Democracy

Democracy

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Introduction

 

To intervene is the only way to stay relevant 

 Heinrich Boll

The Heinrich Boll Foundation perceives democracy as a political task of the highest rank, a principle with the core imperative to nurture active and responsible citizens.

This guiding principle faces constant challenges, especially in the Southeastern Europe. Serbia is a land of contradictions and ceaseless political turmoil. 

Although it no longer falls into the category of belligerent countries, a whiff of the past wars of the 90’s is still present, and many unpleasant and often very painful social and political issues of the recent past remain open to date. On the other hand, there is a clear and strong yearning for freedom. 

Our political mission is reflected in diverse types of support to citizens in their democratic aspirations, as well as cooperation with numerous organizations and relevant figures of the public life. By facilitating different programs, we strive to promote and cultivate a wide array of values stemming from democratic culture. For us, these values are human rights, democratic participation and action, peace policy, civic responsibility in facing the past as well as contemplating the future, European integrations and values, and providing support to socially marginalized groups. Another key aspect of our work, intertwined in all our operations, is the promotion of gender democracy. We firmly believe that our democratic endeavors will assist in breathing life into these values and, together with our partners, spur the creation of sustainable development in its fullest sense.

Gender

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December 6, 2012 -  Lepa Mlađenović is the winner of the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Anne Klein Women’s Award. The award ceremony will take place in Berlin on 1 March 2013. The prize money is 10.000 €. more»
 
 

Some Thoughts about International Women’s Day*

- March 8, 2011 - Adriana Zaharijević and Katarina Lončarević more»

 

Memories of the Future

- March 8, 2011 - Paula Petričević more»

 
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Publication

Gender Issues 2008

- The series is a result of cooperation between the Representation of Heinrich Böll Foundation in Poland with partner organizations from the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine. more»

 

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Kuvarice - Žene u Crnom / The Cooks - Women in Black

Dekonstrukcija kuhinjskog prostora

Kroz različite forme izražavanja od teoretskog i naučnog do umetničkog i aktivističkog, feministički pokret pokušava da dekonstruiše komplikovani sistem patrijarhata. Iako već odavno utvrđen kao patrijarhalni, mit o vezivanju žene za kuhinju još uvek je živ i lako se može prepoznavati u savremenoj svakodnevici. Jedan od momenata koji ovaj mit čini vidljivim i upisanim u bogatu istoriju patrijarhata, do pre izvesnog broja godina bile su popularne kuvarice. Danas kuvarice još uvek postoje kako u manjim i seoskim sredinama, tako i u savremenim urbanim gde dobijaju izvesnu egzotičnu vrednost.

Izvezena platna postavljena na strateško mesto u kuhinji - iznad šporeta, bila su odraz uzorne žene: savršene kuvarice, uredne domaćice, požrtvovane supruge. Iako je namera kuvarica bila da pokažu određene (mada patrijarhalne) vrednosti jedne žene, one su tu istu ženu neprestano stavljale između četiri kuhinjska zida. Žena je u tom prostoru kuvala, prala i čistila, dočekivala svog muža, družila se uglavnom sa svojom mačkom i neprestano gledala na sat ne bi li sve bilo pripremljeno na vreme.

U drugom, prenesenom i simboličkom smislu, kuvarice su još jedan od vidljivih načina vezivanja žene za kuhinju – kuhinjski prostor i njegove simbole: hranu, sudove, šporet... Na njima preovladava nekoliko motiva. Prvi je žena sa mužem u kuhinji: ona ili priprema ili prinosi hranu. Ona uvek nosi kecelju, on je u odelu sa kravatom. On često nosi kofere, putuje, dok ona ostaje u kući. Ostali najčešći motivi su: gomile hrane koja neprestano podseća na kvantitet i kvalitet koji domaćica treba da postigne; keramički bokal i umivaonik - koji neprestano podsećaju na čistoću (što u ovom kontekstu ne podrazumeva i negu žene radi njenog zadovoljstva); sat – koji opominje da sve što radi mora da se završi na vreme.

Gledajući neprestano u svoju idolkinju sa kuvarice – ženu koncem izvezenu na krpi – stvarna Ona vezivala se za sve patrijarhalne vrednosti. Vez urađen sa velikom brižljivošću stalno je opominjao na brigu koju treba da odražava. Bela, uštirkana i opeglana kuvarica predstavljala je ogledalo žene: ona je upravo takva, čista i doterana. Za koga? Za sebe, za prijateljice, za neki izlazak ili za pomenutu mačku i muža?

Idilični rubovi kuvarica prepuni cveća i lišća kao garanti udobnosti tog izvezenog sveta ne daju joj da istupi iz patrijarhalne matrice – žena Priroda. Žena domaćica živi u nestvarnom svetu ideala koji nije odabrala ona sama. Zanimljivo je da sličnu ikonografiju, transponovanu na digitalno odrađenu fotografiju danas koristi čuveni par Pierre & Giles, stavljajući junake/kinje svojih dela u svet artificijalnih, blještavih i zapravo nepoželjnih okvira.

Način na koji Žene u crnom godinama unazad dekonstruišu ne samo kuhinjski nego i svaki drugi patrijarhalno kontaminiran prostor (posebno onaj militantni), izražava se kroz menjanje smisla postojećeg.

Nove kuvarice prepoznaju nasilje u porodici, naše kuvarice poznaju ljudska prava, naše kuvarice znaju za glasove drugih žena, za prijateljstva među ženama. One ženama kažu: iako si još uvek u kući razmišljaj o izlasku iz nje, razmišljaj o slobodi i pravima o svom telu i ličnim potrebama, zadovoljstvima i željama. Danas Žene u crnom upotrebljavaju formu „kuvarica“ kao jednu od najprepoznatljivijih formi vezivanja žene za kuću kako bi dekonstruisale patrijarhalni kuhinjski prostor i u njega počele da upisuju drugačiju žensku istoriju.

 
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Žene u Crnom / Women in Black

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1989 - 20 years after: Post - communist countries and European integration

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Publication

Twenty years after

In the words of the Polish journalist and dissident, Adam Michnik, 1989 was Europe’s annus mirabilis. The peaceful revolution of that year was a miracle effected by the people in central and eastern Europe. Hardly any one (and certainly no western head of state or politician) had foreseen that a popular movement active in different countries would, in just a few months, topple socialist regimes and force the mighty Soviet Union to retreat behind the borders of Russia. more»
 

Letters from Serbia

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Letters from Serbia No.1

In a monthly "Letter from Serbia" the writer László Végel from Novi Sad will communicate his observations and reflections on the social, cultural and political development in Serbia through our foundation's web-site. His letters are written "from Serbia" to an audience outside the country, but they might be read as well as "Letters to Serbia", written by one of the citizens of this country, one of Serbia's most acute oberservers and most distinguished intellectuals. more»
 
 

Dossier

Letters from Serbia No. 2

- The 2nd Letter from Serbia - About optimism Laszlo Vegel more»

 

Dossier

Letters from Serbia No. 3

- The 3rd Letter from Serbia - Thorny Road to the European Union

Laszlo Vegel more»

 

Dossier

Letters from Serbia No.4

- The 4th Letter from Serbia Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.5

- The 5th Letter from Serbia-Good and Bad Tycoons Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.6

- The 6th letter from Serbia-Pyrrhic Victory (Victory at Great Loss) Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.7

- The 7th Letter from Serbia-Tito and Serbia Laslo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.8

- The 8th Letter from Serbia-Preventive Amnesia Lazslo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No 9

- The 9th letter from Serbia-The EU Is Far Away – And Kosovo Is Near Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.10

- The 10th letter from Serbia-Stalemate! Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.11

- The 11th Letter from Serbia-A Time of Collective Self-Deception Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.12

- The 12th Letter from Serbia-The Belgrade Scales Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.13

- The 13th Letter from Serbia-From Partocracy to Indifference Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.14

- The 14th Letter from Serbia-Coalitions and Fractions Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.15

- The 15th Letter from Serbia-Balkan and Middle-European Paradigms Laslo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.16

- The 16th Letter from Serbia-Europe and Serbia Laszlo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.17

- The 17th Letter from Serbia-May 1st – Stalemate

 

 

Laslo Vegel more»

 

Dossier

Letters from Serbia No.18

- The 18th Letter from Serbia-Dramatic Dance on a Wire Laslo Vegel more»

 

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Letters from Serbia No.19

- July 10, 2012 - Laslo Vegel more»

 

Dossier

Letters from Serbia No.20

- July 10, 2012 - Laslo Vegel more»

 

Dossier

Letters from Serbia No.21

- July 10, 2012 - Laslo Vegel more»