The War Childhood Museum has received the regional “Jelena Šantić – Brave Steps Forward” Award for its “Furaj mir” program. The award was presented last night at the Museum of the Nineties in Belgrade, Serbia. It is awarded by the Jelena Šantić Foundation to promote artistic and social initiatives that contribute to peace, tolerance, understanding, and solidarity. The award is presented every two years in memory of Jelena Šantić, one of the region’s most prominent peace activists.
Explaining the jury’s decision, Filip Ejdus, Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade and a member of the jury, emphasized that the War Childhood Museum has achieved something few institutions manage to do: through the testimonies of people who experienced war as children, it humanized tragedy.
Innovative Approach to Peacebuilding
“Through a participatory approach, this museum has enabled thousands of people to recognize one another beyond dominant ethno-national narratives, while creating a valuable space for the development of an inclusive, civic, and transnational ethos in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Ejdus.
He also highlighted the “Furaj mir” program, which the jury recognized as an innovative approach to working with young people and building peace.
“‘Furaj mir’ has shown that transitional justice does not have to be a dry and abstract concept, but rather an experience that is lived, documented, and shared,” Ejdus said.
Young People as Agents of Change
Irina Ljubić, Executive Director of the Jelena Šantić Foundation, emphasized that the particular value of “Furaj mir” lies in the fact that it does not assign young people the role of observers, but of active agents of change.
“Through research, exhibitions, public events, and collaborative work, participants have demonstrated that confronting the past can serve as a foundation for a more responsible, open, and peaceful society. This reflects the very values that the Jelena Šantić Award seeks to recognize and support,” said Ljubić.
The award was accepted on behalf of the War Childhood Museum by Communications Manager Maida Salkanović, who noted that the young people involved in the program, through the topics they chose to explore, demonstrated that justice, truth, empathy, and equal opportunities are essential for building a strong and stable society — what we call positive peace.
“Young people need hope. They need to see that effort, dedication, and engagement are recognized and promoted as values. At a time when that is not always the case, I believe this program has shown that these values can help young people stand out and become role models for others,” said Salkanović.
Building Peace Through Research, Art, and Dialogue
Over the past two years, the “Furaj mir” program has brought together more than 120 young people from different parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through research, interviews, artistic processes, and exhibitions, participants explored and presented topics important for peacebuilding and strengthening social cohesion.
The program is implemented as part of the “PEACESTORY” project with the support of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund. Project partners include the Mozaik Foundation, the Step by Step Center for Educational Initiatives, and the Association of the High School Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In addition to the War Childhood Museum, which received the award in the civil society organization category, the individual award was presented to Dragan Popović for his book Losing Humanity – Srebrenica as a Historical Fact, while special contribution awards were presented to the Balkan Talks initiative from Niš, Karton Revolucija from Tuzla, and the Student Plenum in Blockade of the State University of Novi Pazar.
