The feeling of yugo-nostalgia faces the feeling of hate among the countries of ex-Yugoslavia. This is a feeling manifested with specific melancholy when travelling to neighboring countries – whether to the seaside, mountains, to visiting relatives; or when experiencing a connection with ex Yugoslavia brands: Sarajevo burek, Peja and Skopje Beer, Bambi, Krash, Lepa Brena, Yugoslav Radio and Television Network… Generations of young people born between 1983 and 1990 have grew up listening to the stories told by their parents – how they travelled miles and miles without passports, stories about travels to Trieste to buy a suit for a prom night, or travels from Belgrade to Zagreb just to have a cup of coffee. However, the generations mentioned have never been Tito’s Pioneers, nor did they attend any of Youth Work Actions – none of them lived the story of meeting their life lover on a Youth Work Action, with whom they will spend the rest of their life. What makes young people feel so nostalgic regarding the memories and reminiscences which, in the fact, do not belong to them? This project deals with these generations – these generations are our target groups, our sources and inspiration. The project authors – the creative team, also belong to these generations and they do understand the subject personally and intimately. It is extremely important to emphasize that the project objective is to build a new and a better future by using these memories. Thus, the reason for selecting this period is neither due to its glorification, nor a wish to emphasize the opinion of a better or worse political state at the time. The reason solely lies in its symbolism that this period represents.

After turbulent separation, the hate between the nations and countries prevailed. Almost fifteen years later, the hate still survives and has been grading up ever since the brake-up. Within such an atmosphere, regardless of tendency, neither cultural nor art efforts succeeded to overcome past events. Thus, this project objective is to strengthen cultural organizations’ cooperation within the region, as a major link of the mutual work of the citizens – not only within the art field, but at all other areas.
The aim of the project is not to mourn over the past, or bring back some past political system, but the remembrance of common feelings and memories on a pure, human level. This is very much needed for overcoming the conflicts and achieve a reunion and tolerance, or to quote the last Green Megahertz Show, we do wish to create the atmosphere and a new space in the region “where cultural and tolerant dialog would be opened, in which even contrary stand will be taken, but without bitterness and a priori judgment”.

What do we want to achieve?

Results of the project include interactive production of a theatrical play on “borrowed memories” about Yugoslavia by youth in Kosovo, Bosnia and Serbia. This is accompanied by a memory museum, a feature-length documentary film, a methodology companion and a proactive web community.


The memory museum

The memory museum will be a gallery type exhibition and its goal is to give a ‘museum value’ to the intimate memories of common citizens, in the form of an artistic installation in an exhibition space. The spaces and the terms of the gallery will be designed with the goal to make the memory museum become a part of the city life and a public event. More precisely, the opening of the exhibition will be held in the form of a public event, and its long-term duration in one of the exhibition spaces of the town, will make it a part of the city cultural life.
“The citizens will bring all the objects, tastes, flavors, sounds packed in a baggage, a box, a purse, a hat… – something that will, together with the content, represent to them a home, belonging, identity”. read more >>


The Theatre Play

On daily bases, the play writer implements the discussion sessions with a group of young citizens, those born between 1983 and 1990. As mentioned before, they are our sources. Their memories will be the base to play writer text for the plays. The actors casting follows, at which, the actors from the last two years of studies will be invited. Two objectives are achieved by this – actors are also belonging to the generation mentioned and a chance will be given to young actors for their first professional involvement. read more >>

Borrowed memories – a methodological guide

The third activity will be the creation of ‘Borrowed memories – a methodological guide’ that summarizes the method used in the light of the experience, the lessons learnt and the practical capacities acquired.

The ‘guide’ will be written by the three young professionals that have followed the implementation of the plays and of the memory museums with the help of the activity directors and of the staff of the organizations.This guide will be a capital of knowledge for the network and a way to spread best practices in the region. read more >>


Documentary movie

The fifth activity will be the shooting of a professional documentary on the project.

The documentary director will follow the implementation of the whole project and work ‘shoulder to shoulder‘ with the team of professionals. The documentary will be projected in each country and also other cultural organizations will be invited to the projections.

The documentary will have the double purpose of spreading information about the activities realized and the results achieved and to create, trough the events organized for the projections, a meeting point for other cultural organizations and for possible new members of the network.
The Documentary film will be named Borrowed memories and, as an additional activity of this project has the main goal to tell the story on Yugo-nostalgia using the language of film.

The source of the material for the play and the memory museum within this project shall be the experience of young citizens, participants of the workshops held in each country. This source can be significantly expanded by using the characteristics of film as a medium. Film camera shall explore the exteriors of the city where the project is currently being conducted. In that way, the city itself – not only its citizens – becomes the source: its architecture, infrastructure and the past visible and perceivable in the streets generally. In parallel, the camera becomes an extra participant of the workshops, acting interactively with the others. read more >>

EC DG Enlargement-funded project “Networking Memories”, aims at networking cultural organizations from the Western Balkans. Network created by this project consists of: