The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, is organising a three-day interactive workshop on truth-seeking and reconciliation as an exercise in storytelling. The workshop will be led by BIRN’s award-winning journalists and editors. It will examine how to avoid the trap of producing stories that trivialise war crimes and victims’ experiences and foster impunity. Participants will also learn how to create safe, non-partisan and compassionate space for victims who are sharing their stories. The call is open for young people from any discipline who are interested in these topics.

Storytelling is crucial to transitional justice because it has the power to reveal atrocities and hidden personal memories that can be used to encourage further sharing of similar experiences. For victims of war crimes and atrocities, storytelling has a healing aspect, as it gives them a voice and recognises their experiences and traumas.

Following the workshop, BIRN will provide funding and mentoring to participants to produce their own oral history video stories. The workshop will be held in line with the current coronavirus health regulations. BIRN and its partner(s) are supported by RYCO within the 4th Open Call for Project Proposals co-financed by the European Union.