Text: APC  Video: APC

Bujanovac, 14 June 2019 – The APC Preševo ​​office organized an integration event in Bujanovac in cooperation with the cultural association “Dituria”. Young people from Bujanovac had the opportunity to meet refugees who are staying in the town’s camp, while they cooked one Iranian and one local dish for all participants. Refugees from the camp in Bujanovac don’t have the opportunity to get in contact with the local population or leave the camp. Refugees are fairly isolated in the camp, and nobody helps them to establish any communication with the local population. The camp is located on the main road, outside the city, which is further separating these people and isolates them from the local environment.

At our interactive event and with the preparation of lunch, the participants got to know each other better and talk about cultural similarities and differences. Also, refugees had the opportunity to learn some practical things they need in everyday life in the local environment. Young people from Bujanovac were interested in finding out more about the refugees’ everyday lives, as well as the problems they’ve been facing on their migration route. Each story was listened to with interest and disbelief in the notion that there are people who live right next to them and have such drastically different life stories.

The acquaintances established at our event will continue to evolve in everyday life and during future socializing among the participants. In this way, APC is working to facilitate interaction of people and the dissolution of prejudices that may exist in the local environment toward refugees. Moreover, these events promote tolerance and encourage social inclusion of the refugees in local society. Young people from Bujanovac demonstrated that they are very open to refugees and that with these kind of events they can easily establish contact and communication with refugees.