The youth of Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina as bearers of collective change

June 11, 2026

Young people from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia are fostering regional cooperation through civil society programs, non-formal education, and grassroots initiatives that contrast sharply with the nationalist rhetoric of their political leaders. Through workshops, study trips, and joint projects focused on transitional justice, human rights, and collective memory of the 1990s wars, these youth are building networks of solidarity and critical dialogue that formal education systems often fail to provide. Participants describe these collaborative experiences as empowering, helping them realize they share similar struggles and values with peers across borders, reducing feelings of isolation in their politically divided societies.

Who is affected

Young people from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia participating in regional programs
Specifically named individuals: Vid Radičević (22, from Zemun, Serbia), Enis Mlivić (24, from Breza, Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Tena Vizinger (21, from Zagreb, Croatia)
Civil society organizations that have been conducting these programs for nearly three decades
The Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC)
Activists and protesters in the region
Communities in Zagreb, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Podgorica, and Pristina

What action is being taken

Young people are collaborating through workshops in Sarajevo, study trips in Zagreb, and joint projects in Belgrade
Civil society organizations are bringing young people together around topics of transitional justice, human rights, and regional solidarity
Youth are attending commemorations in neighboring countries
Participants are analyzing judgments of international courts together
Young people are working on joint research projects
Regional activists are conducting joint campaigns against hate speech
Teachers in Croatia and other countries are promoting mutual dialogue

Why it matters

This regional youth cooperation matters because it represents a form of civil resistance against the nationalist rhetoric and deepening divisions promoted by politicians in the region. By creating spaces for critical dialogue about the legacy of the 1990s wars—discussions often absent from formal education systems burdened by nationalist narratives—these initiatives help young people understand the complexity of the past and build trust across borders. The cooperation demonstrates that initiative and solidarity can overcome institutional obstacles, laying foundations for lasting peace by replacing the logic of collective guilt and permanent intolerance with a culture of responsibility and mutual understanding. These networks also have implications for the region's European Union accession process and overcoming barriers between countries.

What's next

Tena Vizinger hopes that in the long term, the work of competent teachers promoting mutual dialogue will result in concrete cooperation between countries in dealing with the past, facilitated through structural changes such as education reform. The article indicates that despite challenges including limited civil society resources and political pressure, regional youth activism continues to grow through trainings, workshops, and joint projects.

Read full article from source: Global Voices