What is your Project about?

Project will deal with exposing war crimes and other human rights violation for both entities in B&H equally by using SMS and e-mail communication. Primary, secondary and university students will receive SMS and email inviting them to join B&H Youth forums page and Facebook group dedicated to discussion of issues such as human rights, war crimes, peace, justice and social reconstruction in post conflict zones. Main problem solved with this project is communication between students from whole B&H without necessity to meet in one place and free from all types of prejudices, since these are their main problems in B&H. They will discuss and invite their friends to debate about these issues. This is the first time in B&H that students will have virtual formal discussion and practice “culture of written world”. At the beginning of project Facebook group will open for this use as well as special section on CCD’s webpage. Conclusions from both sites will be send to the authorities as simple document created by the youth with their comments and desires.

Who?

This project will be implemented by Centre of Cultivating Dialogue and at least one student from the school network. Schools are coming from different parts of B&H. Target population is youth in B&H and Facebook and e-mail as mass communication will reach not only large number of youth in B&H, but also in other countries and communities.

What?

Project is reasonable, achievable and not too complex for implementation. It will include activities for documenting mass violence and attitudes toward peace, justice and social reconstruction in post conflict zones including neighboring communities, that were on opposite sides during the war. Special attention will be given to inclusion of participants from rural areas to this project since these are remote areas without much possibility to use internet forums for stating their opinions. Also,  these areas are most influenced by current politics.This project needs very low cost and it is easy to implement. This is completely new idea and it is impossible to judge on interest from other IT companies to participate but it is sure that few other NGOs such as Youth Information Agency and Women To Women in B&H and also other Debating Centers in Region.

 When?

Complete project will last for 4 months, starting on date of money transfer to CCD. I month

Collecting phone numbers from schools for sending SMS invitations

Collecting e-mails from participants for sending invitations

Creating Facebook group

Creating forums at CCD web page

II month

Sending massage through SMS and e-mail

Starting communication

III month

Communication and debate between students and other youth

IV month

Summarizing results

Sending results in form of the letter to the relevant authorities

Where?

60 schools are from following cities in B&H: Banja Luka, Bihać, Bijeljina, Brčko, Breza, Čelić, Doboj Istok, Donji Vakuf, Foča, Fojnica, Gacko, Goražde, Gračanica, Gradiška, Ilijaš, Istočno Sarajevo, Jablanica, Kalesija, Kladanj, Konjic, Ljubuški, Lukavac, Mostar, Novi Grad, Pale, Prijedor, Prnjavor, Sapna, Sarajevo, Srbac, Srebrenik, Stolac, Teočak, Tuzla, Višegrad, Visoko, Zenica.

Why?

Human rights are defined as the basic human rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled. In B&H rights such as right to life and liberty were jeopardized for the long time and other rights such as freedom of expression, right to participate, right to education, right to work are still jeopardized in most of communities in B&H. These among other human rights will be advocated trough this project and trough use of SMS and e-mail massaging. Other even bigger problem is that country is completely divided and that students from one entity are taught that „other“ and „different“ are completely unacceptable and that they can not be good in any way.

What is the expected impact of Project?

Project has potential to make significant contribution in B&H in area of human rights. This is first try to make project like this in B&H and according to youth which proposed this idea is very possible to have huge success in B&H. Project will have success in including students form both Entities equally in discussion and without prejudices toward each other. The most important influence is establishment of “Culture of Written Word” that is neglected in B&H media, but also among youth.

In addition: CCD is continuously implementing projects in are of human righths. Some of them are:·         Participation in project for Fund Open Society Soros Sarajevo: «Systematic reform of high education in Tuzla Canton»·         Educational project supported by UNICEF under title: "Trough Debate to Human Rights" - July 2000. – January 2001  ·         Educational project supported by UNICEF: "Debate about Rights of a Child" – 30. Jun 2001. – 31. December 2001·         Special price for “Contribution to Reform of educational system” – OSCE 2003·         Project supported by European Commission: "Human rights in school and local community – Advocacy trough debate" ·         Project supported by IDEA and European Commission: "Youth meeting" – workshop for students – April 24th – 27th 2003·         Project supported by Open Society Institute and South East European Youth Leadership Institute (SEEYLI): "Advocacy through Debate" – promotion of non-violent dialogue·         Project of TV debates supported by Swiss agency for development and cooperation and Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues Sarajevo (SDC – IBHI): "Provide a good reason" ·         Project supported by IDEA: The People Speaks 2004– 36 public debates in high schools ·         Project supported by Tuzla Canton «WEB forums for reform of education – Step I»·         Project supported by World bank «Small Grants program» - project of interclub/interschool meetings ·         Project supported by Brčko District Mayor Office – State Debate Competition – Choosing process of B&H representative at world debate competition·         Training of public speaking for Media Plan Institute and NGOs (4 seminars)·         Training of public speaking for ICVA·         Training of public speaking for Foundation Heinrich Böll Sarajevo  ·         Project for IDEA: The People Speaks 2005 - public debate in high schools·         Workshops for students and professors of Herzegovina high schools organized by OSCE Mostar and Nansen Dialog Centre Mostar·         Project supported by Great Britain Embassy – Debate festival in whole area of B&H 2005/2006·         Project supported by Municipality Novi Grad, Canton Sarajevo – Public debate on topic of Prevention of drug addiction·         Project of TV debates supported by Swiss agency for development and cooperation and Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues Sarajevo (SDC – IBHI): "Youth activism trough TV debates Provide a good reason" 2006·         Project for USAID i Center of civil initiatives - TV debates and media campaign of youth related to Elections in B&H 2006. ·         Project of Seminars for teachers in primary and high schools of Brčko district «Trough debate to human rights» ·         Project supported by UNDP: Word against segregation – interclub meetings·         Project supported by Great Britain Embassy – Debate festival in whole area of B&H 2006/2007·         Project supported by IDEA – The People Speaks 2006 – different activities with main topic of Millenium Development Goals, Peace and Security and role of US government in world politics·         March 2007 – February 2008 - Project of TV debates supported by Swiss agency for development and cooperation and Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues Sarajevo (SDC – IBHI): "Youth voices trough debate" 2006·         July 2007 – May 2008 - Project of TV debates supported by WBI and Nokia: “We want to be heard”·         May 2007 – May 2008 – Project supported by US Embassy·         May – June 2007 - Project of TV debates supported by CISP: Debate about youth policies·         March – Septmeber 2008 - Project of TV debates supported by Hungarian Embassy ·         2008 - Project of TV debates supported by Slovak Embassy ·         March – October 2008 - Project of TV debates supported by Swiss agency for development and cooperation and Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues Sarajevo (SDC – IBHI): "Youth voices trough debate"·         November 2007 – November 2008 - Project of regional TV debates supported by BTD Balkan Trust Democracy·         September – December 2007 - Project Bosnia Open competition - supported by IDEA·         2008 - Project Bosnia Open competition - supported by Ministry of Civil Affairs of B&H·         2008 - Project Bosnia Open competition - supported by City of Sarajevo, Mayors office·         2008 - Project Bosnia Open competition - supported by Swiss Embassy·         2008 - Project of state level competition - supported by Government of BOsansko podrinjski Canton·         2008 - Project of state level competition - supported by Ministry of Education of Canton Sarajevo·         February 2009 – project supported by Cantonal Television of Canton Sarajevo – Debate TV news dedicated to World Competition in B&H in 2009·         February 2009 – project support by UNDP B&H „Youth in Transitional Justice“

Locations