"The Youth Initiative for Human Rights is an unusual organization, because it combines strength and capacities of an institution and structure of a political movement", said the president of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Carl Gershman at the formal assembly celebrating the fifth anniversary of Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), on November 20, in Belgrade "Continental" Hotel.

Formal assembly celebrating the 5th anniversary of YIHR

More than 200 guests, representatives of non-governmental  organizations and youth activists from the western Balkans attended the assembly.

"The struggle to restore Serbia is difficult and important, and YIHR can strengthen Serbia's orientation towards European Union", stated out Gershman.

Guests from USA and Great Britain remarked importance of regional cooperation as a great value of YIHR

American Ambassador in Serbia Cameron Munter also congratulated YIHR on its fifth birthday: "YIHR has been a great success, because it has developed into an organization that employs more than 50 people in seven offices all over the Balkans. I am glad that representatives of this organizations from the whole of the region are present; it says a lot about your commitment to your work", said the Ambassador, in his congratulatory speech.

American ambassador in Serbia Cameron Munter

British Ambassador Steven Wordsworth said that clear understanding of the past is the foundation for the future, and that it is important that young people show that the age of nationalism is behind them. "Each small step in that direction is a step towards a better future for all. Regional cooperation is the key to success, and I am convinced that all regional countries have their place in the EU. YIHR and similar organizations must be leaders in new kinds of cooperation between former Yugoslavia countries", said Wordsworth.

British ambassador Steven Wordsworth

Coordinators from YIHR's offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo also spoke at the opening session of the Assembly.

Dragan Popovic from the Belgrade office remarked that it is very important that YIHR cherishes two values – knowledge and change. "We learned a lot during the past five years, and I can say that knowledge is the inner value of our organization. The second value important to us is the change that we gravitate towards, changing ourselves and others", remarked Popovic.

 

Dragan Popovic has been at YIHR since its begining

Sarah Maliqi, from YIHR's Kosovo office, noted that, "when we started, they said that we could not accomplish anything. The fact that all of you are here says that our initial idea was possible".

Sarah Maliqi - director of YIHR office in Kosova

"We in Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to work on dealing with the past, and on connecting of young people from different regions, promoting their joint values", said Alma Masic from YIHR's office in Sarajevo, continuing, "young people should recognize the power they possess as potential voters that can make good things  happen. During the next five years, our results will become visible."

Boris Raonic and Alma Masic are leading the offices in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Boris Raonic from YIHR's office in Montenegro emphasized the symbolism of the five-year anniversary of the organization: "We are celebrating our five-year anniversary; we have five countries as members, fifty employees, and five hundred activists. I am especially glad that I can hear harmony between two languages, Albanian and Serbian".

Andrej Nosov, president of YIHR, emphasized that young people in this organization are trying to build new and different paths in the Balkans, believing in the same values. Nosov added that members of YIHR had the courage and the energy to change reality in the region.

Andrej Nosov: courage and energy to change reality in the region

"Who will change things if not us, united citizens from former Yugoslavia? I believe that there is civil energy in this region, and it is all our responsibility to work for it everyday", said Nosov, adding that he is very proud of all of those who worked hard during last five years to make YIHR a strong regional organization. At the end of the formal Assembly session, a film about five years of YIHR's work was shown, directed by Darko Sokovic.                                                                                          Dusan Lopusina

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) has announced a call for applications for small grants to be awarded in scope of the Conflict Prevention Programme implemented in the South of Serbia. The main criterion for selection of projects to be granted financial support shall be that they be aimed at civil society capacity building in Preshevo and Bujanovac which will bring about integration of these municipalities into socio-political system in Serbia. YIHR shall be financing projects aimed at encouraging youth from the South of Serbia to actively engage in solving local problems and monitoring local authorities’ activities. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) continues implementation of the civic capacity building program in the municipalities of Preshevo and Bujanovac. If you wish to be active in your community and build civil society this is an ideal opportunity for you. Apply for internship at Youth Initiative for Human Rights' Office in Belgrade, to be organized for young people from Presevo and Bujanovac once per month from mid-November 2009 to the end of March 2010. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) is pleased to announce an open competition for the Regional Internship Programme (RIP). The Regional Internship Programme will grant the first group of 8 interns from Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo to partake in an internship with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Hague in the duration of 5 months and an internship at national war crimes courts/prosecutors’ offices or local institutions and organisations dealing with war crimes in the duration of 3 months. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) hereby calls on the Parliament of Serbia to adopt a Resolution condemning the Srebrenica genocide and welcomes the President of Serbia's efforts that Serbia take an official stance regarding this atrocity. Likewise, we are calling on the Parliament not to relativize the genocide by passing additional resolutions clearly aimed at mitigating the negative effect a resolution on Srebrenica might cause in public. »»

MESS Sarajevo Festival and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights Belgrade are hereby announcing Call for Applications for contemporary local dramatic text written in a South Slavic language that would promote optimism of the new generation about relations between Belgrade and Sarajevo, committedly and critically reexamine prejudice, confront us with the recent past, as well as offer hope that better relations between these cities and a more prosperous future of the entire region are possible. »»

"I suggest that we organize you an internship at the Serbian Ministry of Human and Minority Rights as soon as possible. Experience has shown that the most competent lawyers are those who worked for state administration, because they are in daily contact with various regulations there", said the Minister of Human and minority Rights Svetozar Čiplić at the meeting with 15 young lawyers from Preshevo and Bujanovac, held on December 23. This two-day visit to Belgrade and meetings with representatives of state institutions were organized by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR). »»

On the 23rd and the 24th of December fifteen young lawyers from Preshevo and Bujanovac will be staying in Belgrade, visiting state institutions and speaking to representatives of human rights NGOs. The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) is organizing this visit in scope of the "South Serbia" Project. »»

At the New Policy School (NPS) seminar held in Preshevo and Bujanovac between the 11th and the 13th of December some 50 NPS students attended lectures on minority rights, nations and nationalism, academic writing and development of policy papers, as well as the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The majority of them visited the Preshevo Valley for the very first time on the occasion. They also met with municipal representatives and human rights activists and were given a chance to get an insight into the status of human and minority rights in this part of Serbia. »»

The network of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Kosovo sent the Belgrade Declaration to all the institutions of the Western Balkan states and the European Union on 10 December 2009, the International Human Rights Day. The Belgrade Declaration was unanimously adopted by 300 young people from the Western Balkans, the participants of the Belgrade Summit, held from 4 to 6 December. »»

The Belgrade Declaration, containing demands which shall be submitted this week to governments of the Western Balkan states and to the European Union, was adopted on December 5, 2009, at the Belgrade Summit. The Declaration was unanimously upheld by 300 participants of the Summit from Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia and Kosovo. »»

Good relations and cooperation in the region, implementing laws and facing the recent mutual past are necessary in order for the countries of the Western Balkans to become members of the European Union. This was the conclusion of the opening session of the Belgrade Summit: “The Western Balkans in the EU – the visions of future decision-makers and current policies” on 5 December in “Continental” hotel in Belgrade. »»

“It is necessary to recognize the importance of forming a War Crimes Facts Commission (RECOM) on the territory of former SFRY, in order to be able to build future relations in the region through understanding and accepting the process of facing the past”. This was one of the conclusions of the discussion held at the workgroup “Facing the past as the key step toward a mutual future” on 5 December within the Belgrade Summit. »»

“The law isn't a piece of paper filled with nice sentences. The law is a practice. We can have excellent laws, and live in a poorly organized society“, said Rodoljub Sabic, the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection of the Republic of Serbia during the session “The Rule of Law – pre-condition for a responsible and reliable society“ on 5 December at the Belgrade Summit. »»

“The Governments in the region should enable active participation of the young in the process of decision-making, not only in the field of youth politics, but on all levels of society”, the young activists from Kosovo, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro concluded at the workgroup “The young in the process of decision-making – their role and influence” on 5 December within the Belgrade Summit. »»

Some of the reasons listed by the participants of the session on the relations and prejudice between Serbia and Kosovo on 5 December at the Belgrade Summit 2009, for insufficient ties between the young from these regions were an inadequate educational system, inadequate information and limited freedom of movement. Besart Lumi, the coordinator of the Visiting Program of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) office in Pristina, pointed out that the communication of the young from these regions has been impeded from 1999 to present day, and was completely blocked during the war in Kosovo in 2001. »»

“Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje is formally one town, within which two towns operate, one Croatian and one Bosnian. There is a highschool, which contains two schools under one roof – on the lower floor are the Croatian, and on the upper floor the Bosnian students. The children learn by different curriculi. It is sad that these young people go to recess together, and can never greet each other and say ’how are you, what’s new’. If they had a mutual school, a mutual educational system, the possibility for a young Bosnian and a young Croat to sit together and find out that their problems and needs are the same, everything would be different... »»

“Objective of the Belgrade Summit is to initiate lasting dialogue among youth from the Western Balkans region and the European Union and enhance cooperation and communication among youth in the region. During the second, global segment of the Summit, young people will be discussing as to how to utilize new technologies toward creating a platform for cooperation, exchange of experiences and ideas pertaining to human rights and youth participation in decision-making and creation of a global policy”, said Maja Stojanović, Director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights at the press conference held at the Belgrade Media Centre on December 4, 2009, apropos presenting the Belgrade Summit. »»

“The fate of the region still depends on the generation of our parents. The results are evident and it is time to take things into our own hands. There are four hundred of us here, and what we have in common is that we care about our future and do not accept the heritage of the past which no one talks about to be the cause of new problems and divisions. From this place we will send a message to both our politicians and the European Union. We have no intention of standing on the side and waiting for our destinies to be dependent upon the politics of the past. We do not wish to be mere ornaments, we are the ones who will be deciding on the future of the Western Balkans”, said Anita Mitic, an activist of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) in her speech at ceremony of the opening of Belgrade Summit, on 4 December in the Belgrade City Assembly. She pointed out that the aim of the Summit is to create space for dialogue between the young people of the region. »»

The Belgrade premiere of the play “General of the Dead Army” of the Albanian Theater in Skopje, was held on Friday, 4 December on the large scene “Ljuba Tadic” of the Yugoslav Drama Theater. Directed by Dino Mustafic from Sarajevo, the play was shown within the additional program of the Belgrade Summit, organized by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights. »»

The opening ceremony of Belgrade Summit 2009 will start on 4 December at 6PM in the Belgrade City Assembly, where a cocktail party will be hosted by the mayor of Belgrade, Dragan Djilas. The speakers at the opening ceremony, apart from Mr. Djilas, will be Carl Gershman from the National Endowment for Democracy, his excellency Krister Bringeus, the ambassador of Sweden in Serbia, and Stephen Heintz, the president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. »»

“I want messages of this gathering to reach Serbian, Croatian and international officials. When it comes to Vukovar, everyone failed – eighteen years after the town’s destruction no one is held accountable. Accountability was only established for the crime committed on Ovčara farm. If those culpable of this destruction were prosecuted, my friends, fellow townspeople of Serbian nationality, would be feeling relieved too, for it would eliminate the burden of collective guilt. Criminals go under a name and surname”, said Željko Pinjuh, Deputy Mayor of Vukovar at the opening of the debate titled “Responsibility for the Destruction of Vukovar”, held at the Belgrade City Assembly on the 23rd of November. »»

Invitation to a Public Debate “Responsibility for the Destruction of Vukovar” Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) and Agency for Cooperation with NGOs and European Harmonization of the City of Belgrade are organizing a public forum titled “Responsibility for the Destruction of Vukovar”, on Monday, November 23rd 2009. The Forum will begin at 14 h at the Belgrade City Assembly Conference Room (Old Palace, III floor), No. 2 Dragoslava Jovanovića Street. »»

“Graves and silence tell the same tale”, was the motto of the Day of Commemoration of the Vukovar victims, which marked this November 19, the day aggression on the Vukovar suburb of Borovo naselje ended. Before the ruins of “Borovo Commerce” facility, which in the autumn of 1991. served as a sanctuary and hospital for some 800 civilians and soldiers in the Croatian War of Independence, Manda Patko, president of the “Vukovar Mothers” association, said that that day was the day of remembrance of all victims in Vukovar and sympathy with the pain of all mothers, including those on the other side of the river Danube. »»

The Belgrade Summit shall gather in the capital of Serbia from the 4th to the 6th of December this year 300 participants from around the world – young political leaders and civil society activists from countries located in the Western Balkans, Eurasia and the EU, representatives of institutions, member states and Presidency of the EU, USA officials, as well as human rights activists from around the world. The Summit, organized by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, aims at establishing lasting dialogue and cooperation among young human rights activists and civil society representatives in the Western Balkans, as well as sustained communication of young, future leaders from the region with the European Union officials. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ and My Initiative activists marked November 9, the International Day against Fascism and Anti-Semitism, with street actions implemented in Niš, Preševo, Belgrade, Lebane and Vranje. “With our full strength”, “By refusing to sit silently”, “Through cooperation with young people who are the future of the world”, were some of the responses given by Preševo citizens to the question “How to counter fascism?”. The question and answers were written on the board located downtown, put up by My Initiative activists on November 9. »»

With symbolic illumination of the monument to hanged patriots at Belgrade Terazije Square the Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ (YIHR) activists marked the International Day against Fascism and Anti-Semitism on November 09, 2009. During the one hour action, photographs of the five citizens of Serbia who were executed in Banjica prison camp in August 1941, and then hanged from electric posts in downtown Belgrade, were on display. Citizens were read a proclamation through which YIHR demands that state institutions guarantee that past crimes shall not be repeated, prevent revision of history and dismissal of anti-fascist tradition. »»

Apropos the International Day against Fascism and Anti-Semitism, on Monday, November 9, 2009, at 17 h, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ (YIHR) activists will set up lighting around Belgrade Monument to Hanged Patriots, located in front of the number 23, Terazije Street. Photographs of five Belgraders who were hanged on that spot in 1941. will be displayed by the monument. The action of symbolic illumination of the monument shall last for one hour. »»

The below stated non-governmental organizations hereby demand that the Culture and Information Committee of the Parliament of Serbia annul its decision on the selection of candidates from NGO ranks for membership in the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) Council. »»

Representatives of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) awarded diplomas to students of the second generation of the "New Policy School" (NPS) on October 23, 2009, in Belgrade, while a reception was organized for 70 freshmen. Maja Stojanović, YIHR Director, pointed out that in two years the school on human rights and transitional justice was attended by 120 young people from Serbia. As of this school year, lectures will be divided into three segments, while students will be taught about European integration as well. »»

"It is clear that the recent rise in violence in the streets of Belgrade was a political process and that the bullies had their political sponsors. The National Parliament was the only state institution which remained silent to violence. The fact that MPs were the only ones to remain silent is indicative of Serbia, but unimaginable in serious parliamentary democracies", said Boris Milićević of Gay-Straight Alliance at the presentation of the Declaration against Violence, Calls for Violence, Hate Crimes and Hate Speech, held at Belgrade Media Centre on October 26, 2009. »»

Seventeen years ago in place Mioče in Bosnia and Herzegovina inhabitants of the village Sjeverin, Sandzak region, who had taken on that October 22, 1992 the morning bus to work in the town of Priboj, were kidnapped. The bus which had set out from Rudo was stopped by the torched tavern "Amfora" by Milan Lukić and members of his paramilitary unit "Avengers" ("Osvetnici"). »»

"Hate speech can also be visually manifested. It is mainly directed at vulnerable, usually minority groups", explained the Protector of Citizens Saša Janković during the debate titled "Hate Speech and Creation of an Atmosphere of Violence", held on October 16, 2009, at Belgrade's Media Centre. The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) organized this debate following the first unappealable ruling in Serbia pertaining to hate speech passed in the proceedings involving YIHR and the "Glas javnosti" daily and YIHR's legal action against the “Nova srpska politička misao” magazine. »»

The ceremony of awarding matriculation books and diplomas to New Policy School (NPS) freshmen and graduates, respectively, shall be held on October 23, 2009, at 15 h, at Belgrade's Hotel "Zira". After the Award Ceremony, 60 students of the third NPS generation from Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš shall attend an introductory lecture. The school, organized by the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), is intended for students of humanities, young lawyers, journalists, young people from political parties, as well as for civil society activists. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) is organizing a public debate to the topic of hate speech in Serbia and judicial proceedings pertaining to hate speech underway on Friday, October 16, 2009, from 12 to 14 h, at Belgrade Media Centre. We deem a debate to be necessary at this moment due to controversies with regard to limitations on freedom of the press, as well as due to evident role of certain media in creation of the atmosphere of violence in Serbia in recent weeks. »»

Today twenty five university and high school students from Preševo and Bujanovac visited Belgrade for the very first time, in scope of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights' Program "Youth in Action". Activists from the South of Serbia met at the National Parliament with Democratic Party MPs Edip Šerifov and Jadranka Jovišić, from the parliamentary group For European Serbia (Za evropsku Srbiju - ZES). »»

“The program of this year’s Vivisect Festival has a view to drawing attention to hate speech, xenophobia and nationalism in our surroundings, as well as to the increasing attacks on human dignity”, said Visar Mehmeti of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) in the Albanian language and Marija Gajicki of the organization Vojvodjanka - Regional Women’s Initiative in the Serbian language, on declaring the traveling human rights festival “VivisectFest” open on September 29, 2009, in Preshevo. »»

"Hello [zdravo], youth, even though there are not that many of you here. Hello, youth, can also mean youth, stay in good health [zdravo]. I see this gathering as a condemnation of those who are bringing the youth, perspective of this country, in the state of malady. I also see it as a condemnation of hatred which is on the point of founding its party in Serbia, or has perhaps already done so, without our knowledge. That hatred has no bounds - a man was killed", said actor Voja Brajović before some 250 citizens at the opening of the gathering titled "Citizens' Response to Violence", held on October 2 at Belgrade's Pioneers' Park (Pionirski park). »»

"Earlier we were called by the Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, saying that there would be no prohibition of the gathering titled "Citizens' Response to Violence" and that the news of the ban had resulted from communication problem within the Serbian Ministry of Interior (MUP). He also stated that he could not be accountable for actions of every man at the police", said Maja Stojanović, Director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) at an extraordinary press conference held on October 1, 2009, at Belgrade Media Centre apropos prohibition of the gathering titled "Citizens' Response to Violence". »»

"Bullies are not grey zone in this state, but rather a part of it. Gay Pride Parade was prohibited de jure since it was first allowed to take place at one, and then at another location, and that should be clearly pointed out. How did the state justify the ban? It admitted to not being able to cope with bullies. The state has monopoly of force by definition, and if it does not, it is not a state. This means that there exists the fourth branch of power, and not as of recently either - it was incorporated in the 1990s and is made up of an amalgam of bullies, patres familias and tycoons. The problem arises from the fact that the state tacitly recognizes existence of the fourth branch and respects it", said Vesna Rakić-Vodinelić, professor at the Union University's Law School, during a round table debate titled "Civil Society's Response to Violence", held on September 30 at Belgrade's Centre for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD). »»

The organization board of the «Citizens Response to Violence» gathering has the duty to inform the public that the Chief of the «Stari Grad» Police station, Zeljko Perosevic, informed the organizers that the police will not allow the gathering in Pioneer park to take place on Friday, 2 October at 4PM. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) and the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) invite you to the Round table „Response of the civil sector to violence“, which will be held on Wednesday, 30 September 2009, in the Center for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD), Bircaninova 21, Belgrade, at 12 o’clock. »»

The travelling festival about human rights, „VivisectFest“ is stopping in Presevo on 29 September. At the „Abdulla Krashnica“ Cultural Center, the audience will be able to see the photographs of the Bosnian author Tarik Samarah „Graffiti“, and American photographer Ron Haviv „Blood and Honey“. »»

The United Nations have declared 2 October to be the International Day of Non-Violence, and as such it will be maked in countries all over the world. We invite You to join us at the Pioneer park on Friday, 2 October at 4PM, in order to point out once more that violence is not acceptable in Serbia, and that human rights must not be limited because of threats of violence. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) hereby demands that the Government of the Republic of Serbia prove its capability of guaranteeing safety and fundamental human rights to all citizens. Likewise, YIHR would like to underscore great success of the Organizational Board of Pride Parade who managed to obtain public support from numerous individuals, organizations and institutional representatives. »»

Outgoing Program Coordinator Maja Stojanović has been elected to the position of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ Director, at YIHR’s extraordinary assembly session, on September 12th in Belgrade. New Steering Committee has also been elected and it is to take charge of the organization as of October 2009. Historian Marijana Toma has been elected Chairperson of the Steering Committee. YIHR’s Assembly has also elected the organization’s Council. »»

“To love whom I wish to”, “All equal, all different”, “This is the country for us”, “Different, so what”, “Let’s legalize clever graffiti”, “It’s time for equality”, “Don’t be afraid of love”, “Come down from the bough – curb primitivism”, were some of the messages passers-by wrote on improvised wall set by My Initiative activists at Belgrade’s Republic Square (Trg Republike) on August 12, in scope of the manifestation titled “Your day is your deed”. »»

“We are hereby addressing you apropos the initiative by non-governmental organizations that July 11 be accepted and marked in Serbia as well as the Day of Commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide. On the 11th of each month non-governmental organizations shall be reminding state authorities and the public of the initiative toward marking the Day of Commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide”, quotes the letter addressed to Serbian president Boris Tadić, publicly read on July 10 at noon at the plateau connecting the premises of the Presidency of the Republic of Serbia and the Belgrade City Assembly. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) hereby welcomes the decision passed by the Belgrade District Court upholding hate speech verdict against former editor-in-chief of the daily ‘Glas javnosti’, Ivan Čorbić. This is the first unappealable verdict finding a newspaper article to represent hate speech. »»

Footages of Ratko Mladić have unsettled both the public and politicians in Serbia. Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ President Andrej Nosov states for Deutsche Welle of it being difficult to say on the basis of these images as to whether Ratko Mladić is in Serbia today. “However, according to all available information, Ratko Mladić is in Serbia. ICTY’s Chief Prosecutor says so, different international sources say so as well.�? »»

At the plateau connecting the premises of the Presidency of the Republic of Serbia and the Parliament of the City of Belgrade on June 11, 2009, the letter addressed to the President of the Republic of Serbia Boris Tadić, demanding that July 11 be designated as the Day of Commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide, was once again read in public. »»

Between the 20th and the 22nd of May twenty My Initiative activists from Novi Sad visited Prishtina in scope of broader activist training. Promotion of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ Visiting Program, whose fifth anniversary is being marked this year, was organized in scope of this visit. »»

We hereby wish to inform Members of Parliament, the media, non-governmental organizations and the public that the Government of the Republic of Serbia has finalized and submitted to the National Parliament Draft Law on Modifications and Amendments of the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance, drafted by the Ministry of Culture and Media, albeit almost identical Draft Law being in the enactment procedure at the Parliament since 2007. »»

Andrej Nosov, President of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, tells Aida Alic about the Days of Sarajevo festival in Belgrade, Serbia’s attitude towards its past and the crucial role artists can play in reconciliation. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights has filed a hate speech suit against journalist Zoran Grbić and editor-in-chief of the magazine Nova srpska politicka misao (NSPM) Djordje Vukadinović. The suit was filed pursuant to the Public Information Act which prohibits hate speech in the media. The legal action requests that the court assess the stated article as hate speech and order its authors to remove the text from the Internet page, as well as to refrain from similar conduct in future. »»

On Wednesday, April 22, an event apropos the tenth anniversary of the tragic deaths of sixteen Radio Television Serbia (RTS) employees, that took place on April 23, 1999, during the NATO intervention against FR Yugoslavia, was held in Belgrade. A joint study by NUNS (Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia) and Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) of how this incident had been reported on by local press during the month of April 1999 was presented on the occasion. Nadežda Gaće, �?orđe Vlajić, Maja Vasić-Nikolić, on behalf of NUNS, Dragan Popović and Časlav Lazić, on behalf of YIHR, as well as Nebojša Bradić, Minister of Culture, as the only representative of authorities who responded to the invitation, addressed the event. Family members and friends of the perished RTS employees were also among the audience. »»

Apropos the latest posters by the organization “Crna ruka“ (“Black Hand“) that appeared in Pan�?evo, propagating hate speech, Anti-Discrimination Coalition demands that the police identify and arrest all those inciting to violence and hatred toward members of discriminated groups and representatives of authorities. Lately the target of such attacks have also become those who publicly support respect of human rights of all the citizens of Serbia, regardless of their affiliation with a minority group. »»

The Anti-Discrimination Coalition and counterpart organizations demand that the Mayor Dragan Djilas immediately resign from office due to grave violations of human rights of residents of the Roma settlement, located in Block 67 in New Belgrade. »»

An essay by Slavica Radovanović from Djakovica, who visited Prishtina in December 2008 in scope of the Visiting Program. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) and Belgrade City Administration - Agency for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations and European Harmonization (the Agency) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. The signing ceremony took place at the Agency's premises on March 19, 2009. »»

Interviewees of the daily "Borba" are keeping up with assessments of the Government of Serbia apropos 250 days since its constitution. Andrej Nosov, Youth Initiative for Human Rights' president, graded the Government of Serbia with an average mark of 2.7. He, however, says that Mr. Cvetković's government is certainly better than the previous one, helmed by Vojislav Koštunica. »»

At the plateau between the premises of the Presidency of Serbia and Belgrade City Hall, on March 11, at noon, Milan Antonijević of the Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights read a letter addressed to Serbian President, Boris Tadić, in which non-governmental organizations operating in the domain of human rights demand that July 11 be designated in Serbia as a Day of Commemoration of the Srebrenica Genocide. »»

"We want democracy, not theocracy", "No to clericalism", "I repeat for the 101st time - Enact the Anti-Discrimination Law", read some of the banners carried by citizens on March 9 at the plateau between the premises of the Presidency and the Belgrade City Hall. Some two hundred people protested, demanding that the Draft Anti-Discrimination Law, which the Government of Serbia has withdrawn from the parliamentary procedure at the request of the Serbian Orthodox Church and several other churches, be immediately enacted and a stop put to clericalism of the society. »»

Anti-Discrimination Coalition condemns the incident that took place at the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) press conference in Kragujevac on Monday evening and demands that perpetrators be immediately identified and punished. »»

Attempts to present solutions from the Draft Anti-Discrimination Law as extreme or as ones that need additional harmonization amount to misleading the public and are aimed at concealing the responsibility for withdrawal of the Law only 15 hours before the opening of the debate in the Serbian Parliament. »»

Anti-Discrimination Coalition strongly condemns withdrawal of the Anti-Discrimination Law from the procedure in the Serbian Parliament. What gives particular cause for concern is the fact that the Law was withdrawn following the pressure exercised by the Serbian Orthodox Church and other traditional religious communities. »»

Human rights organizations demand that the Assembly of the City of Belgrade immediately dismiss the Director and management of the public company “Centre Sava�? for the reason of discrimination against an organization advocating the rights of persons of different sexual orientation. Management of the “Centre Sava�? prohibited press conference of the non-governmental organization “Gay-Straight Alliance�?, to be held at the “Media Centre�? on February 26, 2009. »»

On the most jinxed day in the shortest month of the year Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) organized a debate to the topic titled “Who Minds Peš�?anik“. Peš�?anik's co-author and guests addressed the panel attended by 300 people. »»

“To learn the truth of past crimes is necessary for recovery of the societies in which the crimes had taken place. In addition to judicial proceedings, reparations programs and institutional reforms, truth commissions play an important role in the process of dealing with the past�?, Marijana Toma, Coordinator at the Impunity Watch’s Belgrade Office, told Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ (YIHR) members from Serbia at the opening of the lecture on transitional justice and truth commissions. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) demands that the Parliament of Serbia prevent propagation of hate speech from its lectern, as well as that the Public Prosecutor initiate proceedings against the president of New Serbia, Velimir Ilić, for instigation of national and religious hatred. »»

Open letter to Serbian president Boris Tadić apropos proclaiming a Day of commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide »»

Serbia is a country peculiar against many criteria. To the list of specialties of our society we may add the fact that human rights defender Nataša Kandić was passed a court verdict sending a clear message that “higher and important factors of political stability�?, such as Tomislav Nikolić is, are cleared of responsibility or potential suspicion of having committed atrocities. »»

On February 5, 2009, the Fourth Municipal Court in Belgrade reached the first instance verdict, finding Nataša Kandić, Executive Director of Humanitarian Law Fund, guilty of libel against Tomislav Nikolić. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights and My Initiative network demand that the authorities immediately identify and punish attackers on the website of the radio programme “Peš�?anik�? and the journalist Svetlana Lukić’s property. Numerous attacks aimed at panels organized by “Peš�?anik�? were followed by a hacker attack on its website, as well as demolition of Svetlana Lukić’s car. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) has elected My Initiative (MI) activist network’s Council members. At meetings held from January 16 – 18 it was decided that members of the Council, which will be expanding the activist network in the region, shall be Omer Bronja for Sandžak, Željko Stanetić for Vojvodina, Nikola Janjić and Visar Mehmeti for the South of Serbia. Milan Petković shall be working in Western Serbia, Nikola Dogandžić in Central Serbia, while Nemanja Stijak will be engaged in Belgrade. »»

Assistant Chief of the Belgrade Criminal Police Department, Milena Živanović, journalist Dinko Gruhonjić, actress Mirjana Karanović, company “Lush�? and NGO Women in Black are the winners of the first annual award for the fight against discrimination, it was announced on January 22 in Belgrade Media Centre. »»

I first visited Pristina within the Visiting Program. I must admit that in my life the issue of Kosovo, ever present in Serbian media, was somehow sidelined and marginalized. Contrary to feeling indifferent towards Kosovo as a territory, I have always been interested in the people inhabiting it. Are they “uncultivated Shiptars�? eagerly awaiting to cause bloodshed? I knew those were stereotypes and that I needed to see for myself. No other nations in the Balkans are as historically, culturally and existentially entwined as Albanians and Serbs are. And yet so much apart. »»

Today the European Parliament has adopted, with 556 votes in favour to 9 against, a resolution officially designating July 11 as the day of remembrance for the victims of the Srebrenica massacre throughout the EU. The resolution was adopted following a motion put forth by Jelko Kacin, Slovenian MEP and the EP’s Rapporteur for Serbia. »»

We would be able to work better if the authorities would be more inclined towards independent institutions, said Sasa Jankovic, republic Protector of citizens, at the conference titled “Challenges in establishing of independent institutions in Serbia�?, held on December 18 in Media Center in Belgrade. »»

- Ombudsman is one of the institutions which, together with media and non-governmental organizations, should work on creating the culture of human rights in Serbia – said Danica Todorov, deputy of Ombudsman for equality of sexes at the training titled "Ombudsman as mechanism for protection of human rights", held on December 17 in the offices of Association of Independent Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV) in Novi Sad. »»

Any information regarding national security, foreign affairs or intelligence can be declared secret. This includes systems, devices, scientific research, projects, plans, technologies, economic and financial research that are significant for these information, it is said in the draft of the law on classification of information, written by Coalition for free access to information. The goal of this law is to provide legal procedures in dealing with secret information, and prevention of unlawful access and usage of secret information. »»

Celebrating Human Rights Day, Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) organized a series of discussions titled "Integrations: challenges and perspectives". Within these discussions, young members of Parliament from Democratic Party (DS), and Marko Karadzic, state secretary of Ministry for human and minorities' rights, talked to young people from Presevo and Bujanovac municipalities about problems that they are facing, on December 9 and 10. »»

BIA's attitude towards the Commissioner for information is better than before, says Rodoljub Sabic, who talked about this with Director Sasa Vukadinovic. Commissioner for information of public importance Rodoljub Sabic, in his reaction on yesterday's article "Sabic: I would prefer it if BIA was like VBA", wanted to point out that Security-Information Agency's attitude towards its legal obligations has significantly improved, and that conversation that he had with BIA Director Sasa Vukadinovic and his associates already has positive results. »»

Using a skillful legal maneuver, Security-Information Agency (BIA) avoided giving away information on how many people it wiretapped during 2005, in its reply to demand by Youth Initiative for Human Rights. Aforementioned non-governmental organization requested this information according to Law on free access to information of public importance. »»

- Instead of protecting defenders of human rights, state of Serbia uses various ways to obstruct their work. The fact that none of the state officials made an announcement regarding Human Rights Day says enough about state's attitude towards human rights, - said Milan Antonijevic from Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, at the conference in International Press Centre in Belgrade, held on the occasion of December 10, Human Rights Day, and sixty-year anniversary of UN Declaration on human rights. »»

On the occasion of sixty-year anniversary of adoption of Universal declaration on human rights, human rights organizations called upon the Government and National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia to start a public debate on strategies of dealing with grave legacy of human rights violations, establishing of rule of justice, and justice for victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. »»

After three years of ignoring the demand by non-governmental organization Youth Initiative for Human Rights for gaining information on surveillance and recording of telephone and other conversations, Security-Information Agency (BIA) issued a reply. However, instead of stating the precise number, secret service stated in its memorandum that it has no data on how many people were tapped during 2005. »»

Regional youth conference, organized by Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), held on November 20 and 21 in Belgrade, gathered activists from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Montenegro. The conference was held within five-year celebration of YIHR. Its aim was to complete the circle of YIHR's work in the region, and to set directions for regional cooperation, mobility, and activism of young people in the region. »»

At the five-year anniversary of Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) on November 19, at the Belgrade Media Centre, Carl Gershman, president of National Endowment for Democracy (NED), held a lecture on "Democracy and Human Rights". »»

After visiting Novi Sad, group of 45 young people from Presevo and Bujanovac will visit institutions and organizations in Belgrade on Tuesday, November 18. »»

Sixty-two students attended lectures of the New Policy School in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Nis, during the last week of October. Lectures' theme was state's attitude towards impunity. Lecturer Ljiljana Hellman, head of Impunity Watch office in Serbia presented state's obligations regarding respect and protection of human rights. »»

Coming to Belgrade was a challenge for me. I am aware about the bad things happened to us, but, now is the last time to move in the direction to create a new generation with pro-European ideas, a tolerance and hope given generation�?, says nineteen years old Dardan Shabani, who visited Belgrade for the first time this September, as a participant of Visiting program, regional youth exchange program of Youth Initiative for Human Rights. »»

"I am impressed with people here. Your country is the biggest and the most important country in the Balkans, and it is up to young people to build the future in which you will be the beacon and the ringleader of the region", said Richard G. Rockefeller, Chairman of the Board of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, on October 16, at the beginning of schooling of the second generation of New Policy School. »»

"These days, Pristina was bathing in the sun, cafes were full, and everything looked relaxed and idyllic, like I was in any other European city", said Mladen Vuksanovic, twenty-three year old student from Belgrade. Mladen visited Pristina for the first time in October of this year, within Youth Initiative for Human Rights' Visiting program. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) welcomes Minister of the Defense Dragan Sutanovac's decision to abolish categories and degrees of secrecy of documents, which enabled public insight in the number of citizens that were under surveillance and whose phones were tapped by Military-Security Agency. This decision represents a positive breakthrough in opening of institutions for implementation of the Law on free access to information of public importance. »»

Non-governmental organizations gathered in Coalition Against Discrimination, together with their partner organizations, take the most decisive stand against organization of gathering of extreme right-wing organizations whose goal is advocating and spreading ideas of hatred, violence and discrimination, such as the gathering planned for Saturday, October 11 2008. »»

Ministry of the Interior did not want to announce yesterday if extreme right-wing associations Blood and Honour and National Formation reported the gathering "Serbian March 2008", which they intend to organize on October 11 in the centre of Belgrade, with the support of Serbian branch of the international neo-Nazi organization Stormfront. »»

You should write that unemployment is great, that people live hard, and that authorities do not care about us – this is the first reaction of a small group of people who are standing in front of the mosque in center of Presevo, talking to journalists from several Belgrade editorial offices who visited Presevo and Bujanovac recently, in the organization of Youth Initiative for Human Rights. »»

Almost three years after submitting of a demand for information on salary of the Director of Security-Information Agency (BIA), Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) got the reply from BIA. »»

“During the worst Serbia’s repression over Kosovo, in 1999, I was nine years old, and I remember very little from that time. But, I am aware what people in Kosovo went through in the nineties, and I am open to listen, learn and understand. That is why I decided to travel to Belgrade�?, says eighteen years old Pajazit Dermaku (Pajazit Dërmaku), who visited Belgrade for the first time this September, as a participant of Visiting program, regional youth exchange program of Youth Initiative for Human Rights. »»

On Friday September 19, around 22 hr, in the city centre, a group of unknown bullies brutally attacked and injured three participants of the Queer Belgrade Festival. One of the attacked persons is of foreign nationality, and got medical help at the emergency centre. Thanks to police's swift reaction, who was securing regularly reported gathering, two of the attackers were apprehended immediately. Queer Belgrade Collective strongly condemns last night's homophobic attack on participants of the festival, and considers this an attack on bodily and physical integrity, right to sexual orientation, freedom of movement, and right to freedom of gathering. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) demands from the Government of Serbia to accept amendments on the draft of the Law on protection of personal data, proposed by Protector of citizens. Without adoption of these amendments, there is no fulfillment of European standards regarding protection of personal data, and this law cannot be considered reformative. Furthermore, its adoption will cause further weakening of independent institutions in the country and decrease in rule of justice. »»

NGO Center for Development of Civil Resources from Nis and Youth Initiative for Human Rights demand from the Dean of Faculty of Law in Nis Nevena Petrusic not to allow the promotion of the book by Milivoje Ivanisevic "Srebrenica" in amphitheatre of this faculty. Organizers of this promotion, association of intellectuals "Serbian National Consciousness" and Students Alliance of the Faculty of Law announced this promotion for Tuesday, September 16. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights and My Initiative network demand from Serbian authorities and all responsible institutions to reveal and contribute to discovering the truth on the fate of missing persons during conflicts in former Yugoslavia. »»

Activists of My Initiative from Serbia, Kosovo, and several towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina visited Sarajevo Film Festival from 15th to 23rd of August. This visit is a part of Visiting program of Youth Initiative for Human Rights. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) announces a call for participation in training for future trainers that will be held from September to January 2008/09. »»

My Initiative movement was presented at Youth organization's fair, which was organized in Belgrade, on Ada Ciganlija, on August 12, the International Youth Day. At this manifestation, whose goal was to acquaint young people with the work of youth organizations, My Initiative presented its activities to young people, and invited them to join the organization and become active in its work. »»

Within Visiting program of Youth Initiative for Human Rights, young people from Serbia were guests at documentary and short film festival – Docufest in Prizren, from 4th to 10th of August. Group from Serbia consisted of activists of My Initiative, and young people who deal with film, on professional or amateur level. During their stay in Prizren, they had the opportunity to follow versatile program of the festival, and to visit other activities that took place during Docufest. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights organized a visit of journalists from local media from Presevo and Bujanovac to Belgrade, from 16th to 18th of July. »»

Within Youth Initiative for Human Rights' Visiting program, from 22nd to 25th of May, for the first time, following young people participated in visit to Belgrade: Albulena Rustemi, psychology student from Pristina, Velid Aliti, student from Prizren, Lorik Rrustemi, English language student from Pristina, and Besrat Lumi, as a program coordinator, representing YIHR's office in Pristina. Participants are a part of activists network Nisma Ime (My Initiative). »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights is pleased to announce that the deadline for the New Policy School has been extended to 1st September 2008. »»

On the eve of the 13th Anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, human rights organizations demand Serbia Arrest Persons Indicted for Genocide This year we mark 60 years since the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It especially obliges us to remind the President of Serbia, the Prime Minister, ministers, and members of the Serbian Parliament, religious leaders and the faithful, leaders and members of political parties, associations, unions, professors, students, youth, and all citizens of Serbia that our country has not yet fulfilled its obligations relative to the International Court of Justice judgement on the violations/non-abidance of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights is organizing two-day seminar for spin off of local offices in Serbia on 28th and 29th of June, on Kopaonik. Seminar will be held in the hall of "Klub A" Hotel, and begins on Saturday at 9 hr. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) organized training titled "Ombudsman as a mechanism for human rights protection" in Kragujevac. Training was held in the hall of "Stari Grad" Hotel. Dejan Milenkovic from YUCOM, Milica Vuletic, Ombudswoman of Kragujevac, and Dragan Popovic, one of leaders of YIHR gave speeches at the training. »»

A group of young students from Serbia, participants of New Policy School visited Pristina from 11th to 13th of June, within Youth Initiative for Human Rights' Visiting program. During a three-day visit, students had the opportunity to talk to representatives of media, Kosovo institutions, non-governmental organizations, to see cultural happenings in Pristina, and to go out to some of many cafes in Pristina. »»

Second Days of Sarajevo festival, organized in Belgrade by Youth Initiative for Human Rights, has been closed today, with projections of films from Sarajevo Film Festival 2007. Films “Graffiti Street�? by Sergej Kreso and “Fantasy�?, by Aldin Arnautovic where shown in Center for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD). »»

On the second day of Days of Sarajevo Festival, organized by Youth Initiative for Human Rights, a discussion titled “Regional cooperation in the Balkans�? was held today, at Center for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD). »»

Within Days of Sarajevo Festival, organized by Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Cure Foundation from Sarajevo and Women in Black organization had a performance today, at Sebilj drinking fountain. Citizens of Belgrade were handed out food prepared by recipes from the period of siege of Sarajevo, from 1992, to 1995. »»

Tonight, in Center for Cultural Decontamination (CZKD), festival Days of Sarajevo was opened by photographic exhibition “Sarajevo through eyes of people from Sarajevo and Belgrade�?. Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) organizes the festival for the second time, in Belgrade. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights is organizing second Days of Sarajevo festival in Belgrade, from May 30 to June 1. Days of Sarajevo were organized for the first time in 2007, with the goal to mark 15 years since the beginning of the siege of Sarajevo, and to instigate communication between young people from Sarajevo and Belgrade. »»

Within New Policy School program, Youth Initiative for Human Rights organized a study visit to Tuzla. Students and My Initiative activists from Vojvodina, Belgrade and Nis attended commemoration in Tuzla, which marks May 25, when in 1995, 71 people died by a grenade, launched at the center of the city by army of the Republic of Srpska, commanded by Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. »»

Young people from Bosnia and Hercegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia spent three days in Bosnia and attended a festival of documentary films about wars in Zvornik. Young people from west of the Balkans saw more than ten documentaries made in former Yugoslavia territory. After the projection of each film, there were discussions on facing the past. »»

My Initiative movement organized action titled “Serbia has stopped�?, within We are Important election turnout campaign. Action took place in Knez Mihajlova Street in Belgrade, in 1 pm. »»

Today a group of hooligans attacked activist of My Initiative movement, who organized an action within camera caravan. One of the attackers plugged out the speaker cables saying: “Vehabijas, motherfuckers, get out of Nis�?, and camera operator of the caravan was attacked. Police officer, who came when organizers called, instead of doing his job, was trying to “make peace�? between the attackers and victims saying “he knows the attackers from the neighborhood, and that he does not want to make them angry�?. This is the fifth attack on My Initiative activists in Nis in the last year. »»

Through its My Initiative Youth Network, Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) has launched We are important! campaign. We are addressing young people from 18 to 30 years old, with the intent to animate them to use their voting right and vote at the May 11 elections. »»

Within New Policy School (NPS), organized by Youth Initiative for Human Rights, a one-day seminar was held in Belgrade. Lecturers were Veronica Burget (Robert Bosh Stiftung) and Orli Fridman (Institute for Comparative Conflict Studies). »»

Within New Policy School program, organized by Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), the second several-day seminar on public advocating was held in Novi Sad. Students of all three separate Nis, Novi Sad and Belgrade departments have attended the seminar. At this for-day seminar, students of New Policy School had the opportunity to attend lectures on skills needed for active participation in work of political organizations, and they were learning how to start various civil initiatives on local level. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) office in Pristina has presented Visiting Program book, containing best essays of participants in individual regional exchange program between Pristina and Belgrade during past two years. Essays present impressions of Visiting Program participants, who visited these two cities for the first time, thanks to exchange program. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) was presented within “Volunteering – reasons and perspectives�? seminar, designated to students of Belgrade University. On the second day of “Volunteering – reasons and perspectives�? seminar at Faculty of Political Sciences (FPN), Jasmina Lazovic, student of this faculty, has presented non-governmental organization Youth Initiative for Human Rights. »»

A group of 30 young people from Presevo and Bujanovac has visited Belgrade and Novi Sad. Within the visit, organized by Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), they visited House of Parliament. After the tour of the building where legislative authorities are located, young people from Bujanovac and Presevo, with members of political parties and non-governmental organizations among them, talked to Riza Halimi, Albanian minority member of Parliament. »»

After the declaration of independence of Kosovo and the "spontaneous" reaction of "rage and anger" depicted in the Prime Minister's words, demolished Embassies, public lynching of those with different political opinions, as well as the declarative call to "peace and peaceful protests", Serbia has hit the bottom. By making violence legitimate and attacking people with different political opinions, the authorities are only continuing the old and already seen practice. Those who think that they will destroy critical thinking and the need for different relations with the neigbours in this way, are sadly mistaken. The mass "events of the people" just take us back and create new mistakes which will cost us dearly. »»

A group of young people from Bosnia has visited Belgrade from 6th to 8th of February, within Visiting program. Elma Zalihic, student of journalism from Sarajevo, Ajla Skrbic, finished law student from Zenica, and Dejan Civsa, economy student from Sarajevo, have participated in the program. »»

My Initiative movement in Belgrade has called upon young people in Belgrade to vote at the second round of the presidential elections through a street action called “We don’t want to go back�?. My Initiative’s activists have organized a photography exhibition in Knez Mihajlova Street. The content of the exhibition was Serbia of the past. The photographs are reminding on wars in former Yugoslavia, the age of inflation, shortages, and empty grocery stores. The exhibition showed student protests in winter ’96 – ’97, and demonstrations in 2000. »»

Securing membership of the EU is the only way to assure the democratization of Serbia and a democratic future for the country. How long this process will take depends on us. We are advocating European values and a path of modernization in Serbia - Serbia as an open country and as a European country – and we demand that the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Boris Tadic, sends clear messages supporting this policy. Seventy percent of citizens in Serbia have declared themselves pro-Europe, and presidential candidate Tadic is obliged to represent the aspirations of these citizens. »»

A group of eight non-governmental organizations has organized a press conference in Media Center today, regarding presidential elections in Serbia and attitude of democratic candidate towards key questions in reference to Serbian future in Europe. They have petitioned an appeal to presidential candidate Boris Tadic, stating that membership in EU is the only way for democratization of Serbia. “Regarding that we represent European values and path of modernization of Serbia, Serbia as an open and European country – we demand clear messages from presidential candidate of Democratic Party, Boris Tadic, in the direction of the policy we are advocating�?, it says in the appeal. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) is pleased to announce an open competition for the War Crimes Law Internship Programme (WCLI). The WCLI programme grants graduate students, and undergraduate students who are in their final stages of education, an opportunity to partake in an internship in the unique environment at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, at the Office of the War Crimes Prosecutor or to the War Crimes Chamber in Belgrade and at the documentation centres and victims associations in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina or Croatia, offering the chance to enhance their knowledge and expertise in a professional setting. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights demands that the Ministry of Education revokes its decision to stop recognizing diplomas issued in Kosovo and accredited by UNMIK. The Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on the Ministry of Education and the Serbian Parliament to secure the continuity of already established rights of the Albanian minority in Serbia, and to work to fulfill the constitutional obligation to provide for the right to education in Albanian language at Universities in Serbia. »»

Stephen Heintz, the president of Rockefeller Brothers Fund, today in Belgrade held a lecture for Initiative's students of New Policy School. Present at the lecture were students from NPS, from all parts of Serbia, and also members of Youth Initiative for Human Rights. Solution of Kosovo status and building of modern political relations were two main topics, but there was some word on a new role of United States of America in the World, role of the United nations and role of Russia as a former super power. »»

BELGRADE - On the International Human Rights day, activists of The Coalition for a Secular State, organised a performance in Republic Square, named ''We do not want to go backward''. It was a rally against the clericalization of the state. The action was organized as a way to show government officials and the Serbian Orthodox Church are clericalizing the state, which is a severe blow to the idea of human rights. »»

BELGRADE - Youth Initiative for Human Rights activists were hosts to the participants of the third Seminar of Young Political Leaders, from Europe and Eurasia that was held in Belgrade from December 6 to December 9. Around 60 young leaders, coming from over 15 countries took a part in it. »»

BELGRADE Youth Initiative for Human Rights pressed charges against two policemen from the intervention brigade from Belgrade Police Head Office. The charges were pressed because of the humiliation of Sinisa Kraljevic', from Belgrade. »»

Throughout the day at the Parliament, Natasa Kandic was subjected to verbal abuse, with numerous insults and hate speech directed to citizens of Croatian nationality. In Parliament's hall, members of Parliament from Serbian Radical Party were selling and giving away a book titled "Hrtkovci Affair and Ustasa whore Natasa Kandic". This public demonstration of vulgarity and hate was not met with an adequate reaction from the Serbian Parliament. Furthermore, your statement on selling books without fiscal bill contributed to the atmosphere of persecution in the Serbian Parliament and illustrated the absolute irresponsibility of the institution that you represent. »»

BELGRADE/PRISTINA/PODGORICA/SARAJEVO – Youth Initiative for Human Rights is celebrating for years of its work on Friday, ninth of November. »»

BELGRADE - Youth Initiative for Human Rights, in cooperation with the Queeria Center, commemorated the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism on the 9th of November, with activities throughout the region. »»

PRISTINA – A group of young people from Serbia and Bosnia and Hercegovina spent three days in Pristina during the Pristina Jazz festival, as part of YIHR’s Visiting program. Participants were mainly young people, musicians and Jazz fans »»

BELGERADE - Regarding the marking of the 9th of November – International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism, Queeria Center and Youth Initiative for Human rights organize street action under the slogan I will pull up your ears if you become fascist! on 9th November on Republic square, at 13 hours. »»

BELGRADE/PRISHTINE - During September and the beginning of October nine young people from Serbia and Kosovo participated in the Visiting program. There were three visits organized in total, one visit to Pristina/Prishtine and two visits to Belgrade. »»

BELGRADE - My Initiative movement organized an action called STOP FASCISM MARCH! on Republic Square in Belgrade and called upon all Belgrade citizens not to remain neutral on 7th of October, when a neo-Nazi gathering is announced, because neutrality can be looked upon as a quiet support. »»

BELGRADE - Youth Initiative for Human Rights has selected 65 candidates from several towns in Serbia for the New Policy School (NPS). NPS commences on October 15, 2007 in Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis and its first generation of students will graduate in May 2008. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights issued a petition to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against the Republic of Serbia regarding the failure to protect right to life and efficient legal remedy, as well as freedom from torture and discrimination, established by European Human Rights Convention. Zivota Milanovic, from Jagodina, a member of the Hindu-Vishnu religious community, has been attacked five times from 2002 to 2007 because of his religious beliefs. »»

(September 28th, 2007) – Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls upon Governments of Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia to respect citizen’s right to free access to information of public importance and insists on punishing of those responsible for its derogation. »»

Recently founded Initiative Foundation approved first grants in Serbia marking the continuation of its small donations activities. Foundation, part of Youth Initiative for Human Rights, is currently giving grants in Kosovo and Serbia, while grants giving activities in the other countries of the region are expected in coming months. Work of the foundation in Serbia is generously funded by National Endowment for Democracy – NED. »»

BELGRADE – the International Missing Persons Day Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls upon the Governments of Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo, Croatia and Serbia to improve mutual cooperation in resolving the fate of persons missing since the wars in former Yugoslavia and to bring to justice those responsible for crimes committed against them. »»

BELGRADE – Despite an obligatory decree by the Media Commissioner, the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) continues to break the Law on Free Access to Information, by rejecting requests to inform the Serbian public about salary of Rade Bulatovic, BIA Director. »»

SARAJEVO - Twenty Initiative’s activists from Kosovo and Serbia were guests of the Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF). With the cooperation between Youth Initiative for Human Rights and SFF, 20 human rights activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo held discussions each day of the festival, and topics of discussions were ensued from the themes of documentaries shown the previous day during the documentary festival program – Docucorener. »»

Three law students left to Netherlands to spend six months internship with different departments of ICTY. Two of them will be assigned to Court and one will be intern within Prosecutor’s office. They are the second group of interns who left for Hague, as part of eight-month War Crimes Law Internship Program organized by The Youth Initiative for Human Rights. »»

BELGRADE – Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on Serbian President Boris Tadic, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and Justice Minister Dusan Petrovic to intercede on behalf of Maja Stojanovic, a Youth Initiative for Human Rights activist, to prevent her incarceration on July 26, as ordered by a municipal magistrate in the Southern Serbian city of Nis »»

NIS – "Serbian youth want a different future; one in which it is not acceptable to kill and remain at large," said Andrej Nosov, President of YIHR, in Nis, at a press conference organized to mark the 12th anniversary of genocide in Srebrenica, which saw the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosniaks. »»

BELGRADE — Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on the President of Serbia, Boris Tadic, the Minister of Justice, Dusan Petrovic, and the Minister of the Interior, Dragan Jocic, to stop the persecution, to publicly condemn and to undertake all necessary measures to locate, arrest and bring to justice the assailants of Zivota Milanovic, member of the Hindu religious community in Jagodina. »»

NIS – The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) won a lawsuit against four police officers from Doljevac, who have been sentenced to 4 and 5 months in prison for torturing an 11-year old girl (I.S). The Municipal Court in Nis sentenced police officers Predrag Randjelovic and Ljubisa Stamenkovic to four months in prison each, while Slavisa Petkovic and Miroljub Stevanovic have been sentenced both to five months in prison, on grounds of the abuse of authority and trespassing, whereby they violated the rights of juvenile I.S., the right safeguarded by the UN Convention of the Rights of Children, the Serbian Constitution and domestic laws. »»

Youth Initiative for Human Rights – Regional Office (YIHR) is please to announce round of Small Grant Program aimed at supporting youth and other organizations to develop local initiatives for reconciliation, enhancement of interethnic relation, overcoming existing prejudices and every widening gap between the young people in the region with special focus on Kosovo's status. The funding for YIHR’s Small grants program is provided by National Endowment for Democracy (NED). »»

TUZLA – On Friday, May 25th 2007, activists of moJA inIcijaTIva Movement observed the commemoration of the 12th anniversary of the massacre at "Kapija" in downtown Tuzla. On May 25th 1995, a grenade launched from Ozren by soldiers under Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic's command, killed 71 persons of Croat, Serb, and Bosniak nationality, with average age of 21. The youngest child killed had not yet turned three. »»

NIŠ - Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), in cooperation with ART and CRCR from Nis, welcomed a Peace Caravan in the period between May 10 and 13, consisting of street actions, concerns and film screenings. The manifestation had been regularly reported to the local police when permission was requested for the use of public space. Peace Caravan participants are young people from the former Yugoslavia who, traveling for 15 days throughout the region, promote the values of non-violent action, peace and de-militarization. »»

Action "Come out of the Labyrinth" carried out by moJA inIcijaTIva Movement launches the campaign EUROPE EVERY DAY. In about three hours of this street action, more than 300 citizens walked through the labyrinth, which was erected at the Square of the Republic in Belgrade , to represent a symbolical obstacle our society is facing on its road to Europe . At moJA inIcijaTIva street stands , activists discussed with citizens about European values and motivated them to begin to change themselves first and their immediate surrounding, for this is the only way for Serbia to get out of its labyrinth. »»

Belgrade, April 3, 2007 — Four Serbian human rights organizations sent a letter to all 27 heads of government in the European Union to express deep concern at recent signals of retreat from insistence on Serbia’s concrete cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) as a pre-condition to resuming talks on a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). The European Commission suspended those talks in May 2006 over Serbia’s failure to cooperate with the ICTY, specifically citing the failure to arrest former Bosnian Serb Army Commander Ratko Mladic. »»

BELGRADE (March 2nd 2007) – The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) and Humanitarian Law Center (HLC) demand from Serbian authorities to do everything in their power to stop the new wave of violence in Serbia, to which members of political and non-governmental sector have been exposed to for their advocating for a system of values different from the one propagated by the governing elites. »»

BELGRAD (26th Feb 07) - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) calls on all Serbian officials to publicize, in a serious and responsible manner, the established facts listed in today's International Court of Justice (ICJ) verdict, and to absolutely refrain from questioning the commission of genocide and the existence of genocide victims »»

BELGRADE (February 26th 2007) – The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) calls on authorized institutions in Serbia to clearly and unambiguously acknowledge the responsibility of Serbia for the crimes committed in Strpci in 1993; to find, arrest and punish all responsible perpetrators, including those top officials and representatives of the then republic and federal government, and to provide reparations for the victims of this crime. »»

On February 21st 2007 the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) submitted a petition to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against the Republic of Serbia's violation of the right to fair trial, as well as the right to free expression . »»

Although European legislation, more advanced than legislation in some other countries in the region, has been introduced in Kosovo in the past several years, the implementation remains seriously problematic. This was the general conclusion from the conference Accountability, Equality and the Rule of Law: Towards a Democratic Future, held on February 7th 2007 in Prishtina. The conference was organized by YIHR's Kosovo office. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights demands from the Belgrade police to immediately find and arrest the persons who attacked the activists of Women in Black. »»

BELGRADE - On February 21st 2007 the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) submitted a petition to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg against the Republic of Serbia's violation of the right to fair trial (Article 6, European Convention on Human Rights), as well as the right to free expression (Article 10, European Convention on Human Rights). »»

BELGRADE, NOVI SAD: As part of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights’ "Mobilization of Civic Serbia" campaign – My Initiative – a street action, Say NO to Patriarchate, will take place from 2pm to 5pm on Thursday the 18th of January in front of the Albania Palace. Activists will direct citizens' attention to serious problems coursed directly by the patriarchate we live in. »»

BELGRADE, NOVI PAZAR: On January 19th at 12pm the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, as part of the "My Initiative" campaign "Mobilization of Civic Serbia", will screen the film "A LOOK TO THE OTHER SIDE", with a discussion to follow, at the Center for Cultural Decontamination. This is a documentary about the experiences of a group of young people who were part of the YIHR's Visiting Program – an exchange programme between Kosovo and Serbia, which YIHR has been conducting since 2004. »»

BELRGADE, ZRENJANIN - "Young people in Serbia must be asked about the biggest political questions in the country. If we want employment, if we want to become part of the European Union, if we want justice, first we must ask ourselves where Ratko Mladic is. Politicians are presenting politics to young people as scary and confusing, but it is actually our every life. We mustn't let politicians put barriers between young people and politics. We should be asked about everything, and we need to be asked first about every important decision. It does concern us", said Maja Stojanovic, the campaign's PR, to the press in Belgrade. »»

BELGRADE: As part of the campaign "Mobilization of Civic Serbia," the Youth Initiative for Human Rights – "My Initiative" – organizes on January 13th, in Knez Mihailova Street (the pedestrian zone), in front of the Institute Cervantes, near the central fountain, a street action "The Making of a Civic Serbia". Through symbolic activities, and together with citizens, YIHR activists will try to pave the way and set the foundation for the civil society in Serbia. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on all political parties, as soon as the new government is established, to publicly promise to address the unresolved cases of the soldiers who died in uncertain circumstances on October 5th 2004, during military service in Serbia. The YIHR reminds all political agents that the families of these soldiers have not yet been told the full truth. Furthermore, many officials and politicians still refuse to talk with their family members. »»

KRALJEVO - "Young people must go to the polls in January, because for the first time now there are political parties which put youth to the fore. Our generations must fight for Zoran Djindjic's vision. At one point this visionary plan was blocked and now is the chance for our generation to follow the path which will turn Serbia into a society of modern values. But it is up to Serbia's youth. Hence, whoever says that politics does not fall within his or her frame of interest and that he or she would refrain from voting in January – loses this chance", said Andrej Nosov, President of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, to the media before the caravan headed for Kraljevo. »»

BELGRADE - "This is the mobilization of civic Serbia. We call on all young people to go to the polls – their votes are very important. Those who say that they don't want to get involved in politics must understand that it's not politics, it is our life. I too would like to live in a country in which I wouldn't have to vote, and I can hardly wait for that day to come to Serbia", said in Kragujevac Miroslav Djuricic – Miki, one of the travelers in the caravan "Not Everyone is the Same". »»

BELGRADE - Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on the Serbian authorities to break with the politics of impunity, which fails to punish those who engage in spraying the racist, nationalistic and fascistic graffiti. The authorities are obliged to voice the strongest possible condemnation and to appropriately punish the perpetrators. »»

BELGRADE - "It is precisely the train of thought which says that it's ok to sit idle and not care about what's going on around me that has brought us here. It is our parents' mistake, who lost the fight for a different Serbia, who did not manage to prevent the wars or the crumbling of our future. We must go to the polls and correct what was left for us to inherit. We owe this not only to ourselves, to our own future, but also to those who expect it from us", said Andrej Nosov, President of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, before the Election Caravan took off. In his statement to the Belgrade media, Nosov announced a fierce, energetic and positive campaign designed to mobilize the youth to go to the polls on January 21st. »»

"Citizens of Novi Pazar are directly manipulated from Belgrade through political clashes between Sulejman Ugljanin's Coalition – the List for Sanjak – and Rasim Ljajic's Sanjak Democratic Party. Voters are ashamed of the politicians who represent them, said Aida Corovic, president of UrbanIn from Novi Pazar, at the round table. »»

They Are Not All The Same »»

A group of Serbian NGOs call on provisional municipal authorities in Zrenjanin and the Government of Serbia to refrain from repressing the freedom of the local media and from removing the editorial board of the newspaper "Zrenjanin", led by Nadica Jakovljev, Editor-in-Chief. »»

On December 11th, at Belgrade’s "O3ONE" gallery, Maja Stojanovic presented the basic principles of the YIHR's election campaign, titled "The Mobilization of Civic Serbia". »»

On November 11th 2006, The Annual Assembly of the YIHR was held in Belgrade. The ceremony was opened by Anna Maija Korpi, Ambassador of Finland, the presiding EU country. Gustavo Delgado, US Deputy Chief of Mission to Serbia, advised that Serbia continue its democratic transition. "We want a responsible state, which will respond to each and every tax-payer, a state which will explain why Ratko Mladic has not been arrested yet", said Andrej Nosov, who was elected YIHR President, while Dragan Popovic is the YIHR's new Executive Director. Assembly members adopted the YIHR Strategy Plan for 2007-2011 period. »»

The Center for the Advancement of Legal Studies and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights demand that the Serbian National Assembly MPs take a stand against the amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Interest. »»

A group of non-governmental organizations warned that the proposed text of the Constitution significantly reduces the level of human rights protection in Serbia. One of the basic principles of modern law is to forbid the reduction of the already achieved level of human rights. However, this principle will be fragrantly violated if the new Constitution is confirmed in the referendum on October 28th and 29th". »»

BELGRADE - Eight non-governmental organizations have warned that eleven years after the Srebrenica genocide, racist and nationalistic behavior of football fans and hooligans can be seen as the result not only of politics that have allowed nationalistic slogans ("Knife, Wire, Srebrenica") to materialize, but also of a subsequent politics that has done nothing to condemn, in a systematic and unambiguous manner, the nationalistic project that led to wars and killing. »»

During the period of March 15 to July 15, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) monitored eight daily Kosovo newspapers. The newspaper included, Koha Ditore, Express, Zëri, Kosova Sot, Bota Sot, Epoka e Re, Lajm, and Iliria Post. The aim of the YIHR was to examine media coverage of a number of issues, the frame in which news are presented, and analyze how those frames might be grasped and interpreted by the public. PRISTINE - The monitoring focused largely on the first round of the Vienna negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade officials, which included six meetings from the period February-May. YIHR focused on the Vienna negotiations due to the variety of issues discussed that will define the future status of Kosovo. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) demands the Serbian National Assembly's Administrative Council immediately enact the Book of Rules about the internal structure of the Information Commissioner's office. This document will enable the Commissioner to perform his duties in a more effective manner. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights is concerned about the assault on a human rights activist and Director of the Humanitarian Law Center, Natasa Kandic. The YIHR demands from the Serbian authorities to undertake decisive actions against yet another assault on human rights defenders in Serbia and to ensure adequate protection of those courageous individuals who dare to voice a stand different from the dominant one in Serbia. With their direct assaults or failure to adequately punish hate-speech incidents and other violations of norms, the authorities have contributed to the creation of lynching atmosphere against Kandic and other human rights activists. »»

PRISTINE - Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) and Center for Social Emancipation (QESh) condemn the incorrect behavior of Valon Baraliu from Black Panther Security Company against three QESh members. The threat that QESh members will be asked to leave the night club Aher was clearly based on their sexual orientation. This incident happened in the evening of 23 August 2003 in Pristina. »»

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) has filed charges against Nenad Cekić and Velimir Ilić for having violated the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Interest. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) demands that the President of the Serbian National Assembly withdraw his decision concerning the appointment of SRS MP Zoran Krasic as member of Serbia's delegation to the OSCE Assembly. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on the representatives of the Serbian authorities to stop the outpour of vindictive threats against the citizens of Montenegro in light of their possible majority vote for independence. »»

BELGRADE - On Tuesday, May 23rd 2006, the Serbian Supreme Court rejected the charges filed by the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) against the decision previously issued by the Serbian Commissioner for Information of Public Interest, by which the Agency had been given three days to submit the previously requested information to the Youth Initiative for Human Rights on the number of wiretapped citizens in 2005. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights demands that the Serbian Ministry of the Interior and other responsible state bodies urgently find, prosecute and punish the persons who wrote threatening messages on the premises of the Kraljevo-based non-governmental organization (NGO) "Lingua". »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) calls on authorities in Belgrade to urgently elect a new president for the Coordination Center for the municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveda. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on the representatives of the Serbian authorities to stop the outpour of vindictive threats against the citizens of Montenegro in light of their possible majority vote for independence. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) requests the government of Serbia to acknowledge unconditionally the responsibility of Serbia in the aggression, genocide and war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to immediately extradite to the Hague Tribunal all war crimes indictees. The truth must be publicly acknowledged and justice met before the courts not only as an act by which dignity will have been restored to all victims of war crimes, but also as the fulfillment of the need for Serbian society to deal with its own past. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) demands the Parliament of Serbia respect the laws it has adopted and to immediately appoint an Ombudsman and thus lay the foundation for the establishment of this institution. »»

BELGRADE - Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) demands from the Belgrade District Prosecutor the immediate initiation of legal proceedings against the editor-in-chief of the daily "Glas javnosti" and unknown persons who had published an ad in this daily, entitled "The Boycott", on March 16, 2006. »»

BELGRADE - The Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) wishes to inform the public that the Security Information Agency (BIA) has filed a lawsuit aimed at annulling the Information Commissioner's request for the BIA to submit to the YIHR information on the number of persons who were under surveillance and wiretapped in 2005. YIHR additionally asked the Serbian Ministry of the Interior (MUP) to reveal the data on the number of BIA's wiretap requests, as well as the number of lawsuits initiated on the basis of its wiretapping activities. After MUP's refusal to submit the requested information, the YIHR filed a complaint to the Information Commissioner. On January 26th 2006 the Commissioner ordered the MUP to submit the requested information. The Ministry of the Interior is yet to effectuate the Commissioner's decision. »»

BELGRADE - YIHR calls on the Serbian authorities to stop threats The Youth Initiative for Human Rights calls on the representatives of the Serbian authorities to stop the outpour of vindictive threats against the citizens of Montenegro in light of their possible majority vote for independence. »»