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To mark the final step of Active Citizens project within the northwester Bosnia and Herzegovina, Motivators were joined together again during the gathering event on mountain Vlašić. This was unique opportunity to share with each other the experience in organizing and facilitating Active Citizens workshops in their communities as well as the time to exchange ideas and solid actions on social action projects.
Motivators presented their work in the area of facilitating workshops and delivering community action projects. During past eight months, they worked hard on sharing knowledge with their community members in intercultural dialogue, appreciative approach, questioning techniques, therefore preparing the ground for social action projects. Active Citizens project in its core purpose offered me the tools to tackle the challenges in my community in a more subtle way. Through facilitating AC workshops I have noticed how philosophies of Active Citizens project are an extraordinary asset that can strengthen the society on a sophisticated level, said Amir Mulalić, Motivator, actively involved in Regional Association for Development of Northwester BiH.
A total of ten social action projects implemented in BiH mobilized over 130 volunteers and drew in 27,000GBP of local partner contributions and investments. The figures present only a portion of the impact as communities continue on with their involvement in improving their living environments.
Back to Višnjin brod is one of ten social action projects conceived during Active Citizens modules and managed by Eni Kurtović, AC Motivator and manager of Mozaik. The project contributes to the revitalization of the river shore as a recreational and environmentally protected zone in Sanski Most. The project achieved enormous impact in the area of Sanski Most and included eleven community project partners and maximum involvement of local government, citizens and volunteers.
Our intention was to awake the citizens and to make them aware of the treasure that we possess. The project aims at initiating a broader action that will result in the complete rehabilitation of the shore as a recreational and environmentally protected zone in the inner city core. The project raised a lot of interest among the citizens who often come to us and ask us how we managed to engage so many activists and volunteers, reports Eni and her team. The project progress was closely followed by the media of the local area and wider.
The September gathering also hosted 7 members of Forthspring Inter Community Group from Belfast who spent a week travelling around Northwestern BiH region learning from local community, its diverse background and challenges. They visited motivators and were hosted in their towns where they exchanged with the locals the active involvement in their community.
The two-day gathering event on Vlašić evolved with new ideas for collaborative projects between Motivators and the guests from Northern Ireland. With the help of Open Space methodology the participants brainstormed hot topics from local communities and community of Northern Ireland. Bridge over Troubled Waters is one such project: The aim of this collaborative action would be to create space for learning between two countries – Northern Ireland and BiH, connecting the youth and creating common EU identity, says Fiona Lovely, activist (Forthspring Inter Community Group).
The event marked the end of one successful and dynamic phase of Active Citizens project. The activists from 17 different towns of Northwester BiH will continue being involved in their communities and spreading powerful messages of the project.
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