Antiracist Education through Sports in the Balkans

Fresh memories from the wars on the territory of the former Yugoslavia fostered skepticism about the possibility to form the BiH national football federation, and particularly about the possibility for the BiH national representation to play friendly matches with neighboring representations. “The results were surprising. Our national teams at all age levels and our clubs played many friendly matches with teams from Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia” said Mr. Munib Usanovic, Secretary General of the BiH Football Association, who hosted the workshop. “I can tell that the situation is better every day, and the critical reason for that is successful performance of our national team” Mr. Usanovic stated.

Mr. Valentin Inzko, the High Representative and EU Special Representative in BiH welcomed the workshop participants and emphasized the huge progress made in BiH illustrating it with the latest positive example when majority of Bosniak supporters chanted the Serbian name of the BiH successful representation goalkeeper. “This was not possible ten years ago” said Mr. Inzko and added: “Football is an important indicator of the atmosphere in a country. It is hopeful that BiH will use the sport and tourism as the engine for development.”

In his opening speech Mr. Walter Posch, Director of Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC), the workshop organizer, reminded that nationalism and racism are not local Balkan phenomena but are also evident in the EU countries that currently struggle against neo-nazism. “It is critical that all minorities improve their communication and find the best means to oppose this threat”, said Mr. Posch. This idea was discussed in the panel “Fighting Discrimination. The European Perspective”, with key contributions from Mr. Patrick Gasser (UEFA, Football and Social Responsibility), Ms. Ann de Mol (King Baudouin Foundation, Belgium) and Mr. Des Tomlinson (Irish Football Association). “Each region of Europe has a variation of the problem be it nationalism, sectarianism and racism” said Mr. Gasser.

In the panel discussion “Tackling Racism and Nationalism through football in the Balkans”, representatives of football associations (FA) from across the region took part: Mr. Munib Usanovic, General Secretary of the BiH FA, Mr. Miroslav Gerovski, Head of Competition, Football Federation of Macedonia, Mr. Zoran Cvrk, Security Officer of the Croatian Football Federation, Mr. Vladimir Bulatovic, FA of Serbia, and Mr. Slavko Drljača, Director, Partizan Belgrade. They all saw progress in combating ethnic discrimination on the stadiums and expressed great determination to continue developing fair supporting. “We want to be a part of the Balkans only geographically, but being a part of Europe and promoting European values” said Mr. Cvrk.

“Awareness Raising trough Education and Sports” was the panel of representatives of civil society organizations who presented the ways they support youth to overcome prejudices, stereotypes and violence. Mr. Alexander Rakowitz, Balkan Alpe Adria Project, Austria, Mr. Saša Dupor, Step Ahead, Croatia and Mr. Aleksandar Misevski, Youth Forum Bitola, Macedonia presented their developments in work with the youth, particularly Roma and women youth, within the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network. Mr. Ranko Milanovic-Blank, NPA SEE Youth Initiatives Program Consultant presented the educational challenges in the Balkans  by the example of the complex socio-political context of Bosnia and Herzegovina. “If we find ethnic and gender stereotypes in the schoolbooks approved by competent ministries, imagine to what education might be the youth exposed in a non-monitored classroom work” he said explaining why it is important for NPA to support the development of a regional network of youth organizations as a watchdog on educational processes.

Mr. Michael Fanizadeh, VIDC, who facilitated the workshop, concluded the discussions: “I am quite sure that we'll manage much larger projects and campaigns in the next few years. Unfortunately, anti-racist activities will not come to an end in the next two-three years, neither here in the Balkans, nor in Europe as a whole. They should be part of our daily life since racism will not end now or tomorrow. We need to educate youth continuously, and this workshop was just a starting point.”

Valentin Inzko, the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina “Sport – a development engine in BiH”

Ranko Milanovic-Blank, NPA: “Youth to be a watchdog on education in the region”