Summer University Srebrenica Research Program
Summer University Srebrenica is a program for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers to conduct research projects on topics related to Genocide, Transitional Justice, Post-Conflict Studies, and Human Rights.
The program integrates field research with an opportunity to participate in the annual Peace March from Nezuk to Potočari and to attend the Commemoration Ceremony in Potočari, Srebrenica.
The program accepts limited number of researchers, selected on the basis of academic merit. The program is open to participants of every nationality, ethnicity, religion and gender. Registration fee for the participants is 200 € for the program, and costs for room and board are covered by the organizers. The organizers will cover transportation costs throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, while participants are expected to cover their travel costs to Sarajevo.
Through dialogue, research, and first-hand experience with the aftermath of Genocide and the obstacles in terms of Transitional Justice and Peace-building, the Summer University Srebrenica aims at understanding how such a terrible event was able to occur, discussing strategies for dealing with the post-conflict phase, and how to prevent another such atrocity from occurring in any part of the world.
BACKGROUND
Summer University Srebrenica is being established under the auspices of the Center for the Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial and Cemetery for the Victims of the 1995 Genocide (Memorial Center).
The mandate of the Memorial Center is to educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the genocide that took place in Srebrenica in July 1995. By decree of former High Representative Paddy Ashdown, it was decided that the old battery factory - the former UN base occupied by a Dutch peacekeeping force during the war in BiH - should be part of the Memorial Center in order to preserve it as a site of memory.
The structure of the Memorial Center as well as financing is defined by the State Law on the Center for the Srebrenica-Potočari Memorial and Cemetery for the Victims of the 1995 Genocide. The Memorial Center is therefore directly governed by the State of BiH and is not part of either Entity.
GOALS
The objectives of the Summer University Srebrenica are to bring together domestic and foreign students, experts in the field, interested public, and members of the local community. It seeks to facilitate a high-level academic discussion and to enable significant research that focuses on Genocide, Transitional Justice, Human Rights, etc., while emphasizing the relevance of these themes for post-conflict societies. The program is expected to have a direct impact on economic and social development in Srebrenica.
Through dialogue, research, and first-hand experience with the aftermath of Genocide and the obstacles in terms of Transitional Justice and Peace-building, the Summer University Srebrenica aims at understanding how such a terrible event was able to occur. It seeks to discuss strategies for implementing human rights and consolidating democracy in post-conflict societies, and most importantly, how to prevent another such atrocity from occurring in any part of the world.
Short and Long-term Goals
Establish Srebrenica as an educational and research center for the study of Genocide, Transitional Justice, Post-Conflict Studies and Human Rights through the following objectives and outcomes.
Gather Information:
- Establish academic and professional research about the future and reconstruction of Srebrenica on an annual basis
- Create an open dialogue between international scholars and collaborate with other foreign and domestic institutionsPromote Gender-Specific Needs:
- Highlight the gaps in research and deficiencies in programs targeting the psychological & economic recovery for local women
- Generate research, collect data, and brainstorm programs for Srebrenica’s large population of single, female-headed householdsEncourage Transitional Justice:
- Connect the thematic dots between the genocide in Srebrenica, human rights, and peace education with current transitional justice efforts underway in BiH
- Communicate the benefits of transitional justice (including legal and restorative mechanisms) as a tool for societal healing, including the generation of academic research for worldwide distributionGarner Global Support:
- Foster a new generation of academic scholars interested in post-war life in Srebrenica so as to spur new globally funded programs
- Encourage the economic recovery of Srebrenica though the introduction of international visitors for a three week period via home stays and local purchasesTranscend History:
- Deepen the understanding of the Srebrenica experience and expand the work, facilities, and resources of the Memorial Center, adding a new means by which to honor the memories of the dead
- Promote future academic research opportunities and associated tourism in the town and municipality of Srebrenica via experiential learning opportunities
- Provide a space for objective and transparent information-exchange and dialogue between scholars and the local community, utilizing the knowledge and experience of both partiesCONTACT
Summer University Srebrenica
Memorijalni centar Srebrenica-Potočari,
spomen obilježje i mezarje za žrtve genocida iz 1995.Potočari bb, 75 430 Srebrenica, Bosna i Hercegovina
Tel: +387 61 819 210
http://www.srebrenica.international/
For inquiries, please email: info@srebrenica.internationalIn case you experience any technical problems, feel free to contact our webmaster rusmirgadzo@gmail.com