Institute for Modern Development

Happy to be part of the project discussing the "strategic turnover" in the priorities of Western Balkans and the EU vice versa.

How Would the EU Benefit from the Integration of Western Balkans? How Would the EU Benefit from the Integration of Western Balkans? A Question Addressed from a Central European PerspectiveIt is our great honor to invite you...

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In a recent discussion, journalist Goran Avramović from the Serbian community in Kosovo speaks with moderator Marta Szpala about the ongoing challenges facing Serbs in the region since tensions escalated two years ago. The conversation explores the deep impact of these tensions on daily life, including heightened fear, migration, and social isolation. Goran compares past events with the current situation, voicing concerns over rising ethnic nationalism, weak institutional support, and worsening economic conditions.

He stresses the importance of genuine dialogue between communities and urges political discussions to focus on the everyday struggles of ordinary people rather than elite maneuvering. Ultimately, he calls for concrete improvements in public services, economic opportunities, and mutual respect to build a more inclusive society.

Visit our YouTube channel to discover more content from the My Hero, Your Enemy: Way Forward in the CEE SEE Region project!

We’re immensely grateful to our fantastic partners for helping bring these episodes to life. A special shoutout to the International Visegrad Fund for their generous support! ❤️

Kosovo - Serbian Relations: View from Pristina I Moderator: Marta SzpalaGuest: Goran Avroamović

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In this video, the discussion centers around the current situation of the Serbian community in southern Kosovo, particularly in the city of Gračanica, as shared by journalist, Ana Ćup Marković. The conversation moderated by Marta Szpala highlights the rising tensions within the region over the past two years, exacerbated by the policies of the Kosovo government, which have caused a significant impact on the daily lives of the Serbs and other communities in the area.

The dialogue touches on various themes including fears surrounding education and health services, the economic struggles faced by the community, and the influence of political rhetoric on inter-ethnic relations. Marović emphasizes the need for dialogue and collaboration between communities to foster a more inclusive and sustainable environment, underscoring the importance of economic stability and addressing core issues affecting ordinary citizens.

Check out our YouTube channel, where you’ll find plenty of videos on the My Hero Your Enemy: Way Forward in the CEE SEE Region project.

A huge thank you to our amazing partners for making these episodes possible! Special thanks to the International Visegrad Fund for their generous support. ❤️

Kosovo - Serbian Relations - View from Gračanica Moderator: Marta SzpalaGuest: Ana Cup Marković

The IFMD, besides other things, focuses on organizing conferences that would bring relevant stakeholders in confidence-building measures in the CEE and SEE region together, such as civil society actors, experts, journalists, and political stakeholders, to foster and maintain communication and dialogue on specific topics. 🫶

This year, the Institute for Modern Development was happy to host the conference called My Hero Your Enemy, which was split into two parts. The first one took part in April 2024 in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The latter was in June 2024 in Prague, Czechia.
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This post is dedicated to the first part.

Conference My Hero Your Enemy: Historical Narratives in National Identity Building in the CEE and SEE Region took place in the beautiful city of Ohrid in North Macedonia from 16th – 18th April 2024. The discussion panels took place specifically on the premises of

The whole conference was split into 4 panels and 2 round table discussions.

Opening Panel and Welcome Adress were provided by Michal Vít (Balkanist and co-founder of IFMD), H. E. Jaroslav Ludva (Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Republic of North Macedonia), Petr Mareš (Director of the International Visegrad Fund) and Milan Igruntinović (Research Associate at Institute of European Studies).

The other panels focused on the Legacy of Yugoslavia in the Southeast Europe Region, National Identity Building in the Context of Multiethnic Societies in the Early 21st Century, and lastly, a panel called How to Channel Nationalist Aspirations Participant.

Also, two round table discussions took place: Dynamics of Dialogue in South East Europe and Journalists Caught in a Trap.

This conference probably would not have happened without the support of our partners. Special gratitude goes towards 🙌 Not possible without our partners: Villa Decius Institute for Culture (PL), Slovak Debate Association (SK), Foundation for Humanities and Social Studies - Sofia (BG), NGO Aktiv (RKS), Institute of European Studies (SRB), Eurothink (NMK), Institute of Political History (HU).