa Luci, for about an hour or so. The conversation began with explaining why in 2010 they decided to create, first, a blogging platform and, later, the magazine. There was (and still is) a need to tell stories, especiallz about sensitive topics from all perspectives and viewpoints. A critical and in-depth analysis about the contemporary issues is needed. Popular media in the country often lack the capacity or interest to generate discussions about things that might feel awkward to talk about. Kosovo 2.0 allows different voices to be heard. The story further unfolded and we heard how sensitive some of the topics really are, particularly, when it came to the topic of sex and LGBT communities (for more info: Huffingtonpost). The second part of the discussion was filled with a Q&A session. Kosovo is a small country, and as such, everybody knows one another. It can be nice when you’re going out, but when it comes to structural critique of different media sources or even art, people often opt out from accidentally saying things that their colleagues and friends might find impolite. Going for a coffee with a friend might seem a bit awkward after you’ve just said that his article is, well, sloppily written. Another problem that we were told of is the lack of knowledge about recent history or even geography amongst younger people. Belarus was part of Yugoslavia, no? On the one hand, education here in Kosovo needs improvements, but also young people need to have the possibility to go outside the country. A reoccurring theme in our trip. Young people want to go visit Europe and beyond, and they have to broaden their horizons from their own experiences not only from watching movies (Eurotrip?) or hearing stories from other people.