Western Balkan regional programs focus on collective memory and transitional justice

In Montenegro, the sixth generation of the School of Transitional Justice has completed its program in Podgorica. Organized by the Center for Civic Education (CGO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as part of a regional project to support EU integration and trust-building in the Western Balkans, the program focused on educating youth about the wars of the 1990s.

The curriculum combined theoretical learning with visits to sites of historical significance and discussions with human rights officials. Participants explored judicial facts and the role of dignity for victims to foster democratic resilience and prevent the repetition of past crimes.

Concurrently, a regional artistic program titled ‘Senses of Belonging’ concluded its research sessions in Skopje, involving young artists from North Macedonia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The initiative, organized by Atrium in partnership with various regional cultural entities, focused on deconstructing collective memory, female anti-fascist heritage, and urban spatial policies. The project is moving into a production phase that will include exhibitions in three major cities and a joint digital archive.