We are more than happy to say that the hard work during the project “Transforming Region One Conversation at A Time – Inspiring Youth Cooperation” paid off, and that project is finished successfully as the teams’ projects are now ready to be shared and to start their lives in the online world.

We must say that all of them invested a lot of energy to adjust and to accept the changes that occurred. Changing the perspective and the concept of projects due to the impossibility to meet live and work in person was demanding, but we do not doubt that connections were made and that the cooperation initiated a new network of young people ready to change the region through culture, art and spreading the open-minded attitude.

We would also like to thank our partners from Rruga me pisha foundation from Albania and OKC Abrašević from Bosnia and Herzegovina for keeping the spirit up all this time, and to Regional Youth Cooperation Office – RYCO for the support along the way.

Until we have an opportunity to meet in person and reinforce the relations, enjoy the fruits of work during this year.

1. Shle –  A YouTube channel dedicated to learning simple Albanian and Serbian/Bosnian language, for everyday use.

2. Balkan Youth Trips – an Instagram page and website dedicated to promoting the beauty and culture of the Balkans with a focus on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia

3. StruggleWithTheInfamousEverydayLife – a short experimental movie, inspired by the artistic works and events that happened in different times of crises. Reflections and impressions of the experience of COVID-19.

4. “I long to speak” – a short video reflecting the linguistic musicality of Albanian, Bosnian and Serbian, tho reciting the same poem, intertwined with music and animated motive inspired by the typographic characteristics of these languages.

5. The stone in the concrete – a short documentary movie that reflects on the role of brutalist architecture in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, its role in the period of the socialist regime and in the present.

6. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on art and authors – research on how did the global pandemic affect art workers in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia; how did they adapt, what were the greatest challenges.

7. The culture of forgetting – a series of interviews with people from Belgrade, Mostar and Tirana talking about places once crucial for these cities and now sliding into forgetting.

8. Heritage stories – a short video on key terms that young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia associate with heritage in various forms.

9. DINING TOGETHER – A cultural round table – an idea to gather people to share the stories and recipes about the dishes popular and traditional in the region, with the accent on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

10. Traces of the Orient – an online tour consisting of monuments and locations dating from the period of the Ottoman Empire reigning over the region, with the focus on Belgrade, Tirana and Mostar. The audio tour is available HERE.