SUPPORTING RECONCILIATION PROCESSES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS 26 pages, pdf  Download Back

SUPPORTING RECONCILIATION PROCESSES IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

Publisher: Valeska Esch, Viktoria Palm

Volume: 26 pages, pdf

Description:

In recent years, reconciliation seems to have all but disappeared from the political agendas in the Western Balkans (WB). The international community has brought the topic forward several times and commitments have been made by governments of the region. However, substantial progress in this regard is lacking. On the contrary, nationalist, revisionist, and divisive rhetoric from politicians and other public figures in the Western Balkans is on the rise again, often employed to serve vested political interests. This not only leads to an increasingly polarized societal climate within and between the countries of the region, but also adds to the pain of the victims of the war and their families. The recently re-emerged discussions about changing borders in the Western Balkans are further adding to these rising tensions. This worrying development deserves special attention at the regional and international level. Not only does it represent a major stumbling block for the peaceful development of the Western Balkan countries and their respective EU aspirations, but it also bears the risk of destabilizing the entire region. For these reasons, continuous dialogue on all levels both within the region and with international stakeholders is necessary to jointly address this challenge and to find ways to support reconciliation processes and inter-societal dialogue. To contribute to this effort, the Aspen Institute Germany organized a closed-door virtual expert workshop and stakeholder meeting entitled “Supporting Reconciliation Processes in the Western Balkans,” kindly supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, in March 2021. At this event, we gathered more than 40 experts from the Western Balkan Six countries and Croatia, including members of NGOs working on reconciliation in the region, journalists, youth representatives, academics, artists, as well as representatives of international organizations and officials from the EU and its member states. The aim of the event was to jointly elaborate and discuss multi-perspective ideas and policy recommendations on how a genuine process of reconciliation can be revitalized and further supported, both from within the region and also externally. The following recommendations were developed over the course of the workshop in the areas of: transitional justice; history, research, and education; public discourse and media; as well as the role of civil society and NGOs. Please note that this summary only provides a collection of the points raised by workshop participants. They do not reflect Aspen Germany’s position on the issues addressed.