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Author: WeBalkans

Sharing more love will eventually stop the hate

Written by WeBalkans on . Posted in Stories.

Celebrities in Serbia are joining the battle to tackle online hate speech against LGBTQ and other targeted groups.

“Block the hatred. Share the love” is the slogan of a new European Union/Council of Europe (CoE) initiative which aims at combating hate speech, including the increasing volume of negative online content, especially social media. Acknowledging that it will be an uphill battle to draw a line between freedom of expression and hate speech, to regulate what is suitable and where filters are needed, the campaign aims to educate social media users to pay attention what they post on their own pages or on other public platforms.

The initiative aims to tackle various forms of hate speech targeting certain communities and vulnerable social groups. In Serbia, as much as elsewhere in the Western Balkans, the campaign has involved public figures who act and speak as ambassadors of change. People who are famous for their achievements in arts, acting, sports and other fields are encouraging their audiences and followers to discuss – and adopt – positive behaviour in diverse societies, seek to change stereotypes and promote equality. The campaign leaders believe that this can initiate the much-needed change in the public opinion and reduce problematic language online.

“We are calling on people to think twice before posting something online: be aware that toxic narratives can spread fast, but their effects can be irreparable, as they can fuel hate and even incite violence against an individual or a group, no matter what your initial intention was.”

Ninoslav Mladenović from the CoE’s anti-discrimination department is a member of the team working on the project “Promotion of Diversity and Equality in the Western Balkans”. He explains that it is important to get this message across to people who are not aware of the damage they are causing, perhaps inadvertently, and make them aware of how others might feel about their statements. “We are calling on people to think twice before posting something online: be aware that toxic narratives can spread fast, but their effects can be irreparable, as they can fuel hate and even incite violence against an individual or a group, no matter what your initial intention was.”

Thinking about the online trace

The CoE regional campaign has been given an extra dimension in Serbia where online media users were asked a tagline question: “What trace do you leave online?”. This has triggered users to think before they publish anything, reminding them that content is there to stay and won’t disappear instantly, irrespective of whether it incites violence or shares empathy.

“It is important that we have the power to use our public space to promote empathy, understanding and mutual respect, because that is what we undoubtedly lack in society.”

About the programme

This programme supports key local actors and beneficiary institutions in Serbia and elsewhere in the Western Balkans in the fight against discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes directed against minorities, LGBTI people and other vulnerable groups in the society. It also supports Serbia’s and Western Balkans beneficiaries’ efforts in the context of accession negotiations with the European Union in the field of fundamental rights. The programme is financed under the European Union / Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022.

One of the most prominent figures in the world of acting, Slaven Došlo, joined the national campaign as an ambassador to spread the message of inclusiveness. “It is important that we have the power to use our public space to promote empathy, understanding and mutual respect, because that is what we undoubtedly lack in society,” Došlo said in a media interview as part of the campaign. The famous actor has taken acting roles that address issues he believes must be tackled, such as human rights abuses and inequality. When Slaven Doslo played a character from the LGBTI community he received a wave of criticism and even hate messages from internet users who associated the actor with his character.

This kind of hate speech comes to no surprise to the organisers of the “Block the hatred. Share the love” campaign. According to a study published by Centre for Free Elections and Democracy, a CoE’s programme grantee this year, fewer than 20% of citizens in Serbia have a positive attitude towards the LGBTI community, with 50% of respondents having a negative attitude. One of the recommendations of the study is to develop a strategy of involving users of online media and social networks who are under 40 to influence other members of the society.

This recommendation is already being implemented in the campaign through the involvement of a specific kind of influencers – the ‘no-hate’ Young European Ambassadors (YEAs). Their network promotes the activism of young people within their local communities as a powerful force of social change. YEAs have participated in pride marches, movie screenings, discussions on same-sex partnerships, and ways to improve the position of LGBTI people who are among the most discriminated groups in the society. Around 25 youth European Ambassadors, members of the network have been trained by the Council of Europe team, to enhance their awareness on hate speech and skills in developing human rights narratives when talking in public and behaving in social media.

However, it takes a multipronged action to change perceptions and behaviour towards the LGBTI community. Mladenović explains that they started their work in May, ahead of the Europe Day, and have continued with school visits to raise awareness about the damage that hate speech can cause to the society.

In addition to awareness-raising activities, the CoE works with partners to bring about structural and systematic changes in the system. One example is working with local institutions to strengthen their capacities for mainstreaming LGBTI rights in local policy documents and bylaws.

We can’t all make such changes at policy level, but the campaign reminds us that we can all block the hatred – and share the love.

Pride Month widely supported by YEAs across the region

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The Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) have widely participated in events and activities that have marked Pride Month across the region. Pride Month marks the period dedicated to uplift voices, celebrate, and support the struggle for civil rights and equality for the members of the community of LGBTQ – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer. Throughout the month of June, YEAs have been marching, participating in screenings and readings, and debating media coverage.  
In Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, YEAs participated in the pride walk in the city centre, an activity that followed a debate on the impact of the media reporting family dynamics, as well as a family picnic including discussions to raise awareness amongst the public.  
In Podgorica, Montenegro, a series of events were organised by civil society organisations in which some of the YEAs participated. They started with a workshop on media coverage of LGBTQ topics, a meeting to discuss mental health, as well as the legal matters around gender identity law. A three-days seminar for activists will close the events in Montenegro.  
YEAs were part of events in Serbia as well where activists opened the month in Novi Sad with panel discussion on identity, intersex people and LGBTQ rights. Meanwhile in Belgrade there was a movie projection and publication of a report.   
The Young European Ambassadors participated in pride marches both in Skopje, North Macedonia, as well as in Pristina, Kosovo. YEAs got to experience a poetic afternoon in Pristina where queer Albanian poems were performed, and participants were invited to share their own poetry creations.  
Promoting activism withing their local communities defines the YEA platform, as the idea that activism in youth is the most powerful force of social change.

YEAs get active to celebrate World Environment Day

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The beginning of the month was engaging for the Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) who celebrated World Environment Day, 5 June, across the region. They joined civil society activities in various clean-up events, educational workshops, forums, seminars, performed recycling and seedling-planting.  
In Serbia, a new programme ’Eco Ambassadors’ and the new project ‘Odvajamo’ (translated as ‘Separating’ in English) were launched as part of the EU Green Week. The ceremony was opened by Government of Serbia representatives, the EU Delegation to Serbia, and Sremska Mitrovica Municipality Officials at Regional Waste Management Centre. The programme assists Serbia in the separation process of recyclable materials in municipal solid waste.
  More awareness activities took place in the city centre of Sremska Mitrovica where ‘Eco Ambassadors’ led games and competitions for children, and provided information for citizens about the project and the separation recycling process.  
World Environment Day was established 50 years ago by the United Nations and is celebrated annually to raise awareness about environmental issues such as global warming, overpopulation, sustainable development, marine pollution, support action and drive changes for the environment.

BIRN Albania calls for investigations on environmental issues

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The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) in Albania has launched a call for investigative stories, offering grants for four journalists to produce articles on topics related to the environment. The call is part of the project called “Using Big Data and Multimedia to Boost Quality and Independent Journalism in Albania”, supported by the European Union.

 

The goal of the project is to create an enabling environment for Albanian journalists to produce independent content through training, mentoring, technical and financial support, and close cooperation with civil society, so improving freedom of expression and strengthening media pluralism in Albania.

 

The call is based on topics suggested by civil society activists and journalists during a workshop held on 10 June in Tirana. The workshop was attended by two dozen civil society activists and journalists, who debated important topics that should be investigated related to the environment as well as discussing the need to build stronger communication and cooperation between civil society organisations and journalists.

 

The journalists supported through this call will have around three months to dig deeper and research their ideas and will also have the opportunity to work with experienced editors as mentors to guide them through the process of writing in accordance with BIRN standards.

EIB provides a €1.5 million grant for energy efficiency in Pristina

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The European Investment Bank (EIB) – the lending arm of the EU – has provided a €1.5 million technical assistance grant through its new EIB Global branch to finance the project preparation for the expansion of the district heating system in Pristina. The project will lead to a more energy-efficient heating system for the city, helping to reduce air pollution and improve living conditions for some 210,000 people.

 

The EIB technical assistance will support the development of a decarbonisation plan for the heating system in Pristina, the preparation of necessary environmental and social impact assessments, and the project implementation. The funds are being provided as part of the Bank’s and the European Union’s response to strengthen key infrastructure that improves people’s lives. With the aim of supporting resilient and inclusive growth in the Western Balkans, the EU bank provides financial support for infrastructure and private sector development.

 

Since the start of the pandemic, the EIB has provided €70 million for Kosovo to support the faster recovery of small businesses and the construction of wastewater treatment plans in Gjilan and Mitrovica.

81 homes delivered to RHP beneficiary families in Serbia

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On 20 June, World Refugee Day was marked in Belgrade with the ceremonial awarding of contracts for the purchase of 60 Regional Housing Programme (RHP) apartments for refugee families from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia.

 

In addition to the beneficiaries, the event in Belgrade was attended by Nemanja Starović, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Nicola Bertolini, Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Serbia; Richard Kohli, Head of Cooperation at the Swiss Embassy to Serbia, Swiss Cooperation Office; Ambassador Jan Braathu, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia; Stefanie Krause, Acting Representative of UNHCR in Serbia; Vladimir Cucić, Serbian Commissioner for Refugees and Migration; Nataša Stanisavljević, Secretary for Social Protection in the City of Belgrade, and Dušan Kovačević, Head of the Public Sector Projects Implementation Unit Ltd.

 

On behalf of the European Union, the largest RHP donor, Mr Bertolini noted: “One of the main goals of the EU is to make a dignified life available to our citizens. This programme has helped over 6,000 families in Serbia to achieve this goal.”

 

Three days prior to the Belgrade event, contracts for 21 purchased village houses were handed over to refugee families in Odžaci, Serbia.

Young European Ambassadors at Prespa Forum

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Young European Ambassadors from North Macedonia Arena Shumenkovska, Filip Milenkoski and Gent Salihi participated in this year’s edition of the Prespa Forum Dialogue which was organised from 16 to 18 June in Ohrid. Their participation included the panel discussion titled “Western Balkans Next Generation”. Young European Ambassador, Irena Shumenkovska, elaborated on issues of concern to young people such as greater inclusion in decision-making, and the struggle for jobs and opportunities.

 

The Prespa Forum Dialogue is a platform created by the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia to enable countries, leaders, organisations, and citizens to build long-term relationships and strengthen partnerships. This year’s event brought together high level representatives from the Western Balkans, the  and other countries.

 

The YEA platform is a creative network of young activists from across the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). YEAs come from different backgrounds, yet they all share a common vision: the Western Balkans united in diversity. They learn about each other and the EU together, pursue creative projects, acquire new skills, connect via social media, and organise inspiring events – always driven by the idea that activism in youth is the most powerful force of social change.

 

The aims of the network are: to share EU values; to raise awareness about the EU’s cooperation with its Western Balkan partners; to showcase the tangible results of this cooperation; to contribute to policy dialogue on various topics; and to help increase civic activism.

UNICEF and the EU in Montenegro celebrate Parenting Month

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To mark Parenting Month, UNICEF has organised a presentation of programmes that support parents in performing their important roles. In cooperation with the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, two programmes – Caring Families and the Bebbo app – intended for parents of the youngest children were presented at Europe House.

 

The Caring Families programme has been running in Montenegro for four years now, with participation of more than 700 parents. The programme evaluation results indicate that it has contributed to a 70% reduction in harsh and violent parenting and significant (31%) reductions in behavioural problems in children and parental depression (45%).

 

The Bebbo app was presented by UNICEF Montenegro’s Early Childhood Development Officer, Ida Ferdinandi, who was joined by Maja Miranović, a mother who has been using the app for a long time. The app provides parents of children under the age of six with reliable information on various topics, such as health, nutrition, breastfeeding, safety, early learning and positive parenting.

 

The Caring Families programme and the Bebbo app have been implemented in Montenegro with the support of UNICEF and the financial support of the European Union.

European Council adopts assistance measure for the Balkan Medical Task Force

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Under the European Peace Facility (EPF), the European Council has adopted an assistance measure worth €6 million to the Balkan Medical Task Force (BMTF). The assistance measure will support capacity building for the BMTF by procuring the necessary equipment and materials for the medical units participating in the BMTF from the armed forces of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

 

The aim of the measure is to strengthen the military medical capabilities of the region and civilian relief efforts, and ultimately contribute to regional cooperation and cohesion. In order to achieve its objective, the assistance measure will finance mobility assets, components for field hospitals, laboratory equipment and supplies, and IT and communication equipment. The assistance was requested on behalf of the BMTF by the Republic of North Macedonia in April.

 

The EPF was created in 2021 to support partners around the world with defence, with the ultimate aim of preventing conflict, preserving peace and strengthening international security and stability. The BMTF was set up as a regional initiative bringing together six participating countries – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia – with the aim of providing a quick and effective response to disaster-struck countries or regions by using participating nations’ existing military medical capacities.

Harnessing artificial intelligence for train safety

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Meet the railway robot invented by a team of scientists from Serbia to keep passengers safe!

To comply with international railway regulations, locomotives must be inspected frequently. This can involve visual inspection, more detailed measuring, or opening a part of the vehicle. The type of inspections depends on the locomotive series and time or distance travelled. Visual inspections are normally done from a pit by a rail inspector who uses a hand lamp for lighting. But this is often not as simple as it sounds.

In recent years, liberalisation of rail cargo operators market in Serbia has brought a number of small-scale rail operators to the market. Most are relatively specialised with specific cargo transport products, and limited numbers of locomotives, wagons and service resources. However, regardless of cargo operator size, inspections rules still apply. As small operators do not possess depots with inspection pits, the vehicles have to be taken out of use for days or weeks to undergo inspection in collective depots. This brings delays, disrupted services and loss of revenue. To tackle this challenge, a group of scientists from Serbia have gone to great lengths to find a solution.

“We decided to develop further this idea, so the full circle of operation is concluded with the support of the artificial intelligence, a robot.”

Professor Aleksandar Miltenović from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – University of Niš in Serbia is the head of the team of scientists who have developed “ATUVIS” (Autonomous Train Undercarriage Visual Inspection System). This is a smart and efficient artificial intelligence-based solution that will allow inspection of operational trains, but avoid the costly and time-consuming maintenance operations of taking them out of service and into the inspection-pit. The robot invented by Professor Miltenović and his team can be mounted beneath the train, take photos, and automatically generate  a report on the condition of the vehicle.

Professor Miltenović explains that they have been working on this solution for over five years following a request from private railway operators. Initially they developed a more primitive device which included a mechanical camera-based solution but still needed human support. “However, we decided to develop further this idea, so the full circle of operation is concluded with the support of the artificial intelligence, a robot,” says Professor Miltenović.

From prototype to market

None of this would have been possible without support from the EU-funded ‘Proof of Concept’ scheme (EU4TECH PoC). This scheme helps progress exciting technologies by supporting public research teams and small and medium enterprises who have ideas at ‘Proof of Concept’ stage, including through prototyping and patenting, aiming ultimately to bring to market. The prototyping support from EU4TECH PoC for ATUVIS was focused on verifying the feasibility of the inspection on rough terrain and the ability of the component camera, part of the system to take any undercarriage position, as well as to be positioned in lateral direction. In addition, EU4TECH PoC helped the team investigate the patentability of the invention and to clarify the right business model.

“As soon as we finalised the EU4TECH project we applied for more funding and we got a positive outcome. Without EU4TECH, our idea would remain still on paper.”

About the project

EU4TECH Proof of Concept (PoC) Western Balkans was a two-year multi-country Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA) project funded by the EU through the Western Balkans Enterprise and Development Innovation Facility (WBEDIF). The project covered the six economies of the Western Balkans region. Projects supported originated from both public research organisations and start-ups/SMEs.

WBEDIF is one of the private sector instruments supported by the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) – a joint initiative of the EU, financial organisations, bilateral donors and beneficiaries, aimed at enhancing harmonisation and cooperation in investments for the socio-economic development of the region and contributing to the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

The WBIF is the main vehicle for implementation of the EU’s ambitious Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. Enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector, and stepping up support to research and innovation is at the heart of the Plan.

With the support of the EU4TECH the team was able to develop the next prototype which was much more advanced than the previous one. “As soon as we finalised the EU4 TECH project we applied for more funding and we got a positive outcome. Without EU4 TECH, our idea would remain still on paper,” says Professor Miltenović.

For the next and final phase of their development of the idea, the team from Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Niš has received €300,000 in support from the Innovation Fund of Serbia, also co-funded by the European Union. Within two years, they are planning to make ATUVIS available to the railway market. “When I started university the late 90s, I never thought that one day we will develop robots for these kinds of purposes. It still feels like a dream,” says Professor Miltenović.