Young people in the Western Balkans are transform cities with their muralssending strong messages of friendship, peace and cultural preservation, within the framework of the regional program on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 (ReLOaD2).
Street art will surely last for a long time in the region’s cities, thanks to the growing number of young people who believe in the power of this form of expression.
“This art unites the community and encourages people’s creative thinking, opening a dialogue on important topics and values,” » are the words of the young artist Darko Gulevsky from the Macedonian town of Bitola, which open a whole new window to the world of street art.
The creative works of young people from this region adorn dilapidated buildings, tall walls and neglected public spaces. However, much deeper messages are hidden behind their colorful and unusual works.
“Our murals represent the pulse of our generation’s inventiveness and our struggle to express ourselves freely.”
Petar Tomski of Bitola
He was one of 50 young people who, as part of the voluntary action “Hate speech on the walls of Bitola”, painted murals in three places in Bitola, including on the walls of the primary school “Stv Naumov “, from “Taki Daskalo” secondary school. and the “Prolet” nursery school. The action was carried out by the Bitolj Youth Cultural Center and the non-governmental organization SFERA International within the framework of ReLOaD2.
“The walls are a mirror of our city. That’s why we intentionally chose educational institutions where messages of hate were written in order to leave a positive impact on young people.” » said young volunteer Angela Baleska.
Empowering women
The same wishes and thoughts are shared by young Albanian artists who, within the framework of the “Y4K – Youth for Kavaja” project of the “Today for the Future” organization, painted a mural with a strong message on the main square from the city. of Kavaja.
“I stand on the mountain of the sacrifices of a million women before me…” is the message on the Kavaja mural, which is a sort of tribute to the generations of courageous women who shaped history of this city.
Aware that they live in an environment where women face discrimination and challenges from a young age, the young people decided to promote women’s strength and gender equality through mural art.
“This mural tells a thousand stories. Four women, four generations, four journeys, each one is different, but represents a unique aspect of our society.”
Viola Cikalleshi of the organization “Today for the future”
In the streets of South Mitrovica in Kosovo*, dozens of young people painted six murals as part of the “Promaja” project implemented by the non-governmental organization “Futja Ngjyrë” as part of ReLOaD2. Project manager Dea Gaxha says they sought to foster a sense of unity and cultural uplift within the community. Therefore, the painted murals breathe elements of the rich cultural and traditional heritage of this environment.
“With our activities, we not only showed the creative strength of the artists, but also encouraged them to connect more deeply with the colorful history of South Mitrovica.“, Gaxha said.
Young people say that participating in the “Promaja” project brought them new knowledge, but also connections with creative people sharing the same interests..
“I learned a lot about the process of creating a mural, but also about its deeper meaning, cooperation with other artists and interaction with different people.” said Dhurata Begolli, 21.
Young artists from Pljevlja in Montenegro also painted a mural titled “Flora” via ReLOaD2 as part of the project carried out by the non-governmental organization “Lastavica”. From “Lastavica”, this mural is said to represent an abstract interpretation of plant life with which the artists raise awareness of the importance of ecology for Pljevlja, which is on the list of the most polluted cities in Europe.
“In the process of painting the mural, we actively involved university artists from our community, as well as young people from other regions of Montenegro. It was an opportunity for them to express their creativity and gain practical experience art in a public space.”
Aleksandra Aranitović, president of the NGO “Lastavica”
Vukašin Tanjević, an academic artist who participated in the creation of the mural, emphasizes his great satisfaction because the citizens of a small area like Pljevlja quickly accepted the urban approach of painting the walls.
“The mural “Flora” has become a symbol of the city and we hope that in the near future it will receive its second part, which will make it a mural in the form of a diptych,” Tanjević said.
New generations of artists
For young artists from neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, new knowledge about street art was brought by the project “The Art of Basketball”, carried out within the framework of ReLOaD2 by the Igrajmo Zajedno Initiative (iZi) in cooperation with the Obojena Klapa Association. Around thirty young people from Sarajevo participated in mural painting workshops which resulted in the creation of a new mural on the wall of Hastahana Park in Sarajevo.
“The painted mural serves as a sort of magnet for all recreational enthusiasts and athletes who can enjoy it while playing basketball.”
Benjamin Čengić, one of the founders of the Obojena klapa association
iZi project coordinator Mirna Hrapović says that “The Art of Basketball” is an innovative project that combines culture, art and sport and promotes volunteering among young people.
“We are very happy that, through our joint efforts, we have beautified the public space which remains available to the community even after the end of the project,” Hrapovic said.
More than 50 young people from the municipality of Babušnica near Pirot in Serbia also had the opportunity to learn wall painting techniques as part of the “New Colors of Babušnica” project, carried out by the “Osveženje” association.
“The objective was to involve young people in the work of the community because they do not often have the opportunity to participate in activities that deal with improving their environment and the space where they spend their time free”, said Marko Cenić, project assistant.
At the end of the workshops, the young people painted three murals on the central square of the municipality of Babušnica. One of them was designed by Marija Ćirić, who wanted to present her upbringing through an image of different marine animals.
“This art installation is a way to show my experiences, emotions and transformations through different stages of life. Through this mural, I want to inspire and remind others to look back on their development, to accept the changes and grow, and find their own unique symbolism in life.
Marija Ćirić, one of the creators of the murals
ReLOaD2, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has supported numerous projects in Western Balkan countries/territories aimed at developing skills and new opportunities for young people thanks to its activities within the youth sector. component.
* For the European Union, all references to Kosovo must be understood in full compliance with Resolution 1244 (1999) and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. For the United Nations, references to Kosovo must be understood in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
