The richness of diversity

DOMANOVICI – “I used to live in Mostar with my family and I remember we’d celebrate Christmas with our Muslim neighbours, while during Eid – their most important festival – we’d be their guests. We were happy, but then the war started…”

Zorica, the head of the Dubrave Association, Inter Campus’ partner in Domanovici, has fond memories of the peaceful atmosphere in the country before hostilities began in 1992. During our most recent visit to the country, he tells us how Inter Campus is currently the only example of dialogue and integration in a region where the division between Christians and Muslims has extended to separate schools and shops.

“Things are slowly improving,” he added. “The Iman’s children in the village now train at Inter Campus and many parents from the Christian community have decided to bring their children to play here as well.

“They go to the same school but study on separate floors, while here on the Inter Campus pitches they grow up together. They become friends and are an example for their parents to follow.”

Zorica speaks little English and Sinisa, our contact in the country, helps us with the translation on our trip south. Sinisa himself works tirelessly in Sarajevo, where the Inter Campus project is making great progress. The focus there is on interreligious dialogue and social integration or – as our partner Hajirija at the Sprofondo Bezdan Association likes to call it – “the richness of diversity”.

We discover the pitch in Sarajevo is a melting pot of Catholic, Muslim and Orthodox girls and boys from all social classes, united in their love for the Nerazzurri shirt. Some are children from the street, some from the poorest strata of society and others from middle-class families.

As always, our coaches work with the utmost professionalism in training the local coaches and instructors, who have a vital role in the education of Inter Campus children. Indeed, the organisational manager of the project is Muslim, the head coach is Catholic and our fixer is Orthodox: together they represent Inter Campus’ mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, trying to raise men and women who can ensure dialogue and peace in tomorrow’s world.

Finally, the Inter Campus team had an important meeting with the Italian Embassy in Sarajevo to renew support for our project and set out the foundations for further collaboration.

02.11.2016