Interview with Belgrade park campaigners
Art and Activism Indymedia , 21-07-2006 - 11:40

In June 2005, a corporation called Crnotravac cut down all the trees in Peti Park, a small park in Belgrade, with the aim to build a five storage high commercial centre. The neighbourhood doesn't accept this, and has started an impressive struggle to safe the park.

On July 15, the neighbours of Peti Park organised a street event to show their determination to keep defending their park. The event was supported by the Art and Activism Caravan. Dragan Djurosinovic, Jasmina Dobric and Mirjana Zupunski, neighbours of the park, explain about the fight for the park.

Links: Peti Parkic campaign website | AA Caravan Indymedia

Belgrade remembers Srebrenica - 11 years on...
Art & Activism Caravan IMC , 19-07-2006 - 16:03

The Srebrenica massacre was the July 1995 killing of up to an estimated 8,106 Bosniak males, ranging in age from teenagers to the elderly, in the region of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina by a Serb Army of Republika Srpska under general Ratko Mladić including Serbian state special forces "Scorpions". The Srebrenica massacre is the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II and considered by many as one of the most horrific events in recent European history. It is also the first legally established case of genocide in Europe after the Holocaust. (source: Wikipedia).

11 years on, a large crowd gathered in the city centre of Belgrade to remember the victims killed in the Srebrenica massacre. Last year the same vigil was attacked by nationalist groups, some of who trew teargas in the crowd. The police guarded the protest heavily this time. We took some photos...

Links: Wikipedia on the Srebrenica massacre | Preliminary list of 8106 Bosniaks killed in Srebrenica - (PDF version) - Issued by Federal Commission for Missing Persons on June 5, 2005 | The Association Women of Srebrenica - Official Website | Srebrenica Genocide Blog - Independent Blog Regarding Srebrenica Massacre | "Cry from the Grave" documentary film detailing the account of the massacre | Chemical Warfare in Bosnia? The Strange Experiences of the Srebrenica Survivors (a Human Rights Watch report) | BOSFAM - Non-Governmental group supporting displaced women in Bosnia

Belgrade remembers Srebrenica - 11 years on...
Art & Activism Caravan IMC , 19-07-2006 - 15:20

The Srebrenica massacre was the July 1995 killing of up to an estimated 8,106 Bosniak males, ranging in age from teenagers to the elderly, in the region of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina by a Serb Army of Republika Srpska under general Ratko Mladić including Serbian state special forces "Scorpions". The Srebrenica massacre is the largest mass murder in Europe since World War II and considered by many as one of the most horrific events in recent European history. It is also the first legally established case of genocide in Europe after the Holocaust. (source: Wikipedia).

11 years on, a large crowd gathered in the city centre of Belgrade to remember the victims killed in the Srebrenica massacre. Last year the same vigil was attacked by nationalist groups, some of who trew teargas in the crowd. The police guarded the protest heavily this time. We took some photos...

Links: Wikipedia on the Srebrenica massacre | Preliminary list of 8106 Bosniaks killed in Srebrenica - (PDF version) - Issued by Federal Commission for Missing Persons on June 5, 2005 | The Association Women of Srebrenica - Official Website | Srebrenica Genocide Blog - Independent Blog Regarding Srebrenica Massacre | "Cry from the Grave" documentary film detailing the account of the massacre | Chemical Warfare in Bosnia? The Strange Experiences of the Srebrenica Survivors (a Human Rights Watch report) | BOSFAM - Non-Governmental group supporting displaced women in Bosnia

art caravan arrived to novi sad yesterday
Eudocimus Ruber , 18-07-2006 - 19:26

art and activism caravan started from greece and has been travelling through the Balkans.Yesterday they arrived to novi sad.here are some fotos...
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On the road again - Plav to Belgrade
AA IMC , 16-07-2006 - 15:31

Driving from Plav to Belgrade.. Thanks Iso for all your help and support. Thanks to Vladimir for keeping up with us for a night...
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Plav final event - Filmscreening and party...
Art and Activism IMC , 15-07-2006 - 13:58

And finally the photos from the exciting film screening as well as the party where the samba band played endlessly and people danced until dark... Also slikscreens printed everyone's t'shirts..
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Plav final event - handing over the petition
Art and Activism IMC , 15-07-2006 - 13:46

Here photos from the final event in Plav, Montenegro where we handed a petition over to the Major of Plav to ask for better seating in the football stadium. At the moment the chidren sit on top of a rubbish dump to follow the games...
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Plav final event - The parade...
Art and Activism IMC , 15-07-2006 - 13:14

Here are the first photos from our final event in Plav, Montenegro.
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Small town activism in Montenegro - interview with a community activist
Art and Activism Indymedia , 14-07-2006 - 15:29

Plav

Plav is a small town in the north east of Montenegro. The 10.000 inhabitants form a mixed community of Montenegrians, Serbs and Albanians. 80% is muslim, 14% orthodox, 2% catholic. Among the Montenegrians there are both muslims and orthodox, among the Albanians both muslims and katholics. Part of the population are refugees from the Bosnian war (1992-1995) and the Kosovo war (1998-1999). The town is very isolated, surrounded by mountains and six hours away from the capital Podgorica. In autumn last year, a small group of people set up an NGO, Plagus_M, with the aim to activate the local community and the youth culture.

Interview with Merlinda Djesevic from Plagus_M:


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On our way to Plav... some photos
AA IMC , 13-07-2006 - 18:01

On the road... Tirana to Plav.
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Photos from silkscreening workshops in Bitola + Tirana
AA IMC , 13-07-2006 - 15:29

Some photos from the silkscreening workshops in Bitola, Macedonia and Tirana, Albania.
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Graffiti for social change in Tirana
Coen , 13-07-2006 - 14:03

Ergin, graffiti artist from Tirana:

In Tirana graffiti is a new thing. I started doing graffiti in December 2005, with a group of five. So far the authorities are tolerating us. We do our graffiti in daylight, as an open public statement and to have direct contact with people. The police sometimes shows up and tells us to stop, that's all. Then we continue the next day. We started off with two walls, at Rug Albassan and Rug Kavaja, and now want to spread further through Tirana. We have to see how the authorities react to this. For me, graffiti is a strong form of urban art, it takes art out of galleries, and out of the system. Graffiti gives me a direct relationship with people on the streets. In Albania, it's very important to explain your point of view to people and the street is a good place for this. I want to show that we want to be free in our life to choose, if you don't choose your freedom, you lose it. We hope that a new generation of youth will get more into graffiti. It has a direct impact on society, messages from the street are needed in Albania, with our history of authoritarianism.

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Water, Poverty and Clowning - a week in Tirana, Albania
AA IMC , 13-07-2006 - 14:01

In Albania the Caravan was welcomed by people from Mjaft!, a movement committed to fighting political corruption and raising awareness of social and environmental issues concerning Albania. Workshops were held at various locations in Tirana, which is the capital of Albania with different sources stating somewhere between 500,000 - 1,000,000 inhabitants.

In Tirana Cat left and Johan joined the Caravan as a Rebel Clown trainer. It was a busy, hot and stressful week full of good and crazy experiences and well attended workshops. The participants were generally around 16-18 and some were part of youth and activist groups. The video workshops produced 3 films and the Clowns and Mischief Makers combined their efforts in an action for clean and reliable drinking water at the Ministry for Internal Affairs, in the middle of the city.

Photos: On the road - from Bitola to Tirana | An action for clean and reliable drinking water at the Ministry for Internal Affairs in Tirana, Albania | Photo update of Art Activism Caravan | Photos from silkscreening workshops in Bitola + Tirana

Other articles: Rebel Clowning in Albania | creative direct action in Albania | Everything can change through art

Links: AA Caravan Indymedia | Mjaft! website | Wikipedia on Albania | Liberal revolutionary movements in post-communist Eastern Europe

An action for clean and reliable drinking water at the Ministry for Internal Affairs in Tirana, Albania
Albania Indymedia , 13-07-2006 - 13:11

Today over 40 people gathered at the Ministry for Internal Affairs in the centre of Tirana, the capital of Albania. The issue is Tirana's drinking water, which is not clean, unreliable as it comes out of the tap only a few hours a day and that sewage systems continue to pollute the water sources.

Rebellious clowns handed out some of Tirana's finest tabwater, which was refused by most passers by... The Water Daughters were dressed in costumes showcasting the problems and got passers by involved by asking them what they would do to contribute to cleaner water. The messages were pinned onto a washing line hung across the Ministry building. A large banner in front of the building stated: 'Are you killing time or is time killing you?' aimed at most Albanians very laid back attitude towards these problems. Supposedly the Minister was on holiday when asked for by the demonstrators...

National TV channels, newspapers as well as various media activists covered the action. The action was the final outcome of the week of workshops as part of the Art and Activism Caravan, which is currently touring the Balkans. For more information and full coverage see:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/aa

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On the road - from Bitola to Tirana
AA IMC , 13-07-2006 - 12:29

This was quite a ride with very steep mountains and a bordercrossing which seemed to take forever to get across. Waiting, waiting, waiting... But we got there eventually. Albania is a beautiful country with an unbelievable amount of pollution. Anyways, we were met by someone at the border who helped us to Tirana. Vincenzo, thanks for your help. Without you, not sure when we would have got there!
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Some photos from the final event in Bitola
AA IMC , 13-07-2006 - 11:33

Here some photos from the final event of the workshop activities from the AA Caravan, while it was in Bitola, Macedonia. Over 400 people attended the evening of video screening, juggling performance and live music.
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A for Athens, B for Bitola...
AA IMC , 13-07-2006 - 11:30

After a week of student uprising in Greece, the Art and Activism Caravan moved onto Macedonia, where it was welcomed by the Bitola Youth Forum, to fill a week of youth activities in the city of Bitola. Bitola is a city in the south-western part of the Republic of Macedonia, with just under 100.000 inhabitants.

Workshops included: action samba, silkscreening, video activism and rebel clowning, some of which took place at one of the local swimming pools. The Mischief Makers worked in a Roma settlement just outside the city. At the end of the week a large event was held in the local amphitheatre, which was joined by some local bands.

Photo: On the road to Bitola | Roma children's workshops | Video workshop | Final event

Video: Beautiful Bitola (about litter on the streets) | Bitola's Neighbourhood Voices (aspirations...) [will be uploaded soon!]

Other articles: A Week in Rromani | All You Ever Wanted To Know About Roma Culture | videos made in bitola by video workshop participants

Links: AA Caravan Indymedia | Wikipedia on Bitola

Photos from workshop with Roma children on AA caravan, Macedonia
AA IMC , 12-07-2006 - 16:11

Here are some photos from a workshop within the Roma Community of Bitola, Macedonia. The workshop took place as part of the Art and Activism Caravan, which is currently touring the Balkans. For more information and full coverage, see the Art and Activism Caravan page

On the road to Bitola... (some photos)
AA IMC , 12-07-2006 - 15:32

Some photos from on the road to Bitola, Macedonia...
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All You Ever Wanted To Know About Roma Culture
Cat , 09-07-2006 - 20:12

A Brief Description of Roma Culture, Traditions and Politics. Romas are possibly one of the most mis-understood and mis-represented peoples on the planet. This article attempts to shed a small beam of light on what is an extremely fascinating yet persecuted way of life.
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