Twenty-three young women from civil society and youth organizations, as well as students and professionals from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade, got together in Stadtschlaining, Austria, for the second edition of the ten-day OSCE Dialogue Academy.
They discussed the role of women in politics, the building of advocacy networks, and learned about mediation, conflict analysis and resolution techniques through lectures from international academics. They also engaged in outdoor teambuilding activities and role playing scenarios with concrete examples of cases in the EU and the Western Balkans. The event aimed to encourage the young women to play a stronger role in promoting women’s rights and contribute to reconciliation.
The delegation of the upcoming Austrian Chairmanship of the OSCE and prominent women from the “Follow Us” Initiative visited the participants to show their support for the Academy. These prominent women shared their experiences in politics, and discussed with participants the common issues affecting women in the region.
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Representatives of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Serbia welcome participants during the opening session of the 2016 Dialogue Academy, Stadtschlaining, Austria, 1 October, 2016.
Prominent women of the “Follow Us” Initiative and alumni of the 2015 Dialogue Academy, Hasnije Ilazaj, Dubravka Filipovski, Valentina Zeka, and Aleksandra Gajić (from right to left), talk to 2016 Dialogue Academy participants about their experiences, women solidarity, and challenges in political life, Stadtschlaining, Austria 1 October 2016.
As part of the OSCE 2016 Dialogue Academy, participants engaged in outdoor activities and team building exercises to encourage socializing and working together for common goals, Graz, Austria, 1 October 2016.
Participants take part in a role play simulating an EU Council meeting discussing the EU enlargement process for the Western Balkans. The point on agenda was the normalization of relations between Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade, Stadtschlaining, Austria, 3 October 2016.
Thomas Mühlmann and Astrid Holzinger of the Austrian Foreign Ministry address the participants during their visit to the Academy. Speakers discussed the priorities of the upcoming OSCE Chairmanship on youth and women in peace-building, as Austria prepares to take over OSCE Chairmanship in 2017, Stadtschlaining, Austria, 5 October 2016.
A visit to the Peace Museum, a collection of original documents and installations about the main conflicts and peace processes of the last century, Stadtschlaining, Austria, 6 October 2016.
OSCE Mission in Kosovo Deputy Head Paivi Nikander (4th from right) and prominent women of the “Follow Us” Initiative from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade talk to the participants on the last day of the Academy, Stadtschlaining, Austria, 8 October 2016.
Representatives of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Serbia welcome participants during the opening session of the 2016 Dialogue Academy, Stadtschlaining, Austria, 1 October, 2016.
The event was organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Serbia as part of their work to enhance women’s participation in dialogue and conflict resolution, as well as in decision making processes. In 2012 the two missions launched the “Follow Us” Initiative, a dialogue of prominent women from Prishtinë/Priština and Belgrade that included members of parliament, academia, civil society, and media, and have facilitated the initiative ever since.
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