07-10.04.2025

From April 7th to 10th, 2025, the city of Sarajevo—where history and hope intertwine—became the beating heart of a powerful gathering for youth, art, and peace. Within the framework of the HOPE Project – History of Peace for Education through Theatre, 28 individuals, including 19 passionate young participants, came together for a transformative International Youth Training. This creative initiative, funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, sparked meaningful connections across borders, stories, and souls.

The training brought together six partner organizations and cultural institutions from across the Balkan region: World Vision (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Dah Teatar (Serbia) as the lead partner, Action Synergy Sa (Greece), Theatro Aeroploio – Ena Theatro Giapaidia (Greece), Artpolis (Kosovo), and Fondacija za promovisanje nauke “Prona” (Montenegro).

With a diverse team of experienced mentors — Arman Beslija, Dijana Mitrović, Aggeliki Konstantopoulou, Elira Lluka, Alexandros Diamantis Balaskas, Berat Bajrami, and Jasmina Bigović — the training unfolded as a rich laboratory of ideas and collaboration. Through theatre methodologies, storytelling, and dialogue, the mentors guided participants on a journey of personal discovery and collective empowerment.

In the spirit of HOPE, the training used theatre as a transformative tool — not only for artistic expression but as a space for education and peacebuilding. Participants explored themes of memory, identity, and reconciliation, building bridges across cultures while confronting the past with courage and imagination. Sarajevo, a city that knows both the scars of war and the strength of resilience, offered the perfect stage for this act of creative resistance.

Over four days, the youth did more than learn—they embodied hope. They became storytellers, listeners, performers, and peacebuilders. They challenged prejudice, embraced vulnerability, and discovered how education through theatre can rewrite narratives—not with erasure, but with empathy.

This training in Sarajevo was not just a moment; it was a movement. A movement led by young people with the courage to reimagine the future through the arts. With every scene they played, every dialogue they opened, and every connection they made, the participants of HOPE declared: peace is not just a dream. It is a practice. It is a performance. It is a promise, and Sarajevo heard them!

This project is funded by the European Union through the ERASMUS + program.