Final Thoughts from Kosovo

"On the last day of my home stay , I took my FOJ partner and his two sisters out to dinner on the Kosovar Albanian border. As we ate dinner, I looked over my partner's shoulder at a spectacular vista of mountains and a lake. About half way through dinner, he pointed to one of the mountains and told me that he had worked for an ITCY (International Tribunal for Crimes in the former Yugoslavia) team that found 34 corpses on the trail which he was pointing. He also told me that lake was also a river (the Drin). I had misunderstood the situation, but I think he had brought me to that place to share with me his understanding of the honey and the blood of the Balkans."

— John McConnell

"There is an old saying that people you encounter in life come and go. Some you will invite into your life for a brief stay and you naturally bid them farewell. Others stay longer and a friendship begins and then invariably wanes over time. Some people come into your life and you fall in love. A bond is established and a commitment is made. Hearts are forever one. I have fallen in love with the people of Kosovo."

—Janet Davis

"Kosovo is a place in need of hope...hope to rid it of the grip of despair...hope to dream of a future...the people are beginning a journey of hope. "

— Richard Stoops

"What a powerful two weeks. This experience truly illuminated a whole new world to me — a world much more complicated than the news may lead us to believe. My time in Kosovo proved to me that conflict can only be solved on a personal level — one to one — rather than the bickering we see between countries' leaders. Through our efforts, one by one, person to person, peace becomes a possible truth — it's just a matter of us realizing this power."

— Greg Milo

My FOJ experience in Kosovo overwhelmed me. Never before had I examined the effects of war and conflict so closely from within the country itself. From Americans working in government and NGOs to the local Kosovars who teach, coordinate CRS programs and work for a more stable future, I witnessed the many layers of their lives just seven years after war. These conversations illustrated the interconnectedness of economic development, political stability, educational opportunities and proper instructional space, job availability and, perhaps most importantly, the emotions of the affected people themselves. Even amidst these incredible struggles, I sensed a spirit of genuine hospitality, enduring optimism and hope for the next generation, sentiments that I hope will guide the Kosovar people as they soon realize their final status."

— Lynette Grypp

Leaving Kosovo having made new friendships and being privileged enough to catch a glimpse into the pain of their past and their hope for a better future; I feel my greatest challenge is also my greatest fear — to be able to express all I have encountered in a way that makes it real for my listeners, and so they understand the amazing spirit and resiliency of the people of Kosovo.

— Kristi Maguire

July 12, 2006, Gjilane

Our final stop was a meeting with the leaders from Gjilane, Kosovo and Kumanovo, Macedonia who are involved in the Cross-Border Cooperation and Reconciliation Project. These CRS partners are working to maintain and even develop the strong community and economic ties that have gone on for centuries and was interrupted by the creation of borders after the downfall of Yugoslavia. On its second phase, the project has implemented agricultural fairs, youth exchanges and will soon give grants to agrcitultural projects in the border communities.

July 13, 2006, 2006 Tour of Kosovar Sites

To wrap up the trip the group toured sites that commemorate the victories and defeats in Kosovo. These sites represent events that though centuries if not decades past continue to remain fresh in the Kosovar peoples collective memory:

Gazimestan, a marker put up to remember the site of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo and most recently was the setting for Milosevic's reign of blood and tears in the Balkans.

The original tomb of Sultan Murat, the Ottoman ruler who was killed in Kosovo in 1389, and who ushered in 500 years of Ottoman rule in the Balkans.

The Decani Monastery, over 600 years old and home to beautiful icons of the Serb Orthdox Church and gave refuge to fleeing Albanians during the 1989 war.

Finally the group had dinner with the CRS staff and their wives at Tiffany's. It was a good way to celebrate the intense two weeks and to express gratitude to the CRS/Kosovo staff that went out of their way to ensure that the FOJ 2006 Kosovo trip went well. Kudos to Florent. Gani, Shkumbin, Adelina, Vullnet, Lee, Lumnije, Petar, Adnan, Burim, Enisa and Vlora for all their hard work, abundant hospitality and palpable commitment to global solidarity!

July 7-9, 2006, Home Stays

The participants all went to their home stays in various parts of Kosovo, Rich and Janet to Gjakova, Lynette to Gjilane, Kristi and Greg in Pristina and John to Prizren.

They will stay in the homes of the Kosovar teachers with whom they are going to work in the coming year on projects that will build solidarity between their Kosovar and U.S. students.

Greg Milo shares this reflection on the time he spent with Xevdet, an English teacher in a medrese, a Muslim secondary school in Pristina:

This whole experience with the host family has been incredible and more fulfilling than I could have possibly imagined. In talking with Xevdet and his friends and family, there seems to exist a lot of pain left in them. However, there is a strong desire to end the hurting inside and to move forward. I think this mentality will help bring a peaceful solution. But will peace be long lasting, I wonder? I believe we (myself and the rest of the teachers) are one step in ensuring a lasting peace. If we can build and maintain a constructive dialogue back home and with the international world, I feel a strong enough message based in Catholic Social Teaching might prevail.

July 10-11, 2006, Prizren

The past two days were both exhausting and exhilarating as the Kosovar and U.S. teachers worked on their partnership projects. Sr. Mary Frances Taymans of the NCEA guided them through the project development process and despite the translation issues, the teachers mutually crafted projects that will link their students in the coming year. The bridges of solidarity have been established and the teachers will now work towards allowing their students to walk together as they learn about each other's countries, community issues and personal hopes and dreams.

To end the workshop two participants read the Albanian poet Megjeni's poem "Song of Youth" in Albanian and English.

The first stanza of Migjeni's poem, "Song of Youth"

"Sing, youth, the loveliest song you know!
Sing the song that seethes within your breast,
Let your joy burst forth in passion...
Don't hold back your song! Let it soar."

July 6, 2006, Prishtina and Lypjan

This day was focused on education and we had another early start to meet with a representative from the Union of Parent-Teacher Associations of Kosovo at the CRS office in Prishtina. This organization is an off-shoot of the PTAs that CRS helped to develop through various capacity building activities. Over the past two years, the Union and CRS have worked together on decreasing the drop out rates in the schools, especially among girls. Last year, 100 girls went back to school as a result of the project. The Union is also working on the creation of safe environments in the schools, counter-trafficking activities and the education of minority groups such as the Roma and Ashkali.

The next meeting was at the Islamic Faculty of Studies of Kosovo, a college that prepares teachers at Albanian Islamic schools in the Balkans. It is the only Islamic school of its kind in the Balkans and the professors and staff warmly welcomed us. The FOJ participants gave a presentation to more than 20 male and female students on Catholic education in the United States. Sr. Mary Fran Taymans led the presentation and Luminije, a CRS/Kosovo staff member, patiently translated from English to Albanian and from Albanian to English. The students were definitely engaged and by the end of our visit, the vice-dean expressed his gratitude and shared, There is a great need to exchange ideas so that we can open up our horizons. Religion's main goal is not to divide people but to bring us together." His sentiments were definitely shared by the FOJ participants at the end of our visit.

The final stop on this day was the Ulpiana high school in Lypjan. Avdi Azemi, an English teacher who last year worked with a drama teacher from Blessed Trinity in Atlanta, and ten of his students welcomed us to their school. Avdi presented on the challenges and successes of last year's projects, such as his students developing of a high level of comfort in speaking English (as evidenced by the way they interacted with us) and their learning about drama. His students wrote and presented four plays on social realities in Kosovo, such as human trafficking, and will translate them to English in September. Avdi had a very good rapport with his students and they clearly loved him — after all, they came to school on their summer vacation to meet with us!

He and his students then brought us to a room that they had built and decorated. (Lack of space for extra-curricular activities — for meetings and play practices in this case — is a big issue in almost all schools in Kosovo.) Their creativity was so evident in the way they worked on this project, and Rosario, one of the students, gave an eloquent monologue on life from a Kosovar youth's viewpoint. It was a good way to close our day.

July 5, 2006, Mitrovica

We had an early start today so that we could get to Mitrovica by 9. It was a full day of meetings but all worthwhile as we met various citizens of this divided city. The Ibar river cuts through this city and is also the demarcation line between the Albanians in the south and the Serbs in the north.

We met with teaches and principals from both sides of the city, learned of the parallel education systems and various challenges faced by the schools in this divided city. In the north, 4 high schools use one school building but it has not deterred more than 90% of the Kosovar Serb graduates of the general school to pursue a college degree. In the south, two principals met with us and shared how they courageously taught the students inside their houses when Kosovar Albanians were forbidden to go to school in the 1990's.

Our next meeting was with the young leaders of the Mitrovica City-Wide Youth Council(CWYC), an inspiring multi-ethnic group that represents all the students of Mitrovica's high schools. The 6 students shared about their common hope for a better future for their city and how they have taken an active role in making it happen. From ensuring security and cleanliness in their schools, they then worked on enabling their respective communities to gain access to the cemeteries. Since the division of the city, the Serb cemetery is on the Albanian side while that of the Albanians is on the Serb side. What was amazing was they did not take personal ownership on their accomplishments but always represented themselves as the voice of all the high school students in Mitrovica.

Finally we met with a new coalition of non-governmental organizations involved in peacebuilding — mostly young adults who affirmed the CWYC's hope for a Mitrovica where they can all live together in peace and tolerance.

This was a long day of one meeting after another, but it was energizing as well. The CRS/Mitrovica staff — Petar, Enisa, Burim and Adnan — were not only good hosts and patient translators, but more importantly lived out a commitment for building peace in Mitrovica for the long haul.

July 4, 2006, Ferizaj

For the members of the group, this was the first time that July 4th was observed outside of the United States, and as we met one person after another they all congratulated the group on the U.S.A.'s independence. Many shared that the words of congratulations while unusual, also challenged them to take a step back on what it means to live in an independent country. Kosovo's status towards independence is still being determined and the people we met today definitely shared a yearning for independence.

This was a day to meet CRS' new partners in a USAID-funded counter-trafficking project. We met staff from an organization that works on social marketing and will soon embark on research on Kosovar's attitudes towards the issue of trafficking of human beings. We drove down to Ferizaj to meet with Jakhup of Caritas Kosovo and to learn of the Catholic church's work in 23 parishes around Kosovo.

Our final meeting for the day was with SHE, a coalition of women's organizations in Ferizaj that has actively advocated against trafficking in their town. Maria, the coalition leader is a white-haired woman of integrity and passion, a teacher for 40 years she has devoted her time over the past few years to counter-trafficking activities. She shared that this issue snuffs out a person's soul and has to be stopped.

The local Ferizaj TV station crashed our meeting at SHE and requested to interview two members of our group about what it means to celebrate July 4th in Kosovo, Greg and Kristi gamely took the challenge and appeared on local news.

As we reflected on the principle of human dignity in the afternoon we were reminded of Maria's passion for the victims of trafficking and the need to continue to pray for her and those whose lives she hopes to protect and restore.

To celebrate the 4th of July, the CRS/Kosovo staff went out to dinner with us at Jakova restaurant on top of a hill overlooking Prishtina. It was a wonderful dinner filled with laughter, stories and good food. To cap off the night, we tried out Albanian line dancing. There were no fireworks this July 4th in Kosovo, but our hearts were filled with joy and thanksgiving for the care and hospitality of our Kosovar hosts.

July 3, 2006, Prishtina

It rained on our first morning in Prishtina but the CRS staff made sure we were dry and comfortable. This day was filled with high level meetings with Ken Yamashita, the USAID Country Director and Steven Schook, the deputy head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. They helped us to understand the international perspectives on Kosovo's future. Our final meeting was with two women, Vlora and Rudina, who worked in the counter-trafficking division in the Prime Minister's office. Rudina, a fresh college graduate who opted to remain in Kosovo, shared with us her optimism on Kosovo's future. She explained that she had a chance to leave and work or pursue graduate studies abroad but would rather stay and take an active role in building up Kosovo. With 65% of Kosovo's population being 25-years-old or younger, Rudina epitomized her generation's commitment to the future of their state.