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Multimedia wagon '2012.
Four countries in twelve days
People who live on the margins, periphery...
To explore the phenomenon of marginalized groups we went on a journey which
led us through 4 former Yugoslav republics. In March 2012, eight young people
started twelve days research using multimedia as a tool. Journey led us from Sabac
in Serbia via Vukovar in Croatia and Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina
to Koper in Slovenia.
Sabac,Serbia.
Vukovar,Croatia.
Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Is it better not to slaughter each other
not to tear down house and monuments
is it nice when we travel
To determine the situation on the ground and real everyday life we
we contacted people who are connected to the topic of marginalized groups;
some of them came directly from the margins and some of them work in society
to hear the voice from margins.
Are there some similarities in societies' attitudes toward these groups?
On my part, I try to communicate with people no matter their appearance and
whether they are isolated by society or not.
I think that this is an attitude my peers should adopt as well.
I do try to help them take part in certain free time activities.
Basically, all that I can do is try not to exclude those people from my company.
Generally the status of the society and population in it is not great and especially
for the marginalized groups that are marked with this name.
So, probably their chances are less than the others.
We do agree there are certain groups
that should be given special attention, but at the same time we believe that
the youth who is facing more mundane problems should not be forgotten.
In a way the youngsters, as a group, have become marginalized
and are therefore deserving of special attention.
We live in the country in which everyone who thinks even a little differently
is classified as "cultural 5th column", so to speak, and there is a need for inclusion.
He or she should be involved in some activities for the better tomorrow.
In my beautiful landscape there are no those who repent.
They refer to God, like they know him personally.
And they take all that can be taken.
It is so hard to them and help them God.
I think on the margins are poor and socially vulnerable people;
Still in Vukovar those who have different opinion,
think different than...let say different than some older crew,
one or the other part, on the way that the town is divided.
In my opinion they are on the margins and they do not
have some feedback from the other people in the town.
The situation in the country in not good; it is financial crisis.
People are on the edge of their existence.
No jobs, increase of unemployment rate.
In these groups are young people and musicians.
In my opinion it is not easy to be an artist, musician in this time.
People in Slovenia are mostly not opened;
there are closed for long socializing and friendship.
I think all this problems are equally important,
but maybe the biggest problem is passivism of youth.
When we are young we must be initiators;
never happened the revolutionist after age of 60 or 70.
Here in Banja Luka last year one protest was organized because of poor standard
of the citizens. It was working day; unemployment hits record,
but there were only around hundred young people, ridiculous number.
The others did not even come and because of their disengagement and
passivism there are no solutions. I think they should be more activated.
To be concrete.
Yes, but the biggest problem here in Sabac is disinterest to participate in any
activity because they are closed for the reason not to be uncovered
as a LGBT person.
All who do not have nationality, in the term as a one big subject in someone's life,
are marginalized.
First of all those who do not give to the nationality the big dimension in their lives.
They are faced with problems in this town and we try to work with them
in a way to show that there are noting unpleasent about that.
People are interesting because of my origin.
Where am I from; am I from Bosnia?
I am Serbian of Islamic religion,
and that combination is so strange in this region for somebody.
But, if you remind the school history curriculum from the primary school,
everything will be clear.
Blank paper, white.
The fathers have usually been here longer, even 10 to 15 years, they mostly work
That whiteness hurts; it is not a fair action.
In the overall perfection there aren't you.
In my thoughts you are not whole.
Do we belong to nobody or everybody;
lost and found, by others different...
I feel it exists and just here it hides.
I ask myself where I found courage to walk where nobody walks before.
We live in some milieu where different people are in hard position.
A person like me has difficulties to find a job.
People have superficial thinking in the city and that is a big problem.
Simply because they decided to be different,
they found level of sanctions from old members
of the community as well as from the youngsters.
Where are you from?
Bosnians.
When you came from Bosnia?
5 years ago.
3 years ago.
When you came here have you adapted immediately?
No
What was the problem?
To find friends. Because they make distinctions between us.
It was good to live here.
Have you any problem when you came from Bosnia?
No, I knew some friends here and my mother has some connections.
I quickly adapted to.
What distinctions their made?
For example, I am Bosnian and they are Slovenians and I did not speak Slovenian
I have to say that the number of foreigners who come to Slovenia has increased
in the last 5 years, in total we have had 26 children from the former Yugoslav republics
It is a pretty big group. Their arrival has undoubtedly brought us,
the people who work at the school, certain difficulties.
We have to organize some help for them, firstly because they do not speak
the language and secondly because there usually are other problems connected
in construction or are otherwise employed.
The financial problems are also quite pressing, but those are not directly handled
by our institution, we nevertheless work closely with the Center for social services.
Marginalized groups in Vukovar are rockers and heavy metal music funs,
thay usually have problems, people look them strange .
prejudices are strong, thay are bad just because they look different
Skateboarders and those who draw graffiti are also in that group.
Because they do not have a place where they can spend their free time and show what
are they doing. Also, conflict between Croats and Serbs still exists.
There are less and less incidents. Of course sometimes under the influence of alcohol
some persons are problematic and for them alcohol is excuse for something else.
I would like to keep on the question who are youth and non-affirmed artists,
because in our country that term is used for those who are 35 or 40 years old;
they are young. Affirmation not depend on age. On the other side artists are not
different from the other non-affirmed groups in our country, ex.
workers, students, etc. They are those who do not belong to Estrada
or sport or that world of popular or famous people on TV.
Also, our scientists are non-affirmed because when we speak about
science we say, Nikola Tesla, and nobody speaks about those who work nowadays.
Whether there in Serbia systematic approach and what is the way,
what is the step, I cannot tell that.
But I know from the life and working experience that we accepted all samples,
the final ones form the European Union.
The Law on Inclusion and integration of people who are marginalized
was passed but we started from the end not from the beginning.
There are a lot of young addicts
of drugs, alkohol, hunger, of lack of money on first place
lack of heat,
That is very important project for youth, in last two years.
They come and act different.
when the weather is bad, there are a few of them.
when the weather is nice, there are a lot of them.
The divorce influenced greatly my father, he used to beat me constantly.
He had also been violent towards my mother when they were still married.
My brother and I then decided to come to the center.
Those who come to seek help here, at the crisis center, are mostly
children and youngsters that are facing problems at home and in the family.
It is difficult to talk about groups, but we can most certainly identify the reasons.
And those are usually related to home violence, alcoholism and drug abuse,
the children that are subjected to those conditions must be removed
from their homes and placed in a safe environment.
I have decided to complete my studies.
Years ago I took a break and focused on work.
There were some people, criminals, who would not leave me alone, they used to steal
my money and beat me, I was forced to run away from school.
I later suffered a nervous breakdown due to my substance abuse,
I used to take drugs like *** and marihuana and everything else.
I fell second year of the school
and I come in PUM to finish second and third year.
OK, let's go on the topic
I am former *** addict. I am proud because today I live normal life;
I passed through all of that. I bear down that evil.
You can introduce me as an example for young people who are in the same problem;
We gathered around you because we are afraid, Tito, father...
to lose you, Tito, father...
we wrote the names of the towns with your name, Tito, father...
and put all yours in the windows, Tito, father...
you can see us passing by, Tito, father...
decently dresses passed the clouds... Tito, father...
Conventional media certainly create and have great influence on the public opinion.
In the position which gives them big power, we can ask,
to what extent beside the financial point do they have
philanthropic influence in the society?
Primarily, even classic media, not just multimedia, can help artists because their
presence in media and media created by them, simply combine the visibility.
That visibility leads to some success, to some new initiatives.
Media should has and has great influence in process of inclusion of marginalized groups
in normal social trends. First of all media must educate citizens.
How?
To determine the facts about presence of the marginalized groups,
than to present their problems, what brought them to the marginalized milieu?
I think this is a very powerful tool to approach
certain categories of the population.
To direct them in better coexistence with local and other society,
It is goot tool for them to inform society about their situation.
Media and the country must promote the topic,
to be open for inclusion, for social themes
Profit and pure commercial matters must be
on the second place of their interests.
Our TV centres give very little support to alternative art such as alternative
music or some other kinds of the art expression.
Here, only commercial activities are represented.
Art and art in media is something that can be characterized as a food;
one of important ways to influence on openness.
It is possibility to give them tool to perceive the story from many aspects,
from different angles for propose to see it whole and understand it all.
I think that people are filled in with many bad stories and there
are bad stories broadcasted in some main national media.
And there is luck of some good stories.
Independent media should be developed and that is really hard in Croatia,
generally in this area.
Independent media primarily close down because they do not have financial resources.
Everything is taken by big corporations.
Of course globalization affects all spheres of life as well as media
Have you ever seen TV reportage about integration of those who are different
into the community, does anyone speak in public about that?
Mostly non-governmental organizations in Serbia are involved in this problem.
I think the others not work properly, everything is in theory and it is hard
to do something in practice.
I do not know good model but media did not do a lot for inclusion.
Journalists do not present "small" situations like them happened,
they usually present every situation as a huge problem.
Normally, what apperas in media everybody believe.
It is normal to have influence, because all politicians through local media make
pressure and spread their propaganda, in such a way that is good for them.
Simply all media in town, I do not know is there someone who is independent,
maybe some internet portals, but all are sympathetic to someone,
maybe to some political party or they have financial support from the city
administration or from the person who is connected to political party
In my opinion they should give more information.
It is true, there are some local media houses in Banja Luka,
but they give such information which just passed by and nobody noticed them.
We have constant cooperation with media starting from press
conferences to calls from media. I will say one experience:
some new drug called "Dragon" comes out and they call us, 10 to 15 journalists call
and they are looking for sensation, they want statement of some one who test "Dragon",
Or they want statement of former addict who attends the program.
But just sensation.
They all say, drug addict, heaven forbid. People abandon you,
do not understand, society does not realize that as a disease.
Can the effect of mirror work in terms of media?
Multimedia is omnipresent tool which gives the possibility to be used as
a megaphone for the voice of those who are on the margins of the society.
The question is asked,
in what extent multimedia can be used as a tool for work with marginalized groups.
A famous director once said that film is the only art that cannot be done by a man
alone, you always need someone's help, an that is clear to see,
as it encourages group work.
In our case the young participants had to talk about what they were going to film,
how they were going to doing it.
They had to compare their ideas in order to achieve a common goal.
This common goal became the statement,
the product that the youth shared with the world, and it is very important
as it clearly represents what their opinion is,
and once the film was finished, they had to own up to it.
You know the situation nowadays, nobody works I feel worried for the future of my child,
when I will have the child. What the child will do for living, what if he/she has no job?
I decide to not sit and do noting and to provide a bright future for my unborn child.
So, I went home, turn on the TV, find good ***, put *** ...
then take *** with me and go to unemployment bureau.
I went there... knock, knock... Please, enter. Good day. Good day.
I come to register my child in the bureau.
What, please? Why did you say "what, please"?
When you find a job for my child he or she will be able to work.
Trough art it is possible to engage some young people,
it is not important about kind of art, for ex.
acting, music, drawing, comic drawing, and at the same time to educate
them or to direct how to educate themselves.
Music and art can explain and send the message.
But, hardly can make some concrete change,
change of power or society.
We realized a few film workshops connected to Vukovar Film Festival .
I think in past years positive change happens and there are
a few festivals mostly designed for young people.
Through different campaigns during the year multimedia is a way for presentation
of the situation or solution for something.
During our creative manifestation, which was organized once per year in the last 8 years,
we have video production and photo workshops
Last 2 years thise activites gathered the largest number of young people.
I am someone who often use multimedia and I will say that multimedia
one of the best ways to contact the target public,
to have two-way communication with them.
I participated in many actions, local ones as well as international.
The most interest I showed in photo and video workshops. Also, I liked comic workshops.
On the internet everybody can find easily addresses of all festivals,
competitions for poetry and just print your material (works)
and send to many of them and you need luck. I really do not know...
We use multimedia in the process of informing the young people.
When we have some activity between our volunteers,
there are some who are amateurs in photo shooting and we give them digital camera
and they make monitoring and we use taken photos for our records
and for the press releases.
President of the country is salvation for our heads.
We move our ears
Well, in the community we all were involved in creative jobs. I am electrician.
For me electrical engineering is an art, not a craft.
In my opinion art is to make something from noting.
I found many thrown equipment and I made it work again.
That was super for me.
I think that the multimedia is very important in the field of youth work,
because the youngsters are the ones who are the most influenced by it.
They make use of its tools in their everyday life and are familiar with it.
It is an easier way to keep them up to date with the upcoming events
and propagandas. I think this has always been what multimedia was all about
and it's high time we start using it to help good causes.
Internet is very important, portals help us. Internet breaks borders between
Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
For use of multimedia in social reaction great help could be found in European funds.
The question is asked is the information about European funds
available for interested associations and individuals?
There were several problems we faced, mostly because of their lack
responsibility and maturity.
Since 2007 we are in Global Fund programme and in the last year we started the harm
reduction programme which means program of reduction of harms and that
is a new approach to beneficiaries.
We did not use European funds,
we did not applied and we do not know anyone who applied.
Info Centre was found in one project of PRONI centre;
we use European funds in the projects mainly pre accession founds,
and our projects are directed to work with young people.
Yes, now we implement the project entitled Music Without Borders which is
supported by IPA. Project applicant is Kultur Aktiv from Dresden and partners
are Generator from Serbia, from Vranje, Taksirat from Skopje
and Youth Peace Group Danube from Vukovar.
It will be good for us to have money to pay to someone to prepare project for us.
But now I think these youngsters in the club will try to find some calls
for proposals on the internet and we will try to apply.
The Crisis center alone does not. The day center, on the other hand,
is carrying on a project that is linked to the European funds.
We would not exist without them, they represent an essential source
of income for PINA and enable us to survive.
00000000
Money is available through calls for projects.
Well I think grants can help a lot because many children
do not have money to continue, everything is expencive.
We have been waiting here for 2 hours,
you came shortly before, please go to end of line.
I will not be fired because of the little girl,
go to end of line.
I am not the little girl, I have been waiting for 2 minutes and nothing for that.
Next.
I am next in line.
You are scheduled for tomorrow.
Please, I have deadly disease.
We use European funds in several projects. During the last year I participated at
12 or 13 trainings. In this way, first of all,
Unfortunately, till now we did not apply with the project but we are interested
and open for cooperation, we would like to be partners.
Association Light implements projects on the international level, national level,
within the borders of Serbia, and on the local level;
and we give the equal approach to all of them.
That means, we have sample we use in our work; all our projects are inclusive,
we open our doors to all. Why projects are inclusive?
Our goal is to involve as much as possible persons in phase of implementation.
Basic schooling is indeed free, but there are also a lot of other expenses,
from school supplies to textbooks. In our instance,
help is provided in form of direct donations to children offered
by the Caritas and Red Cross organizations.
We have tried to include our youngsters into one of the European projects,
Where there are problems, there are the solutions.
The only matters are availability of information and effort that should
be made to solve the problem. Marginalized groups are waiting for solutions.
I like to say that our goal is to remove, destroy, burn "blinders" (partial eye blocks
that is a thing what we put on horse head and it does not allow
horse to look left-right. Without that I think that we have one open,
productive and sustainable society.
In my opinion Koper offers numerous possibilities to youngsters
and isolated groups, but the problem seems to lie in the fact that they
do not take advantage of these opportunities.
Cooperation between non-governmental organizations and institutions must be.
We established cooperation with social institutions,
with hospitals and police.
But cooperation goes slowly, very slowly.
It would be great if we could have a place available for all those different
groups, where they could meet and get the help they need from a competent,
professional figure.
Basically in our society it is hard to find solution to overcome all. But, it is solvable;
people can do a lot, but they must be, first of all, well informed about importance
give them instructions, show them that all this things are
necessary to our society, that without them we can not
function on a way we should do.
It is clear that we have to enable the youth to be heard. In short,
we should make sure their ideas and problems do not go unheard,
we should take notice and take actions to better the situation.
Collective organization of marginalized groups is needed because
in that way they can fight stronger for their rights, of course,
with support of non-governmental organizations, local communities
and the others.
The young people must have a chance to be involved.
They must be on the first place not politics;
"Where to go if we do not know where we were, where we grow,
they did not save us from evil time.
And I want to sing about something nice and better, like you,
awake I dream well-known dreams and better days..."
I feel it exists and just here it hides. I ask myself where I found courage
to walk where nobody walks before.
Definitely people must be mobilized because we consider that young people have
a lot of potentials, creative potentials. That must be something what is valuable.
Young people must have support to express them in the creative way.
We will prepare one performance entitled "Emperor's New Clothes".
It is banal story; but it is not banal if it has broader subtext because children
learn in the theatre to express spontaneously their opinion, attitude, critical attitude
toward the world. In this way we raise them to be better people.
What school do you attend?
Serbian, Serbo-Croatian
Who attends Croatian school?
Is it important here what school someone attends?
NO!
Well. Do you hope that is it not going to be important anymore?
YES!
Are you going to do something to overcome that?
When we grow up we will change the world.
On one hand, it would be good if the organizations that share the same
philosophy and work ethics were connected and shared as much information
as possible. It is important for the NGO sector gain strength and to finally
realize what a pivotal role it plays, without taking anything for granted,
but really make an effort to work for those groups.
But they have to make an effort as well. If they only wait for someone to come,
if they only comment about how great the projects are and then
nothing happens, so it is necessary to do something.
Influence of people without scar on people with scar;
their relations will influence on the future of people with scar.
Society is in the dead-end when we speak about marginalized groups.
With media promotion, many talks about the theme,
talks with people who go through hell of drugs; people who are LGBT,
Roma people, communication is important.
Destruction of taboos is possible only if we talk a lot about that.
It is fact that each city through many institutions, starting from centre
for social work to police administration, school, pre-school institutions,
health institutions, tries to solve problems of marginalized groups.
Synergy between them is the right way to improve and solve the situation
Photo Club Vukovar is multiethnic club. There are no separations in the club,
no importance who is who. It was the same from the beginning.
Depends on the way how someone accepts others. In my opinion young people
must tear down the walls between them and I help them to remove the fence.
Recently one young person, former drug addict, came here.
He was looking for an advice because he writes wonderful poetry
and he is doing that for many years. Probably part of his conscience
did not let him to go to the bottom because he is an artist by profession.
Why we think that they do not have a right to be happy and as a society
we showed that they have no right to be happy.
I know I will not change the world by myself because I cannot do that.
My goal is to open perspectives of other people with my music.
To make them thinking about that what I am singing, to make them interested
for the reality and the way how all of us should live. In my opinion it is the only
way I can touch them. The situation can be changed only if all of us change our
attitudes, then we can talk about the change.
It is necessary to open door for everybody, not just for certain number of persons
who have money, who are somebody's sons and daughters
and whose parents will give the envelope for their accomplishment
no matter if they not worth much.
Definitely, we should not give up. I hope one day all will understand
and see the potential of this.
Maybe the biggest problem for the reason that value system is distorted.
To do changing, first of all, we have to change ourselves,
to establish good value system by ourselves which will
help us to overcome the problems.
According to community the effect of social exclusion varies from group to group.
We can observe that as roulette - the same ball stops on different numbers.
Select the marginalized groups between religious, national, social, LGBT
or cultural groups is very hard, impossible.
Similarities give us possibility on the other bigger plan to influence on the problem
of marginalization by creation wider front of individuals, associations,
local authorities, etc.
Segregation, exclusion, inclusion, identification,
gathering of the excluded groups and in the end inclusion.
Inclusion of marginalised in social life.
One step is this film you are watching. It was produced
as a part of the project with a message "Get to Grips".
Project was implemented by 4 associations from 4 towns.
So, we have to accept that we are usually marginalized and from that point we can look
for solutions to move from the margin to the centre of the ongoing.