CNA - 3-month Report (March

The period March / May 2000 was an important time for CNA and a time of local elections in BiH, which brought major changes in the political landscape.

As CNA is now in the phase of researching possibilities for transfer to local organisation, that is an opportunity for CNA team to learn details on local laws and conditions of work for local NGOs. The first indication is the process of localization of CNA will go harder than we thought because of undefined tax policy and because of the extreme administration regulations/barriers that need to be met by local NGOs.

CNA has held a pilot project, a Balkan wide training for peace and nonviolence, which may be a first step in expansion of CNA work onto the Balkan region.

The victory of the Social democratic party in many municipalities during the local elections in BiH is certainly a very important event for the country's political future. We very much hope that this event may stimulate proccesses of political stabilisation and pluralism in BiH and the whole region, also contributing to the development of the civil society.

The association for peacebuilding work and interreligious dialog, Abraham from Sarjevo, has organised a seminar "Human rights - especially with accent on the religious freedom of Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats in the regions where they represent an ethnic minority". Three seminras have been held in a row in Livno, Doboj and Travnik, each of these towns having a different ethnical structure of population and the final seminar has been held in Sarajevo with a member of CNA in the role of a facilitator.
The seminars covered issues of: minorities, religious freedom, civil rights, joint projects of national and religious organisations and institutions. All these issues are very relevant and important in BiH in the current moment of postwar peace building.
The set up where each seminar has been held in a town where one of the three constitutional nations are majority has given a special quality to the work. It has also opened up an opportunity for further assesment of needs and insight in the situation of minorities in these respective areas.
Besides that, personal experiences related to the situation of minorities were expressed and the problems other citizens have with discriminating policies of local authorities towards minorities.
Finally, the closing seminar in Sarajevo has been used to formulate concrete suggestions about needed steps in order to improve the situation, based on information gathered about current state of affairs in the whole country.
Three eminent professors, experts in this field who held lectures in the course of the seminars have opened some important aspects concerning solutions for these piled up problems.
Generally spoken, events like these certainly contribute to the development of civil society, through demystification and awareness raising of religion related problems within and outside religious institutions.
Detailed report from this programme can be obtained directly from Abraham (email:ibrahim@bih.net.ba).

2.2. Interviews for the film "Hope for the Balkan"

In March 2000 Peter Wingert, SWR-TV journalist from Germany, realized interviews with a few of CNA team members. These interviews were part of the film "Hope for Balkan". The film was shown on 30. April 2000. Apart from CNA, there were groups and individuals which work on peace building in Bosnia and Herzegovina and wider.

2.3. "Human rights start with you", workshop in Sarajevo 14.04.2000

A member of CNA team took part in one day workshop on "Human rights start with you". The conception of this workshop was one of a brief training for trainers. The workshop was organised by QPS - Sarajevo (Quaker Peace and Service) in cooperation with Amnesty International. Participants of this workshop were NGO activists from both entities of BiH. The workshop was conducted by a volunteer of Amnesty International from Sweden and a Secretary of Amnesty International from Great Britain.

In the workshop it was worked on the themes "Human rights" and "Democracy" in small groups and in plenary. Participative methods were used, so that there was a space for active participation of the group. There was an interesting discussion about Human rights of people who are in position of "minority" according to some criteria (i.e. nationality). In that discussion , it was emphasized that Human rights are universal and that their use in the whole world is very important for implementation of realizing the rights of all people in the world.
(www.amnesty.org - more information on the work of Amnesty International)

2.4. Pilot Training-Seminar for Peace and Nonviolence

The Balkan-wide Pilot Training-Seminar for Peace and Nonviolence organised by the Centre for Nonviolent Action - Sarajevo, was implemented between 21st April - 2nd May 2000, in Zlaca, near the town of Banovici in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Eighteen participants attended the training, consisting of eight women and ten men from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, Croatia, (FYR) Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Greece. Unfortunately two participants, one from Kosovo and one from Montenegro, cancelled a few days before the beginning of the training. This regrettably left us with no participants from these regions, as it was not possible to find replacements so soon before the start. The age of the participant group ranged from 20 to 35 years.

The participants came from the following organisations:
* Albanian Committee for Peace and Democracy, Tirana, Albania
* Albanian Journalist Union (K.SH.B.G.), Tirana, Albania
* Gender Task Force, Tirana, Albania
* Youth Centre, Zavidovici, Bosnia-Herzegovina (Federation of BiH)
* Forum of Women Gracanica, Bosnia-Herzegovina (Federation of BiH)
* Association Bridge (Most), Visegrad, Bosnia-Herzegovina (Republika Srpska)
* Union of Bulgarian Foundations and Associations, Sofia, Bulgaria
* Anti War Campaign, freelance trainer, Trogir, Croatia
* University of Macedonia, (student of economic and political science), Thessalonica, Greece
* First Children's Embassy in the World - Medjasi - Skopje, Macedonia (FYROM)
* Balkan Peace Centre at the St, Cyril and Metodius University, Skopje, Macedonia (FYROM)
* Hungarian Student Union of Cluj-Napola, Oradea, Romania
* Youth organisation of Democratic Party, Oradea, Romania
* Ankara War Resisters Association, Greenpeace, Ankara, Turkey
* War Resisters Association, Izmir, Turkey
* Autonomous Women's Centre Against Sexual Violence, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
* Humanitarian Centre for Integration and Toleration, Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Yugoslavia
* Novi Sad - Humanitarian Centre, Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Yugoslavia

As this was a pilot project, many aspects of the seminar were new to CNA. The response of founders to the project was disappointing to say the least. The fundraising started in October 1999, but that did not have any effect on the amount of support we eventually managed to secure. By April 2000 some founders still did not know how they are to spend their funding resources for the year 2000. We had almost reached the stage of cancelling the training when the Westminster Foundation for Democracy informed us that they will donate a substantial amount of the money needed. Schueler Helfen Leben (SHL) also made an appreciable donation, and between these 2 founders we were able to proceed. However we did not manage to gather much more than half of the funding needed to implement the seminar, and the gap this leaves in CNA's finances may effect our work for the rest of 2000.

Organising the travel for participants had various complications. We discovered to our horror that a plane ticket for someone outside BiH can cost up to 2 or 3 times it's price if we paid for it in Sarajevo. Some airlines were more interested in customer care than others when it came to flexibility with waiting lists and dates, which was a cause of great frustration. There was not much trouble organising the visas, and indeed we found the Foreign Ministry of BiH quite helpful. Participants from Albania needed a letter to confirm they had visas for BiH, which the Ministry also supplied us with. This was needed to enable them to get the flight from Tirana to Sarajevo. But, in the end we are happy to say that everybody who was expected, arrived safely in Sarajevo.

After working in former Yugoslavia since 1997 CNA has built-up links and insight into the work of various organisations throughout the region. When applications arrive for a training we have a picture, or do not have any difficulties in getting a picture, of the type of group that individuals who applied come from. However with the groups that participated in the Balkan-wide training that were from outside the countries of former Yugoslavia, we had very little idea of the type of group they were apart from the basic information given in the application. We see this as a potential first step towards building up the links with organisations that can give us the advantageous insight into the groups that apply.
Because of the different countries that were present the working language of the seminar was English. The level of language skills varied amongst the participants, which effected involvement in the sessions. For any further work in English language the training team has asked itself whether the workshops should be further adapted to suit a seminar being implemented in a second language, and also whether CNA should put more effort into ensuring the needed level of foreign language skill is present, before the training takes place.

The themes that the seminar worked on are:

* Introduction
* Nonviolent communication
* Team work and decision making
* Violence/Nonviolence
* Perception
* Understanding of conflict
* Differences
* Gender
* Prejudice
* Identity and national identity
* Leadership
* Creative conflict transformation
* Power and action
* Evaluation

Working on some workshops in previous seminars had established specific expectations for the training team, and sometimes very different and unexpected responses occurred in this seminar. For example during the workshop on the theme of Leadership, workshops that usually create great controversy and emotional discussion were felt by the training team to be quite dry, and a number of participants commented in evaluation that they 'didn't get the point'. On the other hand discussion on what should be put into the working rules caused such on-going debate that a working group had to be formed to deal further with the points that were raised, and any further discussion on the working rules in the plenary re-ignited further debate, not necessarily on the same topic. Aspects such as this ensured that the seminar did not become predictable.

The topic of gender was a cause of great discussion/debate in the plenary, in the working rules and in a number of other workshops. However, the actual gender workshop was one of the drier sessions that took place, some members of the training team feeling that it is the lightest, least confronthing one they have ever seen.

The workshop Understanding of Conflict was very emotional, with statements being made that caused strong reactions. e.g.
- I feel satisfied to have shown a good part of me, but disappointed with the other group
- I am really surprised that the other group is so happy with themselves, feels so good, I feel like the bad guy, I feel really bad
- I am proud of making them feel like Barbarians, I'm proud of being calm and silent
- (I feel) dumb and confused and apologise to people who got hurt. Another time please explain better the rules.
- I'm feeling angry that people are proud they made us feel like barbarians

Strong feelings which were provoked in the exercise gave us excellent material to analyse the workshop theme "Understanding of conflict".

The workshop on Identity, although one of the 'softer' workshops in the agenda, brought out one of the strongest reactions in the discussion, when personal and courageous statements were made, leading to emotional debate about national identity. (Because of their personal nature they are not documented)

Because of the pilot nature of the seminar the evaluation has been of specific importance. The evaluation was done on a workshop basis and in the form of a questionnaire. Some statements made during the workshop evaluation were:

- I got a lot of information about nonviolence, Balkans, my experience, got friends, got tolerance for other ideas. I found out who I am, got training skills and lots of jokes. I lost some of my prejudices.
- Now I have friends from the Balkan. Experience was very good and new knowledge... This training has opened my horizons.
- I gained a lot of work. I never could expect that this could be so tiring. I really met people that I would like to meet, but didn't have a chance before.
- I lost the concept of my national pride. This is very important to me as a lawyer and as a person - by learning about other countries and cultures. I've learnt also that Greek people are good people.
- This work is compulsory for the Balkans.
- The Balkan is like a bomb (which can explode, and this can stop it!) we are waiting to explode. This kind of seminar is necessary to change mentality.
- This work can change everything, because it gives power to the people and they can change everything.
- Nothing is natural. If you want it - you can do it. But, I think it would be great to happen to Balkans, to have CNA everywhere.
- I have problems with the countries of former Yugoslavia. It helps me to be included. I need to learn more and more.
- I can see CNA as a part of a network on a Balkan level, world wide network... It is good to continue.
- (I expect that) CNA can support other organisations that may be included in the network.
- CNA already started to work on a Balkan level; it is good to continue.
- I agree with any organisation doing it, not only CNA.

We feel that the goals of awareness raising and building capacity for regional cooperation have been achieved to a great extent, and the evaluation questionnaires
( Do you see potential cooperation with some of the participants? What kind of?) of participants clearly confirm this, e.g.

- I already started it. Co-operation in seminars or conferences......
- I hope that I will remain in co-operation with other NGO's in Bosnia and Macedonia
- Common projects in the field of my work.
- Definite professional co-operation.
- Ones that are compatible with my actual activities, Human Rights, youth collaboration, etc
- Yes, sure, I already talked with couple of people about potential cooperation.
- Yes; in activism - antimilitarism, feminism, anarchism, anarchy-feminism, nonviolent communication and action. Continuing exchanging knowledge and experiences.

A major question for CNA as organisers and trainers was whether trainings in nonviolent conflict transformation are needed and useful on a Balkan wide level, and whether a project of this type does respond to the needs of activists from the region. After evaluation all participants, and the team itself, share the opinion that the need exists, and it has been described by all as necessary that it should continue and widen.

If CNA is to strategically decide to expand our work beyond the countries/regions of former Yugoslavia, we need the necessary resources to pursue it, in order to produce a multiplication effect of the skills and awareness being developed. Training for Trainers for people from former Yugoslavia who participated in basic trainings in nonviolent conflict transformation represent a very important step in achieving the multiplication effect. Our previous experience confirms the appropriateness of this approach. We believe that Balkan wide work should be pursued in the same manner, also providing Training for Trainers after implementation of 3 Basic trainings such as this pilot project. We are keen to work further on a Balkan wide level, and intend to develop the links made with groups and individuals that participated in the seminar. In any future Balkan wide seminars we would intend to incorporate people from outside former Yugoslavia in the training team and organisational aspects of the event.

The seminar documentation, entitled 'P(l)ink barbarianchickenfreak', contains full training team evaluation of the seminar, participant evaluation and questionnaires, workshop instructions and participant responses (including quotes), details on the NGOs present at the seminar, and photographs from the event.

2.5. Placement of Michaele Seitz and Grit Zuchaeus in CNA-Sarajevo

Michaela Seitz and Grit Zuchaeus were placed in the CNA office from 26.04-10.05.2000. The placement was in the frame of "Education in civil conflict transformation" that they are attending in Germany.
Michaela Seitz will volunteer in Benkovac (Croatia) in the next two years in a Pax Christi project, and Grit Zuchaeus will volunteer in Jajce (BiH) in the project of "Friedenskreis Halle e.V.".

As CNA is in the process of the localisation and evaluation of the previous work, we consider that it is good to get once more, through the presence of these two volunteers, the view "from outside", feedback on our work, and to exchange our experiences. This was also a possibility to talk about the course "Education in civil conflict transformation", about it's advantages and disadvantages, as two CNA team members also attended these courses. We also had an opportunity to widen contacts and possible cooperation with organisations that Grit and Michaela are active in.

2.6. Training for Trainers I, 3rd part

The final part of the first Programme Training for Trainers which started in October 1998, has been held in Sarajevo at SHL House, 19-21st May 2000. Originally planned this training should have happened a year ago, in May 1999, but due to the war in Yugoslavia, the training had then been cancelled. The training was held with basically no funds, because Sch�ler Helfen Leben have generously given us free accommodation in their seminar house in Sarajevo. All trainers, including Otto and Ana Raffai who came from Zagreb got no honoraria for the work and the participants were able to cover their travel costs themselves. Six participants came to the training, although one of them unfortunately had to go back to Belgrade, because of family emergency situation. All of the people who came to the training have worked as trainers in the meantime and are currently engaged in training work in different organisations. Despite the fact that so few people were able to come to the training, all of the gathered have stated high satisfaction that the training/meeting has happened.

Two major points for the training were:
- the evaluation of the whole programme, in relation to original expectation and experience gathered in the meantime
- looking forward to possibilities of future cooperation and thinking of personal future visions and desires.

The strongest impression shared from this meeting seemed to have been a feeling of connection and ability to rely on each other and count with support and cooperation in future.

Important information has been gathered in regard to the preparation of the upcoming next Training for Trainers and additional motivation has been harvested.

In informal time Otto and Ana Raffai have given valuable feedback to the draft version of the Manual for Trainings in Nonviolent Conflict Transformation, prepared by a member of CNA and on top of it all we snatched time to talk about our difficulties and exchange some recently learned methods.

2.7. Request for the training with doctors and nurses

CNA was contacted by the International Red Cross, Sarajevo office, about implementing a training for doctors and nurses who work in different towns in BiH. They work in the working groups for exchanging experiences and information on new accomplishments in the field of medicine. This kind of work is something new and it is an integral part of the health care reform in BiH.
The requested training should last for one or two days and cover themes like: team work, decision making and nonviolent communication. The idea is to contribution to better communication within the working groups which already exist, through gaining communication skills.
CNA and the International Red Cross are in the phase of discussion on possibilities of implementing this training.

Until the end of this year CNA is planing the following activities:
- Programme Training for Trainers in Nonviolent Conflict Transformation
- Localisation of CNA
- Evaluation of the three years of existence of the CNA project office
- Research trip in Macedonia
- Introducing new volunteers and saying goodbye to some of the present once
- Publishing the Training Manual

Programme Training for Trainers in Nonvolent Conflict Transformation

The programme will be held from June until October 2000. The participants are people active in peace groups, human rights groups, political parties, media, student organisations, women groups from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro. Previous experience with basic trainings in nonviolent conflict transformation is required.

The programme consists of 5 phases.

Phase 1: 10-days training (9-19 June 2000) - The first training will deal with deepening themes that participants already dealt with on the basic trainings they were involved in, and also with some new themes. It will be offered to participants to make a list of themes they are interested in, and on which they want to work, on the second training. Also they will be asked to form teams (two or three participants in a team) which will prepare workshops for the second training on the themes of their choice, where they will have the opportunity to experience the trainer's role.

Phase 2: Follow up meetings (June-July 2000) - The teams of participants formed in Phase 1 will have the responsibility to prepare a workshop on the theme they chose on that training. Also they will have a follow up meeting with two members of the training team with whom they prefer to work, in order to get feedback on the workshop they prepared, to get suggestions, advice and support.

Phase 3: 10-days training (28th July - 7th August) - Half of the workshops on this training will be conducted by the participants themselves, on the themes prepared in advance (during follow up visits), under supervision of the team. The training team will conduct workshops on the themes such as the preparation of a workshop, the role of a trainer, difficulties in the work, motivation, etc. Participants will be encouraged to discuss any views on future actions concerning skills and education they have gained, as well as any future cooperation among them. At the end of the training they will form new teams (or stay in old ones, as they like), taking into consideration similar needs they may have in connection with their plans for the future and using the gained skills and education.

Phase 4: The training team will meet the teams of participants formed in Phase 3. These meetings are the possibility for the participants to get advice and support from the training team on the issues they have chosen (for example advice on fundraising if they wish to organise some workshop, or advice on preparing a workshop on any theme they want to do...)

Phase 5: 3-days training ( 13th - 16th October) - This training is the final component of the programme Training for Trainers in nonviolent conflict transformation, and it will include the following: evaluation of the programme, assessment of further needs & possibilities, cooperation planning.

In this moment we are in a very difficult situation concerning the funding for this programme.

Localisation

CNA is planning to start the process of localisation of CNA. At the moment we are researching possibilities and conditions of the localisation. This process we found very interesting and difficult. When we will have gathered more information on this issue we will write a special report on this issue.

Evaluation of the three years of existence of the CNA project office

This activity is still ongoing. Since the last three month report, we developed questionnaires for different groups that we want to include in our evaluation: participants of our basic trainings, participants of our first programme Training for trainers, donors, cooperation partners; and partly for internal evaluation of the CNA team. We are planning to have interviews with some of the representatives of these groups, and the others will get the questionnaires.

The difficulty we are facing is the fact that we will need much more time for this evaluation than we thought on the very beginning, so we didn't make proper work plan with enough of time planned for the evaluation.

Exploratory trip in Macedonia

CNA is planning to do an exploratory trip in Macedonia, to gather more information on groups active there, their type of work, to pursue needs assessment, and explore possibilities and criteria for opening an office similar to CNA Sarajevo in Macedonia.

Why Macedonia? We see the need for more concentrated work on the conflicts in Macedonia-Kosovo-Serbia-Montenegro. We experienced a great interest in our work from the groups that we already know in these regions, and that interest is raising. Unfortunately, due to the logistical difficulties, working from Sarajevo limits possibilities for widening contacts and including more people from Kosovo and Macedonia. Working from Macedonia would give us more possibilities for widening contacts, for including more people from these regions (for example it's much easier for people from Kosovo to travel to Macedonia, than to BiH), but also to directly experience the situation there, which would give us a clearer picture of important issues that should be worked on.

Introducing new volunteers

CNA is still looking for new volunteers. We are looking for one or two volunteers from the countries of former Yugoslavia and one volunteer from elsewhere.
We see the Training for Trainers programme as a possibility to find future volunteers from the countries of former Yugoslavia.

Publishing the Training Manual

The Training Manual that we are attending to publish is nearly finished, it's in the phase of finalising, and we expect it to be published in a few months.

4.1. Cara Leaving

So it's time to go. I've been here for a year and a half, and it really does feel like I've been here for a couple of months. And I know I should have all sorts of things to write, but I don't. My time with CNA has varied from easy and light, to difficult and heavy. But one thing is for sure - I never ever stopped learning. Learning what? well...about the situation around here, about feelings about the situation around here, about my feelings, about training and fundraising, report writing and sending attachments, the prejudices I have and people have about me, about how much a part of me that Northern Ireland is, post-office systems in former Yugoslavia, the language(s), how summer and winter in BiH are like 2 different planets, that I can't afford to give up, about the space on the wall just above my computer, about how much I need to learn.....

I've gone through phases of not feeling that I have the full right to push something, to say something. I'm a temporary guest here. I don't have to live with the consequences of the work being done. I haven't lost, or fought, or suffered here. I've lost my foothold a few times. But it did come back. It's all too important not to do something about feeling unsteady. At the end of the day I'm here to work, if I didn't think I should be here then I wouldn't have come over in the first place. And I've been inspired and encouraged here, by some people, by some events and small actions. I've gained some confidence here, and I may have lost some, but I'll find that out soon enough I'm sure.

I am returning to Northern Ireland with the intention of getting involved with the work at home. What that actually means I will find out when I get there. I'm bringing a lot back with me, I hope I find a way of using it.

Thanks to all involved with me and my work here. It's been a big time for me.

Adnan Hasanbegovic
Ivana Franovic
Cara Gibney
Jasmin Redzepovic
Nenad Vukosavljevic

For Centar za nenasilnu akciju
Center for Nonviolent Action
Project office of KURVE Wustrow

In Sarajevo, June 2000

gency for Personal Services Overseas - Ireland
Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst fuer den Frieden - AGDF
Ann-Kristine Kroeger, Joerg Rohwedder (KURVE Project Office in Turkey)
Berghof Stiftung & Berghof Institute for creative conflict menagement
CNA Support group Hamburg
Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft Vereinigte Kriegsgegner - DFG VK Bielefeld
Deutsches Beratungsbuero - Sarajevo
Internationale Aerzte zur Verhuetung des Atomkrieges - IPPNW Deutschland
International Voluntary Service - Belfast
Menschenrechtsreferat des Diakonischen Werkes
Quaker Peace and Service
Schueler Helfen Leben
Towae Stiftung
Westminster Foundation for Democracy

CNA will very much welcome feedback, suggestions, questions and criticism concerning this report and our general work.
Your thinking along, helps us!
Thank you.

This report may be distributed freely with the aknowledgement of the source.
� CNA