Reconciliation through joint projects: Can young Serbs and Albanians overcome political barriers?

In a society still burdened by the legacy of war, where political tensions continue to cast a shadow over everyday life, young people in Kosovo are finding ways to connect through art, music, and various workshops. Such joint projects could restore trust among youth and become the key to change, agree interlocutors from Belgrade and Pristina interviewed by Kosovo Online, though they warn that political barriers remain high.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh, emphasized during the UN Security Council session held on April 8 that building trust remains essential and reminded of UNMIK’s numerous activities aimed at strengthening trust among communities, especially among young people.

“Building trust remains fundamental to fostering a stable and prosperous future for all communities in Kosovo. At the core of our trust-building efforts are initiatives that support the rule of law, protect human rights, and actively promote the inclusion of women and youth in peace and security processes,” she said.

Kosovo is home to several projects that bring together young Serbs and Albanians, promoting mutual trust, cooperation, and understanding. Journalist Idro Seferi tells Kosovo Online that these projects have long been the only venues where youth could meet.

“There are many projects — young people have learned beekeeping, they’ve been brought together by art and music… there have even been joint rock schools. But essentially, these projects were for a long time the only places where youth could meet outside of their immediate environments,” he explains.

One of the more striking examples of the current situation in Kosovo, he says, is the language barrier among young people.

“What I find interesting — as someone from an older generation that had contact with both languages — is that young people in Kosovo now communicate in English with each other. That’s fascinating. Sometimes they’re even from the same town. I sat with youth in Mitrovica who were all speaking in English. Of course, ideally, they should learn both Serbian and Albanian, because it not only demonstrates mutual respect but also has cultural significance and opens the door to a better future,” says Seferi.

However, he adds that the political context remains an unavoidable obstacle to reconciliation.

“Until a political agreement is reached between Kosovo and Serbia, social relations will remain, if not tense, then at least imperfect. This leads to mistrust, ignorance, a lack of contact, and suspicion among the youth. Trust is built by all of us working to understand and respect each other better,” he says.

Still, Seferi points out that changes are happening and the situation is not the same as it was 20 years ago.

“Young people have different interests now, although of course there are still some who are politically burdened and influenced by the current situation. But what I’ve noticed, through participation in various projects and conferences, is that it only takes a day or two for young people to relax and connect. Among the older generation, the history runs deeper. However, I wouldn’t want to criticize older generations — they often had more contact and would at least try to greet you in your language. That in itself shows that there is a possibility for better relations,” he explains.

He also sees Kosovo’s divided education system as a major hurdle.

“When it comes to history and politically charged narratives, we won’t be agreeing anytime soon. It’s a long and — for now — distant process. The education system in Kosovo is divided. For Albanians, the schools attended by Serbs are parallel institutions. Serbs, of course, have little to no interaction with Albanian schools. Only children from other communities mix, but not Serbs and Albanians,” says Seferi.

The differences are even deeper when it comes to curricula and textbooks.

“They are completely different, and that leads to contradictory interpretations of events. There have been regional projects involving joint textbooks, but these remain alternative and haven’t been integrated into the curriculum. I think that’s a topic for later. History can be told from different perspectives, and readers can decide how they interpret what happened,” Seferi concludes.

Afrim Hoti, professor of international relations at the University of Pristina, believes that projects connecting young Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo are key to change, but agrees with Seferi that political obstacles still stand in the way.

“I think it’s of vital importance,” says Hoti on the issue of trust among youth.

“From personal experience, I see no difference. I have students from both Albanian and Serbian backgrounds — not in Kosovo, but in other countries. When we talk privately, I see no difference — not in communication, studies, or private life. Everything is pretty much the same,” he points out.

However, he notes that the picture changes on an official level.

“That’s when certain hesitations appear on both sides. Unfortunately, that’s a consequence of the obstacles created by politics,” he explains.

Hoti believes investment in youth-centered projects is necessary, regardless of who initiates them.

“We must move toward new projects. It doesn’t matter whether they are supported by national or international institutions. I’m 100 percent sure that if such a project exists, it will have positive implications and consequences for young people in Kosovo and Serbia,” he concludes.

Dušan Borojevic from the Youth Council of the Municipality of Gracanica is less optimistic when it comes to mutual understanding and youth cooperation through projects.

“If you ask young people what they think of each other, those who share common problems won’t care about ethnicity or religion. But because of events in recent years in Kosovo, you can feel some tension — especially between young Albanians and Serbs. We’ve seen provocations in Gracanica and attacks in Laplje Selo — that needs to stop,” says Borojevic.

He notes that reconciliation and conflict transformation projects have been ongoing in Kosovo for over two decades, but their long-term impact remains uncertain.

“These projects have been running for 25–26 years now. There are many reconciliation-focused initiatives, but whether they have led to reconciliation or ever will — I don’t know. There are projects where Serbs and Albanians work together, socialize, attend seminars, and do business. But what long-term effect these will have — we don’t know,” he notes.

Asked whether youth in Kosovo are learning mutual respect and coexistence along with European values, Borojevic replies that such values are unclear — especially to Serbs in Kosovo.

“Are European values about not having freedom of movement, or not being allowed to use your language? Recently, we’ve seen genuine values disappear, and a return to those from the early 2000s. There are tensions, intolerance, provocations… which is really harmful for young people trying to build a future. For young Serbs, it’s truly difficult,” he says.

He believes that while it might seem normal for young Albanians to have Serbs as friends, it has recently become “very difficult to admit that.”

“I’ve attended several workshops with Albanians — we had a truly decent relationship. But if there’s nothing to motivate us to attend such sessions together, then there’s no opportunity to get to know each other. I think high school students don’t even interact. They don’t hang out in school — and don’t feel the need to. That’s a serious problem,” Borojevic emphasizes.

According to him, most contacts between young people are established later — through work in NGOs, volunteering, or shared areas of interest.

He also points to the content of school textbooks — especially in history — as a major barrier.

“If we look at history, it’s written differently by everyone. We’ll never have the same version, nor will we agree on it. I don’t think the goal is to provoke tension. Only once people mature will they understand that our history is also theirs — and that two versions don’t have to match. Once they accept that, they’ll see that we can be friends. But for now, with all the tension and pressure on the Serbian people, I don’t think so — too many young people are forced to leave this place, and that creates negative emotions,” Borojevic concludes.