UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOR PEACE : AESI STRATEGIES FOR A NEW APPROACH TO THE CRISES
UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOR PEACE : AESI STRATEGIES FOR A NEW APPROACH TO THE CRISES
Photo : SARAJEVO HQ EUFOR
AESI President and Commander EUFOR with the Rectors of Sarajevo and Belgrade Universities
“University Cooperation Promoting the Peace and Integration in the Balkans” 1999 / 2022 AESI
https://fb.watch/a_erWdo97B/
Video 2021 CONFERENCE
UNITED NATIONS GENEVA
President AESI e DG UNOG
AESI promotes an effective and innovative strategy approach to Humanitarian Crises through the University Cooperation as new international Actor for Peace !
Message President AESI 2022
The United Nations and the International Organizations must understand that the involvement of the new generations is more and more urgent in the construction of the future dialogue and normalization of civil life in those areas devastated by dramatic ethnic-religious and cultural conflicts !
SARAJEVO RECTORATE Conference 2013
The Conference under the title of “University Cooperation Promoting the Peace and Integration in the Balkans” was held in the UNSA Rectorate’s Ceremonial Hall on 22 May 2013. UNSA Rector Prof. Dr. Muharem Avdispahic, H.E. Raimondo de Cardona, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in Bosnia and Col. Christian Pöckl, General Counsel EUFOR delivered opening speeches and marked the beginning of the Conference.
In his welcome speech, UNSA Rector Prof. Dr. Muharem Avdispahic said that the Conference was focused on strengthening collaboration among the universities as important peace, solidarity and tolerance promoting means to and its contribution to the interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Having emphasized the University of Sarajevo’s achievements in the area of international cooperation, he said that University of Sarajevo had carried out numerous projects with the support of the Republic of Italy and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. Rector Avdispahic noted, as particularly important, the cooperation among the University of Sarajevo, University of Belgrade and “La Sapienza” University of Rome in founding the Master Program by the name of “State Management and Humanitarian Affairs”. Having expressed his satisfaction for this meeting, as well as many of them to come, Rector Avdispahic expressed the hope Conference would contribute to the cooperation continuing among those three Universities and international organizations that would also be successful as the one that had been established twelve years ago.
„H. E. Raimondo de Cardona, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to BiH in his address said how that organized Conference represented a one of traditions of university cooperation, which was also supported by the Italian Government, and pointed out that Italian authorities and academics since 1999 had been investing their efforts and that during these long years there were indeed memorable moments.
“After the fall of the Milosevic regime in Belgrade, a group of about 10-11 Rectors from the region, including the Sarajevo Rector, visited Belgrade and establish a community spirit that had been present here a long before the collapse in 1990s. People who work in the field of culture prove in the best way the fellowship. The culture connects, whilst politics, unfortunately, often divides people” said Ambassador de Cardona and stated that those efforts were invested with the goal of finding areas of collaboration among the Universities. Having emphasized that Italy, like most European countries, is affected by the economic crisis which results in Government’s lesser financial capacity, Ambassador de Cardona said: “There isn’t any doubt that financial situation is not ideal. Yet, we here are today and will continue to promote the program between University of Sarajevo and “La Sapienza” University of Rome. We continue to support this kind of cooperation. My message is that we, despite all difficulties, are still here. I would use this opportunity to thank the Associazione Nazionale Banche Popolari of Italy for the support they provided for organization of this important Conference and to assure you that Italian Government will continue to provide its support”.”
Within the framework of the Conference, whose holding initiated “la Sapienza” University “La Sapienza” of Rome, the values of the Master Program “State Management and Humanitarian Affairs” were presented as well as experiences of alumni how the aforementioned Master Program helped them in contributing to the development of society and in making of their respective careers. The hope that these presentations by Master Program alumni, professors and coordinators will contribute to the development of future projects, was expressed.
“La Sapienza” University of Rome Professor, Dr. Massimo Maria Caneva said that the goal of the Conference, among other things, was to see where were today students from Bosnia and Herzegovina who had been enrolled at postgraduate studies in Rome. “We were also interested to see are they still working in this or in some other country. We know that one of them was the Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo, which is especially important for us” said Professor Caneva adding that through this Master Study it was attempted to create a way of thinking and actions of students to solve problems peacefully, without conflict. Professor Caneva recalled the attendees of the 2000 when “La Sapienza” University of Rome had invited Rectors of all Balkan Universities at the Conference, but the Rector of the University of Belgrade was not present, since Slobodan Milosevic was still in power. However, today there is cooperation with that University; former Rector of the University of Belgrade, Prof. Dr. Marija Bogdanovic also attended the Conference.
Prof. Dr. Marija Bogdanovic pointed out that the program which Sarajevo and Belgrade graduate students attended at “La Sapienza” University of Rome was very important. “Under this program, our students were able to go to Sarajevo, and students from Sarajevo to go to Belgrade. It was important that they socialize and work together” said Prof. Bogdanovic.
Former UNSA Rector, Prof. Dr. Boris Tihi said that this Conference was also an opportunity to renew the long-initiated collaboration among those three Universities. “We had good cooperation, were exchanging teachers, our postgraduate students spent some time in Rome and this Conference today is a chance to rebuild it all under much better conditions” said Professor Tihi.
Mr. Miroslav Zivanovic, former Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo, attended the Master Program “State Management and Humanitarian Affairs” in 2001. He said the following about his experience: “My generation was the first one in that program. These were exclusively positive experiences, a good chance to get into the field of public administration that use the interdisciplinary approach, which had its segments of legal, economic and humanitarian nature. It is about a great experience where we could see how the system works in Italy and to compare it to something that were our needs in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the time. The best indicator of this program’s e success is that the entire first generation dealt with and still deals with those matters”.
