Bosnia: Building bridges, where others see walls

“The basic things after a conflict were not done” Krajišnik argues: No compensations for victims, no restorative justice, war criminals still not convicted. “Bosnia can only move on, if important questions are officially answered. We were not able to say who won the war. It is not an essential question, but it leaves a fertile ground for different narratives. Who is a victim, who is a perpetrator? The missing answer left us with the impression, that some victims are more important than other. And those are just two of many unanswered questions.” concludes Krajišnik.

With the political system not changing anytime soon, Krajišnik instead focuses on the new generation. As the director of Step by Step, an education and teacher training NGO, he tries to improve the education system. His work is urgently needed. The 2018 PISA study showed that more than 50 % of students from Bosnia and Herzegovina don’t reach the minimum level of functional literacy in mathematics, reading and science. Bosnia didn’t participate in the 2022 study, but with the Covid pandemics, it’s unlikely that numbers have significantly decreased.

“It’s impossible to teach critical thinking skills that way” Krajišnik says. “How can they study history, when they cannot understand, differentiate and else?” He suspects that the state has no interest in improving the education system: “The systems benefits, because that way students are easy to manipulate.”

That’s why she and other historians had developed alternative textbooks and manuals in the early 2000’s. While the teachers endorsed the materials, the authorities turned against them: “We were perceived as enemies by the authorities, because our materials brought people together. But they don’t want the people to have anything in common.”

This experience led Forić to change her course. Instead of changing the education system from the root, her work now focuses on the individual teacher. “If you have a small impact on one teacher, they can share it to hundreds of students”, Forić says.

However, even that is not easy. Euro Clio HIP BiH is licenced in both entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegowina and the Republika Srpska. The authorities of the latter are not in favour of their activities. When organizing trainings in the Serb-majority part of Bosnia, they can’t publish pictures of participants, as teachers are afraid of repressions. Still, Forić doesn’t give up hope: “We can’t expect a mountain to break down, but we can make small steps, that will make an impact”.

The goal of Pravi požar is clear: preventing further violence. That’s why they bring veterans and youth from Bosnia and Herzegovina together. In teams of three, veterans from each of the former armies meet with young adults for dialogue sessions. The soldiers recount their lives before the war, how they ended up in the army, and what they experienced. Afterwards, the group can ask questions. “The most asked question is: ‘How do you continue to live after this?’”, says Kulaga. Because of the trauma involved, only those over 18 may take part, with a psychologist always present.

In a country still deeply divided along ethnic lines, Kulaga’s work faces resistance. “The political parties label us as traitors because we work together” he says. International donors also hesitate to support veterans. Still, he refuses to give up – and receives recognition: In 2023, Mr. Kulaga was named Peace Activist of the Year in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Even though today’s teenagers have not experienced the Bosnian war themselves, Vejzovic reports a huge division. To bring youth from both ethnic groups together, LDA relies on non-formal education. The team tries to catch their interest with projects that uses different tools such as art, culture, architecture, climate change, global learning or entrepreneurship. Their strategy works, confirms Vejzović: “Once brought together, the youngsters forget about the divisions, they only think about the future.”

People are tired of gridlocked politics and initiatives called peace building. “You don’t need to ‘peace’ me. I’m fine,” is a common reaction she hears in Mostar. But it is evident that peace building activities are needed now more than ever before.

On a national level, Vejzović is less hopeful. Peace building and reconciliation are processes that will take many more years – not least due to Bosnia’s complex political system: two entities, three constituent peoples, and a presidency shared by three members, overseen by the UN-appointed High Representative who can veto decisions. In this context, a lot more work lies with civil society organizations: strengthening citizens’ participation and building a society that nourish peace and participatory democracy.

Despite all the challenges, stories like Maja Vejzović’ show that change is not only possible, it’s already happening. While Bosnia’s political system may remain tangled and tensions persist, there are people on the ground who refuse to give in to division. As Vejzović concludes: „Through dedication, creativity, and grassroots efforts, activists are building bridges where others see walls. In classrooms, youth centers, and everyday conversations, a new generation is slowly learning to see beyond ethnic lines. These small steps may not make headlines, but they are quietly shaping a future where unity is no longer an exception, but a shared vision.“