2nd Call for Proposals

Lead Applicant – Municipality of Ferizaj

Project Name – Promotion of Cultural and Natural Diversity (PCND)

Increased cooperation among municipalities on promotion of cultural and natural heritage; Selected monuments/sites from the Prioritised Intervention List are promoted and some sites were used for capacity development activities; Increased awareness of the Municipality of Ferizaj/Urosevac, Municipality of Cetinje and Municipality of Cair population on the importance of Cultural and Natural Diversity.

Lead Applicant – Regional Arts and Culture Centre of Korca

Project Name – Culture – a Common Language of Socio -Economical Relations CLOSER

20 young people engaged as actors and support people and more than 1500 as audience; A joint plan of cooperation between the theatre troupes of the three cities; A theatre exchange program in place as part of these institutions’ annual plan; A sustainable cooperation created and increased awareness of communities on the importance of cultural exchange; on how to better improve the conditions for tourism in these three locations. Ferizaj/Urosevac, Municipality of Cetinje and Municipality of Cair population on the importance of Cultural and Natural Diversity.

Lead Applicant – Club for Youth Empowerment 018

Project Name – Street Art in the Balkans Vol.2

Master classes and workshops conducted in beat making, rap music and entrepreneurship, hip hop dance, photography, video production, graffiti drawing for 40 participants from WB6 and V4 region; 48 young people competed in hip hop dance and basketball 1:1 battles, and over 70 youngsters performed in 2 types of showcasing; over 1,000 photos and 2 videos on festival and “The impressions…” of participants published at “Dodji na Amfi” Youtube channel; 30 well recognized artists (from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and France), and 30 less recognized artist from Serbia performed or exhibited their works; over 100 volunteers recruited to support the implementation of festival; over 10,000 visitors to the festival. Opportunity provided for young people from the WB6 and also the V4 region to connect and network, create and perform together in different hip hop culture disciplines which altogether directly contributes to erasing of stereotypes and prejudices that exists among young people from the region and promoting positive social values via hip hop culture.

Lead Applicant – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey – ERA

Project Name – Annual Conference

5 policy recommendations developed and integrated in the conference conclusion paperwork through co-support provided for accommodation of 31 representatives of the LGBTI community organizations, and part of translation for the annual conference realization. Developed policy recommendations are part of the Annual LGBTI Enlargement Review 2019, compiled by ILGAEurope and ERA, together with its member organizations. ERA Annual conference outlined developments and challenges of the LGBTI community and also advocated for overcoming gaps in legislation and policy. Conference is a regional and partnership building platform which contributes to a promotion and protection of the human rights of the LGBTI and strengthening of a dialogue and exchange of best practices among governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders of the Western Balkans and Turkey region.

Lead Applicant – GENERATOR

Project Name – Gastronomic map of Western Balkans

7 cooking events conducted with 68 participants and 4 degustation events with 161 participants from the WB6 region; events followed by 103 photos and 11 videos made along with 116 recipes collected; 1600 food led postcards distributed in the region; 1 crowd-funding event conducted – 117 people from all over the world donated for 3 more cooking events in the region; networking within the region made with 8 CSO, 14 food led entrepreneurs, 2 education led stakeholders; 600 copies of a Cookbook printed and distributed to different stakeholders in the region. Connecting people who love and practice traditional cooking and food related chain stakeholders in the WB6 region as a tool for regional cooperation and also increase of the awareness and promotion of a common gastronomic heritage in the WB6 region.

Lead Applicant – The Foundation Jelena Santic

Project Name – Western Balkans Women Peace Talks

Three topic led women peace talks realized for up to over 280 participants during FemArt, Pitch Wise and BEFEM festivals, as follows: “Intergenerational dialogue on feminist activism in (post) Yugoslav space”, “Art forms and combat for gender equality”; “Women’s activism – what stimulates our activism”. Two regional awards awarded, and awarding ceremony conducted via social media when awarding ceremony video published. Enabling expanding a space for regional dialogue about peace-building and conflict resolution from women’s perspective and initiate of encounters and exchange between women peace activists and artists from Sarajevo, Prishtina and Belgrade. Moreover, the project contributes to the cooperation of these societies to improve social, political and cultural relationships.

Lead Applicant – Digi.ba

Project Name – Roman heritage in the Balkans

Studies on selected Roman sites and on their importance. In order to create the interactive multimedia presentation of selected sites, experts of Roman history in partners’ countries provided relevant information and research’s results for the implementation of story-telling Creation of interactive 3D models of four sites and their structures. Interactive multimedia presentation consists of 3D models of sites, buildings and objects, combined in an interactive web presentation, enabling the user to virtually walk through the objects and watch the movies describing the elements of each site. Creation of digital stories. In this project project’s experts created VR digital stories about selected elements of four Roman sites in accordance with the prepared scenarios and using information and data from experts. Installation and testing in the museums. Visitors can experience virtual visits using VR setup if available or navigate using a pc. This project managed to involve Museums managers as much as possible since the very beginning of project’s implementation, envisaging provision of equipment and software in order to help them to increase their offer of virtual exhibitions. Furthermore, with the project, Digi.ba, together with their partners continue supporting 3D digitization and virtual reconstruction of cultural heritage, specifically in common among Contracting Parties in the Region.

Lead Applicant – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the Republic of Macedonia

Project Name – Challenge History 3 – React for the Future” Follow up

This project managed to equip youth peace-building activists with knowledge and skills to disseminate concepts of inter-sectionalist, multiculturalism and antidiscrimination for supporting lasting peace-building and sustainable cooperation among the youth of the region. Regional network of youth peace-building activists advocating for critical thinking and constructive debate on the future of WB in Europe through continuous creative activism is establish. This project managed to involve Museums managers as much as possible since the very beginning of project’s implementation, envisaging provision of equipment and software in order to help them to increase their offer of virtual exhibitions. Furthermore, with the project, Digi.ba, together with their partners continue supporting 3D digitization and virtual reconstruction of cultural heritage, specifically in common among Contracting Parties in the Region.

Lead Applicant – Makedox

Project Name – Travelling Cinema

Seven screenings of regional films have been organized which generated over 800 visitors and understanding of how to use visual expression as a tool for promotion of common regional values is increased. Increased promotion of cross-border cooperation, intercultural dialogue and good neighborly relations trough art and raised awareness for the need to have more decentralized cultural events.

Lead Applicant – Zenica City Museum

Project Name – Three queens story

This project managed to involve Museums managers, envisaging provision of equipment and software in order to help them to increase their offer of virtual exhibitions. Furthermore, with the project, Digi.ba, together with their partners continue supporting 3D digitization and virtual reconstruction of cultural heritage, specifically in common among Contracting Parties in the Region.

Lead Applicant – Kosovo Institute of Media and Communication

Project Name – Promoting freedom of expression in Western Balkans

Increased numbers of individual journalist’s capacities on hate speech; To enhance awareness on rights and responsibilities of journalists. Journalists and editor’s knowledge on how to make difference between freedom of expression and violation of right to privacy; At least one informal network of journalists to enhance regional dialogue is developed. All three partners through this initiative helped to learn more about each other in terms of freedom of speech and problems that are present in all three contracting parties related to media and communication. Within the project were organized three events that gathered over 200 participants from the region such as media professionals, journalists and students where numerous of topics were discussed and elaborated.

Lead Applicant – Albanian Institute for International Studies

Project Name – European integration of the WB: making a realistic perspective out of a shifting target

Accurate, updated and relevant knowledge and information about integration process; Joint regional advocacy for accession; Informed public debate that aided popular support for EU path.

Lead Applicant – Centre for Economic and Social Studies-CESS

Project Name – Internships of young researchers to migration think tanks in Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia)

Increased regional cooperation on migration studies amongst think tanks in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia; Better opportunity to share knowledge and ideas with professionals in the migration and development field and professional development of both the interns and host institutions.

Lead Applicant – Swimming and water polo club JADRAN

Project Name – WESTERN BALKANS YOUTH WATER POLO CUP 2019

With the support of Wester Balkans Fund, SWC Jadran has managed to improve sport and intercultural skills of over 80 youth players trough hands on and informative activities and increased professional cooperation between swimming and water polo institutions from Western Balkans region. Enhanced youth interaction through sports and increased professional cooperation between swimming and water polo institutions from Western Balkans region and increased public awareness of the benefits of regional cooperation as a tool for social development.

Lead Applicant – NGO Punkt

Project Name – Writing as a tool for intercultural dialogue

The cooperation among writers from the region is increased and the network has been created. The collection of short stories created as a result of Summer Writing Camp was published and promoted throughout the region. By supporting this project Western Balkans Fund has contributed to increase of use of intercultural dialogue through art and cooperation among young writers from WB region.

Lead Applicant – Center for Youth Activism CYA Krik

Project Name – Combating social exclusion of young people

The participants with and without disabilities, coming from WB6 are willing to continue with the next joint event, they are willing to work more together on achieving social inclusion, the youth workers are interested into implementing integrative youth programs on local level and the project partners are more interested in to Regional Cooperation projects and networking with organizations from WB6 region.

Lead Applicant – School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo

Project Name – Summer School “Data Analysis for Public Policy”

The project improved research potential for evidence based public policy in the region, promoted the best practices of education policies and shared the best performances among academic institutions. This project improved institutional capacity of government agency to enhance data driven decision-making process within region.

Lead Applicant – History teachers association in Bosnia and Herzegovina EUROCLIO HIP BiH

Project Name – Balkan – the Crossroads of Civilizations” Responsible history education as a tool for strengthening cooperation in the region

Summer school was a place where 24 teachers from 6 Contracting Parties had an opportunity to build their capacities as educators and their associations for the teaching and learning about the shared past. The focus of the workshops was on responsible history teaching that goes beyond the traditional focus of pride and pain, with special emphasis on national minorities across the WB.

Lead Applicant – Academy of European Integration and Negotiations

Project Name – Youth awareness on pressing climate change and sustainability issues

Within the project framework the young people, learned about climate change risks and environmental issues in the Western Balkans that affect daily lifestyle. The project activities also simulated debate and critical thinking of youngsters through innovative methods in the region about the climate change issues and upcoming environmental challenges.

Lead Applicant – Chamber of Doing Business (ODA) in Kosovo

Project Name – Regional Export Promotion

Creation of joint regional market linkages and networks in Kosovo*, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania for promotion and business cooperation opportunities; Development of promotion campaign for the regional business cooperation opportunities and export promotion public and government; Expansion of business sphere into a regional level through organization of B2B event to be organized in Prishtine, with the participation from the region and producing a Booklet with Business profiles; All three partners through this initiative helped to create an entrepreneurial conducive environment and promoted entrepreneurial culture in the region through an enhanced social dialogue with Governmental Institutions and Business networks. Three events took place that gathered over 100 businesses over the region and decision makers. Regional and national wide expertise possessed by all three partners and by combining the know-how ensured that participants increase their knowledge and identify most effective practices.

Lead Applicant – NGO “Lady”

Project Name – WOMAN BOOK

Existing coalition of CSOs strengthened at regional level; Improved capacities, solidarity and representativeness of women entrepreneurs from 6WB counties, so they may effectively and reliably promote gender equality and women’s economic development; Improved cooperative relations among CSOs and institutions; Improved cooperative relations among regional institutions. All six partners came together for one goal enhancing cooperation among female entrepreneurs. WBF was one of the first donors to support this regional network that within the project organized lectures with students, workshops, conferences and produced a book that contains stories of successful female entrepreneurs around the region. The book is published and is available in all six languages with a title “Woman Book.”

Lead Applicant – Razlivaliste

Project Name – Together for impact

Out of 137 applications submitted, the regional boot camp was realized for 60 participants – 44 young social innovators, and 16 mentors and facilitators who guided them through development process; 44 social business development plans created; out of 16 social business ideas selected for “pitching”, 4 of them got awarded to receive seed funding and participate at international SIA Summit in order to further develop and scale

Lead Applicant – NGO ICT Forum

Project Name – Promotion of Regional Cooperation and Digital Economy Opportunities (PRODIGY)

Within this conference lead applicant ICT Forum, has managed to increase cooperation between the business support associations in Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as to promote best practices in the digitalization in entrepreneurial activities. This as well served as a great opportunity for all regional actors to jointly formulate policy guidelines for improved cross-border business cooperation in the specific area of digital services By supporting this project WBF has contributed to increase of understanding of the obstacles and opportunities for regional cooperation in the area of digital economy and increase of awareness on the practical solutions for promoting the digital transformation.

Lead Applicant – NGO Association of young ecologists of Niksic

Project Name – Let’s make the Western Balkans better

Lead applicant and partners have managed to train 15 volunteers to be greeters and to position themselves in global network of greeters. 16 locations have been mapped and presented in regional Greeter Guide. By becoming members of Global Greeter Network, the lead applicant and partners have already conducted 5 tours with international guests. Capacities of partner organizations on promotion of rural places and interest of local communities to become trained greeters has greatly increased.

Lead Applicant – Balkan Wine Network

Project Name – Balkan Wine Network

Regional network of wine organizations called Balkan Wine Network has been created and capacity building workshops for 12 regional associations and clusters through know-how exchange was organized during which the first strategic Action Plan 2020-2022 of the Balkan Wine Network has been created and adopted.