In the period from October 15 to 23, 2025, the Center for Education and Socialization (COD) Jajce, in cooperation with the partner organization Friedenskreis Halle e.V. from Germany, implemented an Erasmus+ youth exchange called “The World – A Place for Everyone (?) : hatespeechfree”.
This international exchange brought together 41 young participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Germany, Spain, Italy and Ukraine around the common idea that young people can be initiators of change and builders of a society free from prejudice and hate speech.
Learning through dialogue and creativity
The program started in Jajce, where participants learned how to recognize, understand and react to hate speech through interactive workshops, role-playing games, discussions and creative tasks.
In an atmosphere of mutual trust and open dialogue, they discussed the consequences of intolerance, but also the power of empathy, solidarity and understanding in building fairer communities. During the workshops, young people developed their skills of critical thinking, teamwork and communication, with special emphasis on the responsibility that each individual has in creating positive social changes.
The road to understanding – Jajce, Sarajevo, Srebrenica
After the activities in Jajce, the exchange continued in Sarajevo and Srebrenica, where the participants visited the Museum of Crimes against Humanity and Genocide, and the Memorial Center in Srebrenica.
These visits left a deep impression, reminding young people how important peace, dialogue and mutual respect are for a future without divisions. Inspired by what they saw and learned, the participants, through joint reflections and group work, created action plans for activities to promote tolerance, peace and the fight against hate speech in their local communities.
Young people as agents of change
Through nine days of joint learning and socializing, a special connection was created among the participants. Different languages, cultures and experiences came together in one common story – the story of young people who believe that change begins with understanding and dialogue.
The project, implemented as part of the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, had primarily an educational and cultural character, but it left a deep mark on all participants. Young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina brought with them not only new knowledge and ideas, but also the inspiration to be a voice against intolerance and discrimination, and to continue spreading the values of peace, empathy and intercultural understanding.
