Mrkonjic Grad, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Dozens of artists and art students – both with and without disabilities – gathered at Balkana Lake last week for the fourth Regional Art Colony Balkana.

With the theme “Arts beyond borders and barriers,” the event aimed to raise public awareness on the critical issue of disability rights as human rights, and on other issues such as social inclusion, post-war recovery, survivorship and reconciliation. The artists came from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro to participate in the colony, and were joined by students of Art Academies from Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Belgrade.

This year’s event called for the adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities. After the event, the participating artists were asked to use the advocacy skills they learned to raise awareness of and support for the convention.

The art colony was organized by the Survivor Corps Regional Office for Southeast Europe, in partnership with Landmine Survivors Network-Bosnia and Herzegovina (LSN-BiH). Survivor Corps is a partner of The Advocacy Project, and AP sent Peace Fellow Antigona Kukaj to volunteer with LSN-BiH this summer. Read more about the 2008 Art Colony Balkana and the participating artists on Antigona’s blog.