Youth Initiative for Human Rights invites young journalists and social science students from Serbia interested in the topic of the wars of the 1990s to apply for the three-month research and educational program “War History and Facts” that will last from the beginning of June to the end of August 2026 in Serbia. The program aims to empower eight young authors who, after an educational workshop, research training and a mentoring process, will write papers in which they will analyze certain aspects of mass human rights violations during the war years of the 1990s based on judicially established facts.

The wars of the 1990s are often discussed without a context in which judicially established facts established by domestic and international courts should have a significant place. After 25 years since the end of the wars for the Yugoslav heritage, young people in Serbia are inundated with propaganda or poorly informed about events that are still the subject of dispute, exaggeration or denial today. 

With this in mind, the following activities are planned for the “War Past and Facts” program:

  1. The “War Past and Facts” workshop, which will be held from June 1 to 5, 2026 in Belgrade. The goal of the workshop is to educate young people about the war crimes of the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia, as well as to train participants in the skills and tools for independent research. 
  2. Writing research papers with mentoring and editorial support based on judgments, with a special focus on the judgment of Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović before the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague from May 2023. 
  3. Two visits to unmarked sites of suffering in Serbia.

 

If this topic interests you, you are up to 30 years old, you are studying social sciences and humanities in Serbia and you are motivated to learn and write about the wars of the 1990s, this is the right opportunity for you! 

It is possible to apply for the program by filling out the questionnaire, and the call is open until May 25, 2026, at 5 p.m. The eight selected participants will be notified of the results of their applications no later than Wednesday, May 27, at 5 p.m. 

For any additional questions or concerns, we are at your disposal via the contact email: [email protected].

The costs of transportation, accommodation and meals during the program are covered by the organizers. The program is supported by the ProPeace office in Belgrade.