“PUBLIC ROUND TABLE REPORT No: 2”

Activities:

Within Corridor’s project mission “Community Building and Reintegration in Eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina: Phase II Municipalities of Bratunac and Zvornik”, on June 14, 2007, Corridor in close cooperation with LP Priroda from Bratunac has organized Public Round Table on Community project selection for Bratunac municipality.

The Public Round Table was prepared at regular training sessions with VYG and CB members during last six months. Besides proposed projects, both groups developed and prepared criteria that were used during the Public Round Table in order to assist citizens to select project that all citizens of Bratunac could have a benefit from. The mentioned groups prepared three projects’ presentation that they selected during their sessions that are fitting financial frame of our fund. LP Priroda also published posters in order to inform wider population about the event and used their channels (their office, other NGOs in Bratunac and municipality) to inform citizens about coming Public Round Table.

Public Round Table started at 2 p.m. and was held in rooms of local hotel “Fontana” in Bratunac. (It is important to mention here that whole community in Bratunac gave full support to our project. Work with YVG was first organized at local cultural institution and after starting reconstruction of this building, secondary school in Bratunac and its director who was a CB member gave us a room at this school. Usage of hotel “Fontana” space was another contribution.)

Around fifty people gathered for Public Round Table. It was moderated by YVG members, namely representatives at CB with assistance of Mr. Salih Rasavac from Corridor.

The introduction was about entire project presentation and results related to work with YVG and CB members. Three projects/ideas were presented to citizens with explanation how groups came to these selection and funds as well as criteria.

Here are presented project/ideas:

• Cleaning and arrangement of town’s park as place that all citizens could benefit and enjoy from

• Reconstruction of sport’s rooms at stadium in Bratunac

• Construction of open summer stage at central square in Bratunac as a place for cultural and sport’s performances as all other social events in town.

After all presentations participants were invited to discuss proposed ideas and criteria. Discussion lasted for around two hours and was entirely affirmative. Soon criteria were adopted without any remarks. Most of discussion was about main quality of the project (as Corridor recognizes as well) and that is treatment of community and its citizens without any prejudices or stereotypes regarding gender, ethnic background, religious alleviation or status (returnee, displaced or domicile). Participants were thanking for such treatment as citizens of Bratunac community.

The discussion about proposed projects did not bring any new ideas but gave some remarks to work of local authorities (holes on walking paths, cutting trees, traffic, etc). These findings and request for some solutions were directed to local authorities representatives that participated a meeting who promised that these remarks will be presented at the first coming municipal council session.

The decision about community project was brought very easy because all participants were encouraging the proposal for construction of open summer stage at main town’s square in Bratunac. Citizens were telling good stories about mentioned square remembering this part of Bratunac as main info point for all citizens. They expressed their happiness for construction of such “building” immediately bringing ideas for what purpose this stage could be used: concerts, folk dance performances, local schools performances, exhibitions...

With unanimous decision it was decided: community project “Construction of open summer stage at main town’s square in Bratunac”.

A representative from municipality after this decision informed citizens that mayor Mr. Nedeljko Mladjenovic gives full support to all ideas and that he is willing to support any decision with up to 10.000 KM.

Pictures:

From the Public Round Table in Bratunac

Main square in Bratunac and place of future open summer stage

Construction project proposal for future summer stage

Results:

• Selected community project in Bratunac: Construction of open summer stage at main town’s square in Bratunac

Next steps:

LP Priroda is obliged to provide final written agreement of municipality for such Project in order to organize tender and selection of the best proposal as well as in order to sign up a MoU with Corridor about transfer of 15.000 KM for this activity.

Assessments / Conclusions:

Once again it was proved that good preparation and close cooperation with all “stakeholders” for this project (municipality, mayor, LP, etc) brings good and qualitative results. Finally, it is important to stress again the main quality of this project that all citizens recognized and appreciated in all three municipalities where Corridor now completed CB project: treatment of all citizens equally. This is the first project of that kind not just in region of Eastern BH but whole country, the project that is not putting exclusively just returnees, just domicile or just displaced but is working for entire community.