Western Balkans
In the Western Balkans, we work towards reconciliation by contributing to the quality and intensity of collaboration across ethnic lines within and across states and by striving to enable the mobilisation of citizens for transitional justice.
The Challenges
Violent conflicts devastated the Western Balkans between 1991 and 2001, leaving a legacy of unaddressed bilateral and regional disputes, and dysfunctional political systems. Transitional justice processes have never been completed and war crimes are often denied. Ethno-nationalist narratives prevail in the public space and in the education system, hate speech is common, and there is increasing pressure on the civic space, including through attacks against independent media and journalists.
The Opportunities
Despite these challenges, some breakthroughs have been achieved. The Berlin process has led to the emergence of new forms of regional collaboration between Western Balkans states. Meanwhile, civil society organisations remain strong advocates for peaceful democratic development. They continue pushing institutions to take steps for responsible dealing with the past, provide opportunities for young people to learn about the recent past and encourage youth activism, including through arts and culture. New citizen-led movements are also forming, demanding social change, and advocating for more accountability.
Our Work in the Western Balkans
We have been working in the Western Balkans since 2014 and have supported the internal strengthening of more than 15 organisations. We have supported organisations that play a key role in conflict prevention and reconciliation by: enabling political participation and inclusive education of youth; advocating for human rights; and through inter-ethnic initiatives.
Today we provide support on organizational development and conflict sensitivity and we support organisations at different levels. At the regional level, we supported the Regional Youth Cooperation Office and the Western Balkans Fund since their effective start in 2017 until 2021 and 2022 respectively. We have also supported regional civil society networks and local organisations who enable connections across borders.
At the national and community level, we also support national civil society organisations that have strong roots in their communities and have a track record of connecting people across ethnic lines and mobilising them for inclusive dealing with the past. In a context where polarisation is on the rise, we will continue to focus on resilient and adaptive organisations whose strategies effectively challenge the status quo and whose impact is increased through our support.
We support organisations work in: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia
