WATCH THROUGH is a festival that brings together writers, peacebuilders, and activists and aims to create a synergy that can stimulate positive change in society and inspire others to act toward a better future with the perspective of European Integration. By focusing on education, literature, civic engagement, and environmental protection, it is intended to promote understanding, empathy, activism, and critical thinking, which are essential for peaceful coexistence and sustainable well-being. WATCH THROUGH festival is organized by Center for Balkan Cooperation LOJA and its partners in the frame of EU funded project Regional Network for Cultural Diversity – READ and the Civil Peace Service project – CPS, supported by BMZ – Germany.

The festival will take place from the 26. – 28. April.

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3-day program:

Wed., 26.4.23

17:30 – 18:15
Location: National Gallery, Cifte Hammam, Skopje, MK

Opening Ceremony:
Opening speeches by Regional Director of Goethe-Institute, Katrin Ostwald-Richter & German ambassador to North Macedonia, Petra Drexler (TBC)
Keynote speaker: Writer and president of the PEN association, Burhan Sönmez
Watching Through the Wall. A keynote speech on the impact that the “walls” nowadays have on the lives of the people, cultures, society.

18:15 – 19:45

Panel discussion: Open Balkans, EU Balkans?
This panel will discuss the question of whether the project “Open Balkan” is helpful to the European integration of the Western Balkans or not.

Panelists:
Veton Surroi (writer, publisher, politician)
Sonja Biserko (diplomat, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights)
Phd. Saso Ordanoski (journalist, political analyst)
Moderation: Bujar Lumar (CBC LOJA)

Followed by music performance by PERIJAT band

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Thursday 27.4.23

10:00 – 12:00
Location: Hall of Faculty of Arts – House of Culture, Tetovo, MK
Panel discussion: Watch through Me: Multiculturalism and intercultural dialogue
How does respectful engagement with and appreciation of different cultures look like? What is the role of education, the role of youth and intersection with social justice in this process?

Panelists:
Ylljet Alicka (University Professor and writer)
Lidija Georgieva (Institute for Security, Defense, and Peace)
Benjamin Blänkner (former regional coordinator of Civil Peace Service for WB, Kurve Wustrow)
Moderator: Enver Abdullahu (professor, diplomat, author)

16:30 – 18:00
Location: Center LOJA, Tetovo
Panel discussion:  Watch through Art: Literature and civic engagement
This panel will discuss the relationship between the literary or artistic activity of an author and his or her civic engagement in different contexts (totalitarian, vs. post-totalitarian, ethnic conflict vs. postconflict).

Panelists:
Filip Jovanovski (АKTO, visual artist, activist)
Doruntina Basha (writer, activist)
Seray Sahiner (writer, activist)
Moderation: Bashkim Shehu

20:00 – 22:00
Location: Paradox (TBC)
Evening: Café Europa – an evening of literary readings, performances, discussions, and music intervals, with the public and the writers seating around the table, in an atmosphere of literary café (invited authors from TR, MK, KS, SRB, ALB, DE, USA, FR)

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Friday 28.4.23

11:30 – 16:00
Location: Scardus, Popova Shapka / Kodra e Diellit, MK
Panel discussion: The Nature Watch: Environment and Cultural Transformation

A special panel focused on the crucial topic of environmental protection. It will discuss the question of the environmental challenge as a potential catalyst for cultural transformation. This will include discussions on the role of art and storytelling in promoting environmental awareness and action.

Greeting speech: Kushtrim Ahmeti (Rector of University of Tetovo)

Panelists-moderators:
Metodi Chilimanov (SharOutdoors – Adventures in Macedonia and the Balkans, environmental campaigner)
Arianit Xhaferi (Co-founder of Eco Guerrilla, eco-activist); and environmental activists, poets, writers, etc.

The event will be accompanied by readings, cooking, performances, and music

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Watch Through festival is organised by LOJA – Centre for Balkan Cooperation and its partners in the frame of EU founder project “Regional Network for Cultural Diversity – READ” and the Civil Peace Service project – CPS, supported by BMZ – Germany.

READ is an EU funded project (that aims to promote intercultural reading skills and democratic values through reading culture and the handling of supra-regional high-quality literary works) directly related to the EU-Western Balkan Flagship initiatives to support the transformation of the Western Balkan, mainly initiative 6 “to support reconciliation and good neighborly relations” and is by the Goethe-Institut as a lead partner and 5 partner organizations from the region: Center LOJA (NMK), Instituti I Librit dhe i Promocionit (Albania), Kalem Culture Association (Turkey), Krokodil (Serbia), Qendra Multimedia (Kosovo).

The CPS is BMZ (Germany) supported project implemented by Centre LOJA and K. Wustrow in partnership with Southeast European University – Tetovo, State University of Tetovo – Tetovo, Saints Cyril, and Methodius University (UKIM) – Skopje, University Goce Delcev (UGD) – Stip as well as the University St. Clement of Ohrid (UKLO) – Bitola). As of this year, CPS is expanding in the region of WB6 and has start the process of establishment of Western Balkans Academy on Peace Building and Civic Activism.