The documentary film State of Peace had its premiere screening last night in Sarajevo, marking the final stop of its tour across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following successful screenings in Vitez, Brčko, Kalesija, and Lukavac, the film was presented at Sarajevo’s Meeting Point Cinema to an audience of young people, civil society representatives, international partners, and members of the public.
Produced as part of the EU’s annual youth peacebuilding program State of Peace, by the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) in collaboration with PINCH Media, the documentary follows young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro as they explore questions of memory, identity, belonging, and the future of the region through dialogue, shared experiences, and personal reflection.
“The European Union was founded as a peace project, and that commitment remains at the core of everything we do. State of Peace programme shows what peacebuilding truly looks like in practice with young people from across the region meeting, listening, and building trust while exploring the legacy of the past. This documentary is important because it captures something that statistics and policy papers cannot: personal encounters, conversations, emotions, and the courage of young people willing to engage with one another.”, states Luigi Soreca, Head of the EU Delegation in BiH and EU Special Representative in BiH.
“State of Peace places young people at the center of the conversation about peace and the future of our region. Their stories demonstrate that mutual understanding, cooperation, and respect for diversity are not abstract values, but lived experiences that can bring communities closer together.” says Velma Šarić, Founder and President of the Post-Conflict Research Center.
The screening was followed by a discussion with protagonists of a documentary from the region, reflecting on the themes explored in the film and the challenges and opportunities facing young people in the region today.
“Bringing together 50 young people from across the region showed us that we have far more in common than we often think. Once we have the opportunity to meet, talk, and learn from one another, we realize that we share many of the same hopes for ourselves, our families, and our communities, opportunities, security, and a better future for the region.”, says Tara-Michelle Gliha, State of Peace participant from BiH.
‘This documentary is an incredibly important thing that came out of the State of Peace Academy because young people from the Western Balkans are fed up with other people talking about us. This film documents the truth, the real, living truth that happened among us, during those fourteen days, on a this unique journey.’’, concludes Aleksa Nikolić from Serbia.
Developed by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina in cooperation with PCRC, the State of Peace programme has, over the past three years, brought together more than 150 young people from across the region through educational workshops, study visits, and dialogue-based activities. By amplifying youth voices and encouraging constructive engagement with the past and present, the documentary contributes to ongoing efforts to strengthen regional cooperation and promote a more peaceful, inclusive, and democratic future for all citizens of the Western Balkans.
