The legacy of the targeted attacks against civilians and ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) during the civil war in the 1990s continues to hinder attempts to bring about sustainable peace. Although the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement successfully ended direct hostilities between the adversaries, reconciliation has not followed. Rather, the peace agreement reinforced the conflicting views of those on all sides of the war.
Against this backdrop, AIPG’s Education for Democracy project was launched in January 2024 in partnership with the Center for Peacebuilding (CIM) and with the support of the Swedish Postcode Foundation. The initiative seeks to equip young people in BiH with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to counter hate speech, discriminatory practices, and intolerance—while fostering respect for diversity as a cornerstone of democratic coexistence.
Rooted in the belief that a resilient democracy depends on an education system capable of cultivating critical thinking, dialogue, and respect for plurality, the project strengthens the capacity of teachers and pedagogues to create inclusive, participatory learning environments in public schools. The initiative adapts the participatory methodology developed by the Warren Educational Policies Program (WEPP) in its successful Brazilian program Citizenship and Democracy in Schools, tailoring its preventive, locally driven approach to BiH’s unique post-conflict context.
Over the past two years, the Education for Democracy project has made remarkable strides in the municipality of Sanski Most, in the Una-Sana Canton—an area profoundly shaped by the war and its aftermath. Following an intensive four-day training for teachers and pedagogues in January 2025, the project entered its classroom implementation phase in February, directly engaging 26 educators and 117 students from six primary schools. Guided by a methodological booklet developed through extensive consultations with educators, students, civil society actors, and government officials, teachers introduced interactive classroom activities aimed at strengthening empathy, dialogue, critical thinking, and respect for diversity among young learners.
Throughout the first semester of 2025, WEPP and CIM closely supported educators through monitoring visits, classroom observations, and ongoing feedback collection. Early signs of impact quickly emerged, with educators reporting improvements in student participation, motivation, and sense of belonging. An external evaluation—currently underway—combines surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Preliminary findings are highly encouraging: students describe greater engagement in class discussions, increased respect among peers, and renewed enthusiasm for school.
To conclude the pilot phase, WEPP and CIM hosted two events in November 2025—one in Sarajevo, in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and another in Mostar, at the Nansen Dialogue Center (NDC). These gatherings brought together educators, civil society representatives, and institutional partners to exchange experiences, share good practices, and explore future pathways for collaboration.
To date, the initiative has directly and indirectly reached around 1,000 participants, including students actively involved in classroom activities and others engaged through events and workshops. The project has also extended its presence to four local high schools, expanding its influence beyond the initial primary school network.
Building on the pilot’s success, WEPP and CIM are now exploring new partnerships and funding opportunities to sustain and scale the Education for Democracy initiative across Bosnia and Herzegovina. The team remains deeply committed to supporting young Bosnians and their educators in building a more inclusive, democratic future.
The Education for Democracy project is supported by the Swedish Postcode Lottery Foundation.
✉️ For more information about the Education for Democracy Project, please contact us at paula.alves@auschwitzinstitute.org
