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By: Adin Sadic
“This is the only serious place in the City of Mostar where young people of various backgrounds meet and exchange views,” says Husein Orucevic, Director of the Youth Centre Abrasevic. The Youth Centre officially opened its doors to the public in 2003 and since then, it has not deviated from its goal to promote universal human values and return an urban spirit to Mostar, where a de facto ethno-national division exists. The OSCE Regional Centre in Mostar recognizes the Youth Centre’s achievements in youth advocacy and inter-ethnic dialogue.
The Youth Centre Abrasevic is located on Santiceva Street in Mostar, the location of a fierce battlefield between the BiH Army and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) during the 1992-1995 BiH War. The Youth Centre serves as a bridge to connect people who believe in a Mostar without divisions. Visitors to the Youth Centre believe that dialogue between various ethnic and religious groups and a positive attitude can heal the current state of intolerance and social segregation. Centre employees insist that all activities follow their Ethical Code, promoting such values.
The Youth Centre has been active since 1996 as an important social institution in Mostar, marking it as one of the most long-standing youth initiatives in post-war BiH. In the summer of 1996 the Mostar Intercultural Festival aimed to reclaim public space – including parks, squares and ruined buildings – for a couple of weeks to socialise and share ideas. Young people who conquered the city space during this time later rallied around the idea of a youth centre. Unfortunately, the Youth Centre remained in post-war ruins for too long; it took a full four years to get a modern hall and IT centre. This was despite agreements such as the European Charter on the Participation of Young People – to which BiH is a signatory – which encourages government authorities to prioritize the development of urban environments for youth.
The Youth Centre is much more than a space for Mostar youth; it is a place where prominent international and local authors organize workshops, exhibitions and events, such as a recent film festival on human rights. German Ambassador to BiH, Michael Schmunk, recently attended the re-opening of a movie theatre following its reconstruction supported by the German government.
Centre Director Orucevic stresses that all Youth Centre activities, such as exhibitions, debates and workshops, create a platform for the development of civil society. He furthers that such ideas are still unfamiliar in BiH. As an example, numerous academic works from universities across Europe have focused on the Youth Centre within the context of the City of Mostar, while none from the local academic community have expressed similar interest in analysing the Youth Centre as a successful agent for social change.
Professor Valentina Mindoljevic, President of the Youth Centre Abrasevic Board, says that the Centre has enormous significance for Mostar youth. “I hope that Abrasevic will formally sign co-operation agreements with schools, as its concept and location are ideal to develop critical thinking in young people.”
The Youth Centre stresses that ethno-national divisions in BiH are not conducive to the development of a tolerant and safe society. Therefore, its mission to create a common ground for different identities, facilitate intercultural dialogue, and promote a cosmopolitan spirit for Mostar is all the more crucial.
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