HISTORY FORGED BY THE MEANS OF TEXTBOOKS

Kragujevac, June 23-27, 2006

12/08/2006

The 27th in the series of “Schools of Democracy”

The project “Building up Democracy and Good Governance in Multiethnic Communities,” realized thanks to the support of the European Commission – Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights

“There is too much violence in our society.” “Our country is multiethnic and there are too many conflicts. Therefore, I take it important to learn how to solve problems by peaceful means.” “We know nothing about our rights.” Those were just some of expectations voiced by 26 trainees attending the seventh school of democracy organized by the project’s Kragujevac branch.

On the first day Nenad Popovic and Dusan Cukic of the Regional Agency for Economic Development addressed the trainees. Speaking of Serbia-EU relationship, they focused the problems and perspectives of young people both in Serbia and in EU member-states. The trainees were most interested in the possibilities to leave Serbia either for further education or future employment. Though the great majority of them had been abroad within school excursions only, their impression of “better life and better prospects” decisively influenced their eagerness to leave Serbia. However, the workshop on citizen-state relationship, led by Ljiljana Palibrk of the Helsinki Committee, made them realize how little they knew about rights and duties, and face their delusions about the life in EU. Indicatively, most of them said they doubted Serbia’s capacity to attain the standards of the developed countries.

Next day the trainees talked to Prof. Milan Vukomanovic about religion and its influence on the society, as well as about the state-church relationship. They opened the discussion by speaking their mind about religion. Regardless of the church’s growing impact on Serbian society, only one trainee declared herself Eastern Orthodox believer but emphasized her “reservation about the church.” The rest said they respected all religions though were more interested in learning about differences between religions, historical and social processes that have influenced development of various religions, etc.

Historian Dubravka Stojanovic absolutely captured the trainees’ attention and sympathy by speaking of the history of everyday life, culture, family relations, etc., vs. the political history as the only officially recognized in Serbia. The examples of the history forged by the means of textbooks and misuse of history for political purpose were particularly thought-provoking. The same topic was further elaborated by Ivan Colovic, who broached manipulation of facts and myths, and the manner in which hate speech is shaped and used in specific historical/political circumstances.

Branislav Kovacevic discussed with the trainees the issue of war crimes and the relationship between the tribunal in The Hague and Serbia. He emphasized the necessity of arresting and extraditing The Hague fugitives not only as Serbia’s international obligation, but also as an imperative in the process of citizens’ facing up the recent past and the crimes committed “in their name.”

In the workshop organized on the last day, the trainees analyzed the situation of human rights in Serbia and learned about mechanisms for their protection and for strengthening of civil solidarity in the cases of gross violations.

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