The Forum of Tuzla Citizens (FTC) and the Association for Sustainable Development from Mostar organised the round table titled “Understanding as a Means of Trust – Post-war Revival of Togetherness in Mostar”, which was held in the hotel Ero on May 16, 2008. It should be emphasised that a journalist of Dnevni List (Daily Newspapers) from Mostar, Mrs Sanja Bjelica, gave significant support to the organisation of the round table.
The round table is part of the project activities of the Forum of Tuzla Citizens and it is the first activity planned for 2008 within the project “How to Reach Truth”, which is financed by the partner organisation from the Netherlands “IKV Pax Christi”.

The main objective of the project is:
- to ensure stabile foundation for building of peaceful, non-conflict and affluent future of the nations and states of the Western Balkans through facing with the past (focus on BiH, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia and Kosovo).

The specific aims are:
- to initiate civil discussion about the events from the past war at the territory of former Yugoslavia, focusing on several sub-regions, which are due to several factors specific and more important for the past but also for the future
- to tell your own story and to hear their story (other and/or different) story
- to reach understanding of the other and different through open dialogue about the past
- to establish the minimum quantity of truth that is acceptable for all
- to reconsider the influence of religion on the events in the past in the focus areas, with the presence of religious leaders, and to use their presence for promotion of joint values of all nations in the region.

The round table contained four topic panels:
1. the role of political parties in revitalisation of a local community,
2. the contribution of local media in the past-war revival of togetherness in Mostar,
3. the contribution of religious communities in establishing of inter-religious and inter-ethnical understanding and strengthening of trust, and
4. the experiences of the organisations of civil society in implementation of the peace activities and work on establishment of inter-ethnic understanding and strengthening of trust.

The total of 27 participants and 5-6 representatives of media responded to our invitation. The turnout was not as good as it was expected. However, according to the information got from the local partner in the organisation of the round table (some representatives of the newspapers and some intellectuals), such turnout is characteristic of this city due to insufficient participation of the representatives of the local authorities. Such attitude of the representatives of the local authorities says a lot about the possibilities for establishment of dialogue and togetherness in Mostar.
Nevertheless, the presence of six representatives of the political parties, whose participation significantly contributed to the successfulness of the round table, deserves praising.
The number of media representatives in the panel dedicated to the role of media in revival of togetherness was less than expected, but the quality of their discussions and their background was more than good. We would like to emphasise the contribution of Mrs Amela Rebac, the owner and the initiator of the first post-war multi-ethnic radio station in Mostar (Studio 88), the initiator of the Association of Freelancers “Apel” (Appeal) and a member of the Communication Regulatory Agency.
In relation to the presence of the religious leaders, the situation characteristic of BiH in general, not only of Mostar, had happened. If one or two representatives of two religious communities respond to the invitation (in this case these were the representatives of the Islamic Religious Community and representatives of the Orthodox Church) then, almost as a rule, the representatives of the third dominant religious group do not participate (in this case it was the Mostar Catholic Bishopric). Unfortunately, once again according to the local sources, Bishop Peric does not respond to the events of this kind, since he believes that he or his close associates do not have anything to say in public, except when they want to make a statement in some occasion that they find justified. Evan though we decently sent the invitation letter, we had not get any reply, neither positive nor negative. In their discussions, Professor Salem Dedovic, the main imam of Mostar and archimandrite Danilo Popovic, the prior of the monastery in Zitomislici, blessed by Mustafa eff. Smajkic, the Mufti of Mostar, and Bishop Grigorije respectively, sent the messages of peace, togetherness and tolerance. It is worth of mentioning that a donor conference was held in Mostar several days before the round table. The donor conference was organised by the Orthodox Church for the reconstruction of the cathedral in Mostar, which was destroyed during the war in BiH. Many civil and religious leaders participated in this conference and it was one of the top news in media with rather bombastic headlines such as “the explosion of togetherness in Mostar”. This definitely does not respond to the real situation in Mostar, which was confirmed by all participants of the round table as well as citizens polled just after the round table (the results of the poll published in Dnevni List in Mostar. As it is expected, the Forum of Tuzla Citizens is informed about the purpose of the donor conference, and donated a symbolic amount of money for the reconstruction of the cathedral with a message that round tables of this kind are not just theorising but true desire to contribute to togetherness in the places where FTC and IKV Pax Christi organise their activities.
Representatives of non-governmental organisations are usually the most numerous in these kinds of events, but that was not the case in Mostar. Besides very inspiring speech of Mr Husein Orucevic, a representative of OKC Abrasevic, and several discussions by representatives of Women Association of BiH, the contribution of NGOs was at very low level. Their abstinence is unexplainable. The fact that the organisers had to be very careful in selection of the venue, since the place has to be acceptable for all options, explains the deepness of the city dividedness.

The round table was moderated and continuously led by Slavo Kukic, Professor at the University of Mostar, while the speakers were respected professors from Sarajevo and Zagreb: Professor Zdravko Grebo, Professor Ivan Cvitkovic and Mr Ivan Zvonimir Cicak. They also led three different panels dedicated to the influence of politics, religion and media in revival of togetherness in Mostar.
The round table was opened by Mr Pejo Gasparevic, a journalist of HINA. He gave a very good introductory speech with many facts, starting from census in Mostar in 1991 to present factual situation, from the beginning of the work of the international community, the Roma conference, to adopting of the Statue of the City of Mostar and current way of organisation of the City. Later on, these information served as a very good foundation for the discussions since they were used by many participants in their discussions. Speaking about the round table, Mr Gasparevic concluded: “We all need transformation and reconciliation, since the force of evil and sin among us is sometimes stronger than (the force) of good. Releasing from the burden of guilt, forgiveness and reconciliation are the deepest human, but also political and civilisation needs. Reconciliations can be individual or group ones. The events such as this one today give contribution to affirmation of both individual and group reconciliation. The refusal the reconciliation sets the way for punishment of ourselves. The gaps within us, among us, among nations, among religions, among cultures, among states are bridged in the places where the reconciliation happens. If we understand reconciliation as the establishment of the new relation than we should start from ourselves at the first place and establish a new relation with ourselves.”
Mr Cicak, as a person who is not coming from Mostar and at the first place as a journalist from Zagreb, gave his perception of the problem of Mostar, but also the problem of former Yugoslavia as well as the reasons that led to such situation. His trenchant comments about the international community, which did not succeed to solve some of the world problems (Nicosia, Belfast, etc.), but constantly offers new solutions for BiH. His predictions that BiH is in the phase of unfinished peace, awaiting new war are not very positive. Unfortunately, some respected participants of the round table agreed with him. Mr Cicak believes that in order to reach reconciliation and togetherness, it is needed to have human and political will, but first of all human, and then political will. “Frameworks have been created by the elites that have their interests. These interests are not on daily basis b; these interests are, above all, the interest of power, then the interest of authority and then the interest of money. Local authorities do not participate today in this event.” According to Mr Cicak, the solution is revitalisation of something that used to be called civil society. However, the question is who will revitalise civil society if younger generations are educated in the spirit of intolerance and even hatred. It is very complex question, elaborated later on by many participants, but it remained without concrete solutions for educational system in BiH.
Even though Professor Cvitkovic calmly moderated the discussion about the role of the religious institutions during the war and revival of togetherness, some parts of the discussion were very bitter. Professor Grebo asked philosophical question: religious leaders, as supreme spiritual authorities, blessed the soldiers that were going to war, but did they bless them to come back from the war alive and to defend “their country”, or did they bless them to be successful in war campaign. This question is very often linked to the character of war in BiH and is interpreted in different ways, which was the case also at this round table.
Professor Grebo, a person who was born in Mostar, but now lives in Sarajevo, gave the overview of the situation in Mostar from the perspective of Sarajevo, a city that was characterised by participants as the city with mostly Bosniak population. The open ambition of some of the participants that Mostar should be the capital of Croatia-dominant part of BiH and bitter discussion about parallel institutions in the city (such as water supply, bus service, football clubs and joint stadium) were the topics of panel about the role of the political parties, but also the general topic of the round table.

INSTEAD OF CONCLUSION
One of the conclusions is that Mostar is still a divided city, a city that is far from normal and which needs strong process of revitalisation in all aspects of life.
To all appearances, Mostar is still “a case city”. All the parties involved, as well as the international community, are guilty for such situation. Such state of division becomes unbearable and they ways should be found that Mostar functions as a normal city. Younger generations have to take the matter in their hands and to move forward, without turning to the past. It is needed to build an ambient where all citizens would feel good, without abandoning of their national identity. Nationalistic parties are still ruling the political stage in BiH, and in that context, people, influenced by the war events, are afraid to choose a political option that is not nationalistic.
Another striking information about the division of Mostar even when we talk about the young people is that 85 per cent of young people from the western part of Mostar has never visited Stari Most (the Old Bridge). The feeling of patriotism towards their own town is not being created among young people. The educational programme in the city does not support the contact among young people, since it is built on division as well.
The representatives of the political parties agree that it is needed to rise above the political interests and to dedicate to the interest of citizens. The politics created the problem and only politics can solve division.

During the visit to Mostar, within the organisation of the round table, representatives of the Forum of Tuzla Citizens and the Association for Sustainable Development from Mostar, accompanied by Professor Zdravko Grebo, visited the place where destroyed orthodox cathedral used to be and where its reconstruction started. They were welcomed by the representative of the Orthodox Church.

Reported by Ermin Mustacevic,
FTC Secretary