I have been in Tuzla for only two weeks, but somehow it already feels much longer than that. Everyone I have met has been so friendly and accepting – despite my lack of Bosnian-speaking abilities – especially the women at BOSFAM. I think they may be starting to get annoyed with the fact that all I can comment on is the weather and my sisters’ names, and ages! Oh well, language learning is a slow process and I will persevere.
My days so far have been spent finding my way around Tuzla, visiting Srebrenica, and helping Beba with a few of the many issues the BOSFAM website has. We are updating the webshop and increasing BOSFAM’s presence on World of Good, an ebay-administered site for entrepreneurs directly involved in social justice initiatives. I will be sure to post the link for BOSFAM on my blog as soon as this is complete.
Another thing I’ve been working on is increasing communication between all AP partner organizations in the Balkans. To this end, I have been in frequent contact with Donna Harati and Simran Sachdev (volunteering with Women in Black in Belgrade, Serbia) and Tiffany Ommundsen (volunteering with the Kosova Women’s Network in Pristina, Kosova).
Donna is arriving by bus this evening and will travel to Vogosca-Sarajevo with us tomorrow. BOSFAM is presenting the Srebrenica Memorial Quilt project in Vogosca as part of the “Our Manifest: We Will Not Forget Srebrenica” program organized by the Municipality of Srebrenica, Association Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves, and Women of the Podrinje. All six AP Peace Fellows in the Balkans will meet up on July 11th at the memorial service in Potocari for the victims of the genocide in Srebrenica.
Tags: BiH, BOSFAM, Donna Harati, ebay, Europe, Kosova Women's Network, Mothers of Srebrenica and Zepa Enclaves, Potocari, Simran Sachdev, The Advocacy Project, Tiffany Ommundsen, Tuzla, Women in Black, Women of Podrinje, World of Good
How wonderful that the quilt is making its way around the Balkans! I’m go glad that project has taken off. Looking forward to more posts and pictures. My love to Beba. –Stacy