Measure I.1– Improving the productivity and competitiveness of the area’s economic, rural and environmental resources
Project Title: Balkan-house of diversity
Project Budget:
| Project Value | EU Contribution | |
| Republic of Serbia | € 103,905.84 | € 86,241.85 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | € 66,923.00 | € 55,546.09 |
| TOTAL | € 170,828.84 | € 141,787.94 |
Beneficiary of funds in the Republic of Serbia: GRUPA 484
Beneficiary of funds in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Human Rights Office Tuzla
Partners:
Area of implementation:
- Serbia: Užice, Požega and Kosjerić
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Tuzla, Brčko, Bijeljina
The target groups of the project: 90 young people, 12 adults from cultural and/or educational institutions, 10 contemporary writers from Western Balkans
Project duration: 01.12.2010 – 01.02.2012
Project objectives:
The overall objectives: Developing of social cohesion in the region – Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia by the promotion of ethnic and cultural diversity as the richness of our countries
The specific objectives of the project: Increasing understanding of the youth and citizens in 6 towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia about the multi-ethnic and multicultural identity of these two countries as a potential for their development.
Activities and results of the project
The project “Balkan-house of diversity” improved promotion of ethnic and cultural diversity in the cross border region and strengthen the potential of young people to accept new social experiences and create understanding.
12 educators worked with young people who gathered material for a tourist tour which will be a tool for the promotion of interculturalism and interethnicity. 90 young people from Tuzla, Bijeljina, Brčko, Užice, Kosjerić and Požega had opportunity to discover the everyday life of writers living in these municipalities and events and places that inspired and influenced them to create characters for their novels. The aim of this activity was raising awareness about multi-ethnic and multi-cultural identities in mention regions.
The largest project activity was the Halfway Festival in Uzice. Festival created basic for carried out a 6 innovative tourist tours and guidebooks ‘Through the Eyes of Writers’ which aims to promote inter-cultural and inter-ethnic diversity in six municipalities. Also, a educational camp was organised for students who worked on creating socially engaged art as material for a touristic offer. 12 mentors from cultural and educational institutions and 10 contemporary writers from the region participated in the project including the final event which took place at the Regional Festival ’Half Way Along’ of contemporary writers from Western Balkans in Uzice.
The project has contributed to raising awareness of at least 600 young people and 6,000 citizens on the benefits of interculturalism and interethnic affiliation and joint co-operation in their promotion.
