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The air we breathe does not know ethnicity

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The main challenges in Kosovo center around the mistrust that exist between majority ethnic Albanians and minority ethnic Serbs in Kosovo, rooted in unaddressed issues from the past, frequent political manipulation and de facto separation between the communities. Division exists on several levels, such as physical(communities live next to each other,majority rarely engage in meaningful interaction), cultural (lack of knowledge of others’ languagesand cultures), religious (Islam, Orthodox and Catholic), perception-based (polarized narratives andinterpretation of history). Therefore, there has to be a unified effort from both sides, on individual, collective and policy level in order to kick-start improving social, cultural as well as economic relations between different communitiesliving in Kosovo.

Through Reconciliation and Conflict Transformation, Community Building Mitrovica (CBM), New Social Initiative (NSI) and Youth Initiative for Human Rights-Kosovo (YIHR KS) will apply People to People (P2P) approach, by identifying, encouraging and facilitating joint actions of citizens in Kosovo, in order to promote peaceful co-existence, active cooperation, and exhibiting of democratic values. 

One of the ways to achieve that, is to create a safe space for people from all communities to freely share ideas around the common issues, but more importantly to jointly improve everyday lives is through Cohesion Circle group.

Cohesion Circle is an informal group of 25 citizens, but open for new members, with different backgrounds, both ethnic and professions, for initiating community events to generate positive community feedback.

One of the first event Save the Planet is marking the Earth Day, a pressing issue that affects whole Kosovo.  The workshop for planning the event was held, and members gave their inputs on what concrete actions can be taken.

How will we do it?

• Raising the awareness, particularly among young people, organizing workshops to showcase alternative methods of reducing material bad for the environment, using tote bags instead of plastic ones, using refillable bottles (Marija Jaćimović, member of cohesion circle) and have a street action with youngsters to promote this cause
• Organize a peaceful event which will bring attention to the cause – a concert, a bike ride as way of using alternatives to the cars (Nora Prekazi, cohesion circle member)
• Planting Trees – 7 municipalities in Mitrovica region will be donated 12 trees, and with mixed group of cohesion circle members, symbolically plant. This is a great opportunity for members to visit their neighboring municipalities, and connect with people for further cooperation

Reconciliation and Conflict Transformation activity is implemented by CBM in partnership with YIHR KS and NSI, and is supported by the American people through USAID Kosovo.

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