[ Civil society ]

Just came back from an exhibition opening in the Kosova Art Gallery (slightly outdated webpage, but you can download texts on comtemporary art in Kosovo), ... and read two articles about cultural events: the film festival in Sarajevo, which has now become a renowned institution in the cultural life of the Balkans (100 000 visitors this year according to the Guardian), and the Lost Highway Expedition. The latter is a journey organised by artists from all over the world on the route of the ex-Yugoslav projected Highway of Brotherhood and Unity (cf. this blog, 27.7.2006 + article in the New York Times, also printed in the Int. Herald Tribune).

Both articles underline the happy being together of all ethnic communities in a somewhat astonished tone:

Serving as an antidote to the challenging nature of the films, the atmosphere at the many parties, was relaxed and merry with Croatians, Serbs, Macedonians and Bosnians mixing happily as if Yugoslavia still existed. (Guardian)

Apparently post-Yugoslavia is still so much associated with war, that "mixing happily" has to be linked with the "good old times" of Yugoslavia...