A Debate for Peace delegation featuring students and educators from four religions and ten cities around Israel traveled to three countries in the Balkans in July, learning about the history and culture of the region. Prior to the trip, a meeting was held at the Embassy of Kosovo in Jerusalem, where they learned about the concept of BESA, through which Jews were saved courageously during the Holocaust by Muslim and Christian Albanian families.
The group traveled first to Albania, where they visited southern Albania, including the Blue Eye nature preserve; UNESCO world heritage sites of Gjirokaster castle and Butrint archeological park, and the 5th century synagogue remains in Saranda.
Crossing into North Macedonia, the group stopped at Lake Ohrid, which straddles Albania and North Macedonia. Continuing on to Bitola (Monastir), the delegation visited the Jewish cemetery, stopping for a few minutes to clear weeds from some of the tombstones. In the city center of Bitola, the group was led by a local volunteer, Zoran, who told them about the Jewish history of the city, and showed them buildings that remained behind, like the Alliance Jewish school, after the devastating impact of the Holocaust. Later they stopped at the municipal museum, at the site where Kamal Ataturk once attended high school.
In Skopje the group went to the Jewish community center and synagogue, and heard about the local community. At the Holocaust Museum, one of the only dedicated Holocaust museums in the world, the students learned more about the Holocaust in Macedonia, where nearly the entire Jewish community had been deported and murdered. They also visited Mother Theresa’s home.
Arriving in Prizren, Kosovo, the group celebrated shabbat dinner with the local Jewish community, as well as local youth. After a short explanation about Judaism and shabbat, kiddush was recited and the Israeli and Kosovan youth got to interact. The next morning the students visited the Roman Catholic Church, Sinan Pasha mosque, Halveti Suffi center, as well as the site of Jewish community center being constructed.
Concluding the trip in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, the delegation visited UNMIK, the UN peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, for a fascinating discussion on the diverse challenges faced in peacebuilding with a range of experts from the political affairs, media and communications, and human rights offices.
A planning session together with local youth under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport laid the groundwork for the third Kosovo International Model UN, scheduled for December 2023. Finally the delegation held two important meetings with Kosovo ministries. The first meeting was with the Minister of Regional Economic Development, who is from the Turkish community in Kosovo, and who talked about his unique office and their work to advance economic development throughout the country. The final meeting was held with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, who entertained questions from all of the students, and explained the direction of her office to the aspiring diplomats.
Debate for Peace extends its deep appreciation to the embassy of Kosovo in Jerusalem; key partner ICHAT in Pristina; the Jewish community in Prizren; UNMIK, the ministries of Culture, Youth and Sport; Regional Economic Development, and Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Dr. Shelly Drummer in Israel; Gentian in Albania; Zoran in Bitola; Ana and Maja from the Jewish community in Skopje; the Demiri family in Prizren, and Dr. Ilir in Pristina, for their assistance and hospitality throughout the delegation.
Debate for Peace 