Inter Campus visits Bosnia and Herzegovina

SARAJEVO – Inter Campus has just got back from its second visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina this season, with organisational director Christian Valerio and coaches Lorenzo Forneris and Roberto Redaelli making the trip to the Balkan state.

It was back in 1999, in the aftermath of a conflict which saw the horrors of ethnic cleansing and concentration camps return to Europe, that Inter Campus began its mission to promote dialogue between different ethnicities, religions and cultures.

There are now two parallel projects underway in the country. The first is based in the capital Sarajevo and run in conjunction with local partner the Bezdan Association, which works to support families, children and old people in situations of particular need.

The second is in Domanovici, a village on the outskirts of Mostar. Here we work together with the Fabio Vita Association from Genoa, which looks to support people affected by war.

In total around 100 boys and girls of different ethnicities are involved in the two sides of the project. They might be the sons and daughters of parents from opposing factions of the conflict, but today – in part thanks to the work of Inter Campus – they are friends, playing happily together in the black and blue shirts of Inter.

On Monday 15 February 2016, Bosnia and Herzegovina took a significant step in its long and winding road to membership of the European Union. In Brussels, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Čović presented Bert Koenders, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Netherlands (the current holders of the Presidency of the European Union), with an official request for accession.  High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini was there watching on.

As part of Inter Campus’ visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Nerazzurri delegation was received by the Italian Ambassador to Sarajevo, Mr Ruggero Corrias. During the meeting, the Ambassador expressed his complete support for Inter Campus, having been given a detailed presentation of the objectives and activities of the initiative in the country.

The core focus of Inter Campus’ work in Bosnia & Herzegovina is cultural integration. Our coaches strive to provide technical training to local instructors, organising sessions where Muslim, Orthodox, Catholic and Jewish children play side by side in the name of mutual respect and tolerance. Ultimately, this paves the way for a better future – a shared future.

04.03.2016