Youth Peacebuilding in Action: How Young People Are Rewriting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Future
December 2025
More than 5,000 youth have taken part in PBF-backed initiatives ranging from cross-entity dialogues and digital literacy workshops to theatre productions and cultural festivals, creating shared spaces that foster cooperation.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), young people are steadily pushing back against long-held assumptions that portray them as disengaged or divided. Through the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) regional project Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality and Trust, young people are showing a different truth. When given space, support, and trust, they step into leadership roles, bridging divides, building relationships, and strengthening the foundations for a more peaceful future.
Implemented in BiH by UNFPA as part of a wider regional initiative delivered jointly by several UN agencies, the project helps to create spaces where young people can meet, collaborate, and build trust across community lines. Although today’s youth has not lived through the wars of the 1990s, many still carry inherited narratives and divisions that hinder trust and reconciliation. The project helps to gently illustrate different perspectives by offering constructive, safe, and creative peer-to-peer encounters.
Thousands of young people in BiH from different ethnic and geographic backgrounds have taken part in theatre productions, festivals, Peace Labs, volunteering activities, university programmes, digital literacy workshops, and the co-creation of the Odyssey of Peace educational board game. For many, these were their first meaningful opportunities to meet peers from other communities.
What has emerged from these initiatives is simple but significant: real human relationships. These connections reduce stereotypes, soften inherited divides, and can help create a more resilient social fabric.
The “Here and Now” Theatre Play as a Catalyst
The theatre performance “Here and Now” (Ovdje i Sada) has become one of the project’s most powerful platforms for dialogue. When the curtain rises, personal stories become openings for reflection, healing, and reconciliation. Developed with young actors who bring their own lived experiences to the stage, the play has travelled to Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar, Banja Luka, Stolac, Gornji Vakuf, and Gora?de, inspiring conversations across generations and communities.
The idea grew from a belief that culture can open doors that formal dialogue often cannot. Using theatre, the project brought together a diverse group of young actors who shaped the script from their lived experiences, mixing different backgrounds, abilities, and ages. The play explores what it means to grow up in a post-war, divided society; capturing moments of fear, longing, humour, and connection that audiences recognise instantly.
More than 1,000 people have seen the production, including during regional showings in Serbia and Montenegro. The performance has helped break down stereotypes, create empathy, and provide space for shared emotional experiences.
Supported by SARTR and the Embassy of Italy to BiH, “Here and Now” continues to resonate. In schools and community centres, it has sparked follow-up activities such as the Odyssey of Peace board game, reinforcing cooperation at local levels.
River of Peace: Cooperation Through Community Action
In Gora?de, the “River of Peace” (Rijeka mira) Festival has shown how community-driven environmental action can build trust across divides. Organised by the City of Gora?de and supported by the project, the festival brought together around 1,000 participants through environmental, educational, and cultural activities.
Highlights included a campaign to clean and stock the Drina River, bringing together youth and communities from cities once defined by division.
Peacebuilding investments from the PBF proved catalytic. The festival’s visibility prompted strong interest from new partners, including the Embassies of Italy and Slovenia and the BiH Directorate for European Integration, who contributed additional support—enabling a one-to-one mobilisation of complementary resources.
Catalyzing Change Through Collaboration?
Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality and Trust began as a small PBF-funded initiative and has grown into a widely recognised model of youth-led peacebuilding. Thanks to co-financing from Italy, youth-led initiatives have expanded significantly, proving that investing in young leaders has the potential for sustained, scalable positive impact.
Young people lead the programme’s cultural initiatives—not as participants but as designers and directors. They shape their own themes, messages, and creative choices, ensuring authenticity. The festival has followed the same logic: youth groups curate activities, coordinate performances, and organise workshops alongside supportive mentors.
This partnership reflects how collaborative investment empowers young people to shape narratives and peacebuilding practices across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Looking Ahead: A Blueprint for Regional Peacebuilding
Across the Western Balkans, Youth 4 Inclusion, Equality and Trust is increasingly recognised as a practical model for youth-led peacebuilding—one that is structured, participatory, and scalable. Its strength lies in combining authentic youth leadership with cross-community networks, cultural and educational programming, and sustained institutional partnerships.
The model is transferable because it treats young people not as beneficiaries but as co-designers who shape agendas, produce content, and lead implementation. From peace-education courses in universities to inclusive sports and co-created theatre, the project generates measurable, replicable outcomes.
With continued support from international partners and strong local ownership, Youth 4 Peace is helping nurture a generation that sees peace not as an abstract aspiration, but as a daily practice—built through cooperation, creativity, and shared responsibility.
Project Results at a Glance
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Youth Participation & Engagement Education & Creative Tools for Peace |
