Community Relations Work with Young People in Vukovar, Croatia: An Exploratory Study in Coexistence Building

Abstract

This article discusses the role of non-governmental organizations in promoting peace education, coexistence, reconciliation and dialogue among young people in Vukovar, Croatia. We argue that reconciliation cannot be imposed from above, but must be built, nurtured and sustained from the bottom-up. Much of this work of dialogue building is carried out at the community level by grassroots organizations. We describe the types of civic organizations, the peacebuilding approaches used, as well as the sustainability, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and barriers for youth participation in these organizations. A number of in-depth interviews were conducted with representatives of civic organizations in Vukovar. Moreover, the methodology involved an analysis of programs and activities promoted by the community organizations. Findings illustrate that different strategies and activities are used by community organizations, which involve a relatively small number of participants and which do not have a developmental plan to follow young people after the termination of a project.