Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.
- Mark Twain
Why the Balkans & Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The Balkans is a region with a rich, varied history and amazing cultures. Balkan Peace Adventures offers trips to Bosnia and Herzegovina with the option of a side-trip to one of its neighboring countries of Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, or Montenegro.
Why are the country and people of Bosnia and Herzegovina worth visiting? Many reasons! Here are a few:
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Natural beauty. They live in a country of astounding natural beauty! Rugged mountains, stunning rivers, vast forests, and even a small coastline on the Adriatic Sea. No wonder the 1980 Winter Olympics was held here!
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The people. The people of BiH are warm, very hospitable, smart, kind, and fun-loving; and they generously share their delicious food, coffee, and slivović (a powerful homemade brandy).
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Rich culture and history. Theirs is a particularly rich culture and history. Geographically it is situated in the part of the world where Asia, southern Europe, and the Middle East meet. It is one of the remarkable places where East meets West. For thousands of years caravans, trade routes, armies and empires have crossed through and stopped in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina; sometimes for a season and sometimes for centuries. Each of these have lefts pieces of their cultures and histories to add to the rich mosaic that is Bosnia and Herzegovina today.
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Inter-faith relations. They have a centuries-long history of inter-religious tolerance and goodwill. Its capitol, Sarajevo, is one of the very few cities in the world that have a Muslim mosque, Eastern Orthodox church, Roman Catholic cathedral, and Jewish in the same neighborhood. While there have been times when these relationships have been broken, there have always been people ready to help bring the separated religious communities together again. This country has much to teach the world about inter-faith healing and cooperation.
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War and its effects. The terrible Bosnian War, 1992-1996, and the country’s great struggles to recover from it have left deep marks on the land and the people. The term “Ethnic Cleansing” was first used to describe some of the worst atrocities of this war. The people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have much to teach the world about war, genocide, and violence and their lasting effects.
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Peace and reconciliation. In spite of the devastating effects of the war, many people have been working tirelessly for peace and reconciliation in their country, striving to bring new life and hope to families and communities so deeply scarred by the war. The world has much to learn from these heroic peacemakers about justice, reconciliation, and peace.
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We belong to each other. Lastly, why are the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina worth visiting? Because we belong to each other. When one part of humanity suffers, we all suffer; when one part of humanity strives for justice and new life, we all must strive with them; when one part grows stronger, we all experience healing. To quote the Murri/Indigenous Australian visual artistist, activist and academic, Lilla Watson,
“If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
