This year, Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) took part in the 2025 Dealing with the Past programme within the Sarajevo Film Festival, engaging with the complex relationship between memory, identity, and the present. The program, “The Weight of Memory, The Power of Now”, invited young people to explore how societies confront histories of violence and how memory continues to shape the present.
For an immersive week, YEAs engaged in a mix of workshops, discussions, and cultural visits designed to spark reflection and dialogue. Highlights included a conversation with a professor and filmmaker Mladen Miljanović, an in-depth discussion with Morten Traavik and Ivan Novak, and sessions on humour as a tool for confronting the past led by Zenit Đozić. Participants also explored memory and resilience at Vraca Memorial Park and visited Gallery Manifesto, examining how contemporary art can challenge dominant narratives and foster social dialogue.
The program combined these interactive experiences with curated film screenings, including The Final Battle, North South Man Woman, and Put Your Soul on Hand and Walk, allowing participants to engage emotionally with stories of conflict, justice, and remembrance. YEAs also had the opportunity to converse with filmmakers Aleksandar Reljić, Yannis Karpouzis, and others, reflecting on how art and storytelling contribute to memory, resistance, and social change.
By the end of the programme, YEAs had not only deepened their understanding of the political, social, and emotional dimensions of memory, but had also explored creative ways to engage with the past. Through dialogue, workshops, and artistic encounters, the YEAs embraced the program’s core idea: memory carries weight, but the present offers the power to shape a more just and inclusive future.
Please wait while your video is being uploaded...
Don't close this window!