International Summer School: Questioning the Culture of Tolerance Officially Began
In the University of Sarajevo Rectorate, the sixth edition of the summer school “Questioning Culture of Tolerance” begun on 16 September 2019. This international school is a joint program of the Universities of Milan-Bicocca, Italy, Sarajevo, B&H and East Sarajevo, B&H. The school will examine European democracy models and social justice from a transnational perspective, as well as new walls and forms of intolerance, discrimination and violence that emerge in a post-neoliberal era marked by growing populism and radicalization.
The opening addresses by University of Sarajevo Rector, Prof. Dr. Rifat Škrijelj, Summer School Director: Prof. Dejan Bokonjić, University of East Sarajevo Vice-Rector, Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Nikolić, University of Sarajevo Vice-Rector, Mrs. Alina Trkulja on behalf of the UNSA Center for Interdisciplinary Studies and Prof. Tatjana Sekulić on behalf of University of Milan-Bicocca opened this year’s summer school.
University of Sarajevo Rector Prof. Dr. Škrijelj emphasized the University of Sarajevo’s pride for hosting this important event once again, and added: “The University of Sarajevo will continue to cooperate in order to develop new ideas that are of great importance to our community and the region. I invite all participants and friends of this project to take this unique opportunity to learn, discuss and question this year's topics.”
University of East Sarajevo Vice-Rector, Prof. Dr. Dejan Bokonjić stated that many topics will be covered during the International Summer School, and that School’s holding at the University of Sarajevo and East Sarajevo is very important. “It is also important that teachers from our university will teach and discuss different but interesting topics. Use this opportunity to exchange ideas, with each other. I think this is the best place to learn a culture of tolerance” he said at the opening of the event.
On behalf of the University of Milano-Bicocca, the participants were greeted by Professor Tatjana Sekulić who emphasized that the project was born of many years of cooperation and is proof that the results are possible, with hard work and effort. Young people, she says, are drawn to the question of tolerance and its limits. “The summer school exists for the sixth year, with about 160 students selected from among the 500 young people who applied. These are young people from Europe, Asia, Africa, North America” emphasized Prof. Sekulić.
This year's edition, entitled “European Integration After the Fall of the Berlin Wall”, is dedicated to celebrating the 30th thirtieth anniversary of the revolutionary year 1989. The fall of the Berlin Wall was celebrated as a turning point in the progress of human rights and freedoms. Yet within then still developing Common European Space, it also caused tectonic shifts in political and institutional practices that greatly affected the daily lives of citizens. Memories of this event and critical reflection on its aftermath are crucial to understanding the political processes that followed. Although the Iron Curtain lost its material and symbolic strength, new political, economic and social divisions today present major challenges to Europe's unification project.
The 6th Questioning the Culture of Tolerance Summer School’s edition is taking place at the University of Sarajevo Center for Interdisciplinary Studies from 16 to 22 September. 37 participants from 17 countries from as many as 3 continents will attend the school. In addition to the University of Sarajevo, one day of lectures will be held at University of Mostar, “Džemal Bijedić” University of Mostar and University of East Sarajevo. During this one-week intensive training, lectures will be delivered by eminent lecturers from universities in Italy, B&H and other regional and European universities.
During the School, the opening of a multimedia exhibition “Rise and Fall”, fashioned by artists Jim Marshall and Matteo Ceschi, and the Public Discussion “Yugoslav Wars 1991-2001-What We Learned?” will be held on Tuesday, 19 September after 14:30. It will be followed by the unveiling of the mural “Buđenje (Awakening)” by young artist Rikardo Druškić at 17:00. Organized in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Italy and EU Info Center, these events will be held at the History Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
