Western Balkans
For three decades, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom has been active in the countries of the Western Balkans, supporting them on their path to a united Europe. Out of its project office in Belgrade, the foundation coordinates its political and civil society work and consulting in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo and Serbia. Together with domestic partners from politics and civil society, the foundation works specifically on the topics of human and civil rights, digital and open society, democracy and the rule of law, as well as on embracing European values and standards in the framework of the EU integration process.
News
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Oscar-winning short film “Istina” screened in Belgrade
The short film “Istina” (Truth), the production of which was financially supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, was screened for the first time in Serbia. The fictional movie is about a photojournalist from Belgrade who is threatened by right-wing extremist thugs and flees to Germany with her daughter. “Istina” won a bronze medal at the 50th Student Academy Awards/Student Oscars® on 26th October.
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Supporting Quality Journalism to Safeguard Democracy
Are journalists still the fourth branch of power, or have they become vicarious agents of the powerful? How should media professionals deal with politics and with politicians when PR is oftentimes perceived to be more important than substance? Is a good story an instrument to transfer a message to the reader, or a goal in itself which brings appreciation and prizes to journalists?
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LGBTIQ: Is Serbian society beginning to understand?
At the beginning of September, the “Pride Week”, organized by various Serbian LGBTIQ organizations, took place in Belgrade. It was the eleventh time that the community stood up for their rights on the streets of the Serbian capital. During the biggest demonstration so far, up to 15.000 people walked through Belgrade without any incidents, according to the organizers.
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FNF supported short film “Istina” nominated for student Oscars
The short film “Istina”, which was supported by Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, has been nominated for the 50th Student Academy Awards/Student Oscars®. The film tells the story of a photojournalist from Belgrade who is threatened by right-wing extremist thugs and flees to Germany with her daughter. For the young film team around director Tamara Denić and producer Christian Siée, this is a dream come true.
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Smart Cities in Kosovo: Empirical Study on Citizens’ Preferences and Perspectives
In a follow-up study initiative aimed at bridging this chasm, the Western Balkans office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and UBO Consulting undertook a comprehensive study focusing on the citizens of Kosovo’s seven regions. Engaging with 1568 participants, including those of Albanian and Serb ethnicities and other ethnic minorities, the study sought to gauge the citizens’ familiarity, utilization, apprehensions, and future inclinations towards smart city services.
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Smart Local Communites in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Follow up
The follow up study, the results of which we present below are the product of the research conducted in the period January - April 2023 and its main goal was to check how much, if at all, the development and application of solutions in the field of Smart City was influenced by the state of the pandemic and the crisis it brought with it, and whether two years after the first conducted research, interest in this topic increased.
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Borderline Balkans
In an area smaller than former West Germany, as many as six countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia – are bundled together: the Western Balkans is the colourful mosaic in the courtyard of the European Union. Travellers are bound to experience for themselves how much still needs to be done to integrate the region in a united Europe.
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Playing with fire
Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo have been boiling up again since last week. The trigger was a suspected terrorist attack by Kosovo Serbs in northern Kosovo, which is interpreted diametrically differently by the Serbian and Kosovar sides. This is not the first time in the relationship between Serbia and its former southern province that an event has been perceived or instrumentalized in completely different ways.
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Vukosava Crnjanski
Vuka has worked as a trainer and practitioner since 2004, providing capacity-building in advocacy, public outreach, campaigning, strategic planning etc. Her work extends to political parties, non-governmental organizations, govern-ment officials, media outlets, and institutions on a local and international scale.
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Jasmina Mršo
Jasmina is an expert in working with political foundations and political parties and a skilled capacity-building trainer and moderator who worked on many local and international projects. She is an editor for the PartyParty magazine and offers strategic support to the European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP).
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Ivana Fundurulić
Ivana is a mathematics and physics teacher from Zagreb. Her passion for teaching is complemented by a drive for continual learning and knowledge-sharing, actively seeking out new projects and workshops that foster growth and enlightenment. She is an alumna of ALDE's "Alliance of Her 2022" and holds several key roles within the party "Centar".
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Joanna Burnos
Joanna is the director of "BAZA – Balkanska Ženska Akademija". She is an international expert on women’s leadership and the founder of LEADERIS Institute providing training, consulting and public speaking services in the field of diversity, inclusion and leadership across Europe.
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BAZA - Balkanska Ženska Akademija
Are you a woman seeking to break the societal barriers of political participation in the Western Balkans? Are you ready to create change in your community or your country? The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom invites applications for the inaugural class of "BAZA – Balkanska Ženska Akademija". This pioneering three-month empowerment program aims to equip women with the necessary skills and knowledge to assert their political ambitions and facilitate gender equality in our societies. Join a network of like-minded women who are dedicated to fostering freedom, peace, and tolerance within their respective societies!
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“Russian Agents of Freedom” awarded European Prize
The Croatian documentary film “Russian Agents of Freedom” (“Ruski Agenti Slobode”), supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, recently received the European Award of the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND). The film focuses on the struggle of Russian dissidents in a country dominated by war propaganda. Director Marko Stričević explains in an interview why the film is so necessary, especially in this day and age.
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Analysis: “8 Challenges for Democracy in the Western Balkans”
At the Forum 2000 conference in 2022, the renowned political scientist Francis Fukuyama warned of the possibility of a serious crisis in the Western Balkans. This warning was taken seriously by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Forum 2000 and the Association for International Affairs (AMO). The joint study analyzes the current situation and the democratic challenges in this geopolitically important region and derives policy recommendations from it.
