Bosnia and Herzegovina

Through our work, we are seeking to build the trust and change the attitudes among different ethnic groups as a precondition for the creation of a safer environment. Through our work in the primary schools we want to improve the communication and cooperation between the divided ethnic groups and to create the peaceful and safe environment for the children in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The peace building is the main activity of our organization and therefore we have undertaken numerous peace building projects and activities. Our work is mostly focused in the primary schools located in the ethnically divided communities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and through our activities we are affecting a large community of people: children, teachers and parents.
In the schools where we worked, the communication skills were improved and bridges of trust and cooperation have been established. Correspondingly, the pupils have shown a higher level of knowledge about conflict, peaceful conflict prevention, etc. They also participated less in the violence and had more active role in stopping the violence in their inner environment.
Small but consistent changes in attitudes and behaviours in the field of multi-ethnic relations have also been recorded. The pupils have shown greater willingness to socialize with their peers from other ethnicities. The prejudices were also reduced.
Similar results were obtained with the teaching staff and our projects have improved the interethnic relations at school and approximately 80% of the senior grades teachers pointed out that they now spend more time with the colleagues from other components, and 94% stated that they are now closer. Over 60% of respondents supported the cooperation between the school components. After our workshops a higher percentage of teachers are for integration of the school components.
Our experiences with the pupils have taught us that children gladly participate in the joint activities; they quickly overcome the ethnic separation and develop friendships being highly motivated and dedicated to the project and its aims. For example, the teachers who have participated in our workshops have asked for the activities to be continued because they felt that these workshops offered the opportunities to expand their skills and knowledge jointly.
More about our work in divided schools you can see in the following story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY3a8xSeI9khttps://www.youtube.com/watch...
Furthermore, our work in the field of the mine risk education is very successful. The BiH Mine Action Canter recorded more than 18,200 minefields, but it is estimated that the total number of the minefields is 30,000, containing about one million mines. The locations of many minefields are still unknown. The minefields were placed along the former confrontation line, which was the subject of frequent changes, so that the mines can be found throughout the country. The members of the Genesis Project are working simultaneously on several levels and including several groups of direct beneficiaries: peer educators, teachers and students. Through our activities we are supporting the long-term school battle against landmines and UXO.

The main activities are directed towards the production and the realizations of theatrical plays, but also in organizing art camps, education and seminars. A large portionf of our attention goes towards the organizations of art festivals, as well as co-production and cooperation with partner organizations.
We would like to highlight the projects of theatrical festivals, production and co-production of theatrical plays that have won countless prizes, as well as conferences and educations which we organized.

-psycho-social individual and group support to traumatized persons, PTSP sufferers, domestic violence victims, etc.
-burn out prevention and alternative violence project seminars to professionals, NGOs, students, etc.
-playrooms for pre-school children
-speech therapy to school children
-peace building education for school children, school management and parents in 10 schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina
-reconciliation summer holidays for teenagers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia
-regional networking with partners from Sweden, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia gathered around platform of European integration of Western Balkan countries
-providing cleaning services on the local market
-sustainable agricultural activities for minority returnees

Various projects and programs of social work, primarily education (especially issues of special education), research, psychology, social research, inter-religious and inter-cultural relations, as well as other fields.

Many years of hard work and enthusiasm and love towards music from former and current employees are woven in today’s success of the school, as well as the investments of the community we live in.

Through integration and social inclusion to active citizenship is project where Human Rights Office in partnership with Helsinki Citizen Assembly is working on better and integrative social and health insurance policy for all citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Free legal aid is free of charge legal aid for everyone, and HRO Tuzla is implementing it since 1995. Juvenile justice is project where HRO effort is more then four years long. It's goal is to improve legislation in BH, and to induct alternative way of treating behaviour of juvenile offenders. This project is contributing general decreasing of juvenile delicvency in BH. Minorities for Minorities is regional project where HRO Tuzla with CMS from Zagreb is searching for good minority practices in countries of Western Balkans.

Multireligiosity an Reintegration of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2004) and since 2005 pilot project »Woman, religion, politic«.
Project »Religious Studies at University in SE Europe in 21st century« together with Arizona State University, Oslo and Sarajevo University« in 2007
Projects that IMIC implements at the moment and the most recent projects are:
▪ Inter-religious Dialogue through education and communication of the youth in multicultural society of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and publication of results of this project/research- (with support of Soros education department and local communities)-2007/2009;
▪ Cooperation with Embassies - we look for possibilities of organizing events/lectures/performances etc with embassies in B&H) in order to promote cultural heritage from different countries.
▪ Improving the services of IMIC Library -2008/2009; (Modernization of library consisted of few thousands library materials on religions, ecumenism, dialogue between religions, history, philosophy, cultural heritage, human rights and gender;
Singing Memorandum of Understanding with Library of Alexandria (and providing internships for librarians in BA)
▪ Section of Literature on Women’s rights and Religion- 2008/2009;
▪ Faith and Community: Dialogue (with support of Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs of the US Government and IREX)-2007-2009

Competition for the project of the Concert Hall, Sarajevo
Participation of the artist at the Biennale of the Young Artists of the Europe and Mediterranean (Lisbon, Turin, Roma, Athens)
The X Biennale 2001 “Chaos and Communication” in Sarajevo
Presentation of the artists from BiH in the Europe and in the world (in more than 150 cultural centers at all continents).
The Project "Sarajevo, The European Cultural Center ‘93 / ‘94", held under the auspices of UNESCO
The First World Forum, dedicated to the intercultural, inter religious dialogue and the Conference of the Stability Pact and security in the South-Eastern Europe
International scientific and cultural gatherings SARAJEVO – MEETING POINT, since 1991.god.
Peace related activities in Sarajevo, Wien, Barcelona, Paris, Brussels, Strasbourg, Roma,
Solidarity activities and humanitarian projects (Dubrovnik, Sarajevo, direct help to the University, hospitals, social welfare institutions, NGO, humanitarian organizations and citizens
Eco-project “Skakavac”, Magazine “EKO-oko”
First cultural and tourist guide along with Good Vibrations