The International Conference on “Reconciling Histories!?”, organised by the Centre for Nonviolent Action Sarajevo/Belgrade, was held in Sarajevo from 15 to 17 May 2018, with a one-day study visit to Zavidovići on 16 May. The “Reconciling Histories!?” Conference brought together peace and human rights activists, peace work researchers, reporters and historians from various countries with war and postwar experience, ranging from India and Sri Lanka, the Balkans, Ukraine and Georgia, all the way to Western Europe.
The choice of peace and human rights activists, peace work researchers, reporters and historians was not haphazard. It indicated an identified need for linking the fragmented work in this area, or at least bringing its actors into dialogue, because everyone can give significant contribution in their own way to building, or to dismantling peace. That is the task of social reconciliation, a task for broad and diverse social groups, and certainly one of the foundations for a successful reconciliation process.
The conference was divided into six sessions, with a field trip to Zavidovići where we met with war veterans of the Army of BiH, the Army of Republika Srpska and the Croat Defence Council that CNA has been cooperating with in peacebuilding activities for years.
Proceedings from the “Reconciling Histories?!” conference are available HERE. Since English was the working language, the conference proceedings are only available in English.