0:05 Mostar. Before the civil war 15 years ago, this historic town was a symbol of the harmonious unification between East and West.
But when fighting erupted, Bosnia's second largest city was torn apart.
0:20 These days, the tourists have returned. Mostar's world famous bazaar has been rebuilt, and the town has been given UNESCO heritage status.
0:28 But behind the peaceful facade, an invisible wall now divides the city.
The old front line was not on the river, but here - along what was once the main road. And a front it has remained, until today.
0:46 The trauma of war and deportation runs deep here. Most young Croats have never been to the eastern, Muslim part of Mostar, and the majority of young Muslims do not know the Croatian part of the city.
1:01 This is the former Imperial Academy. The war damage is being repaired and for three years now the traditional building has been used as a "United World College” an international school with a special mission. The 200 students come from all former republics of Yugoslavia, and from 31 other countries in the world. They all had to apply for selection and will live and learn together for 2 years. The project is sponsored internationally and the teachers come from different continents.
OT PAUL REGAN
International education may simply mean that students from different countries sit in the same class. At the United World College we go beyond this to promote international values: to raise awareness about global issues related to tolerance, freedom from prejudice and a willingness to integrate into the community.
2:03 The other schools in Mostar, however, are characterized by the exact opposite of openness and tolerance. The kids here are taught either a Croat version of reality or a Muslim Bosnian reality, particularly in history lessons.
There are no compromises, says the writer Veselin Gatalo. He is an independent observer of the situation - as one of the few remaining Serbs, he is of neither side.
OT GATALO
The war isn’t over, it’s just having a break. Everyone here believes that another war would bring benefits. All the politicians are working to ensure that the situation is as bad as possible because it brings them more votes and it’s unbearable. There is a very broad political structure. Why? Because the national issue is unresolved.
2:58 "Two schools under one roof" is currently the answer to the nation’s unresolved conflict. Bosnians and Croats are taught separately. Unity is not an option.
PUPILS OT
That would be a big problem. Unthinkable. There is too much hatred against each others’ religions. Really impossible. There would be too many fights among students.
3:23 There is an hour interval between Croatian and Bosnian classes to prevent students from meeting each other.
OT pupil
I believe that we, the young people who were not involved in the war- we should be able to get over it. But if the other side doesn’t want to, then we don’t want to. When it comes to the war, the young can change nothing.
3:52 The United World College has set itself the goal of uniting the surrounding area of Bosnia as much as it can. Students and teachers of different origins speak to the community in school and in everyday encounters. It’s a kind of model for education in post-war situations.
4:16 Two students from the same college - one from the Croatian region and one from the Muslim region. We want to know how college life impacts on their relationship.
OT MIRNES
We’re best friends. He is a Croat and I am Bosnian.
IVAN OT
Here in college, we don’t feel these tensions.
OT MIRNES
I’ve learnt a very different perspective from the people here. I live with them, I know what they feel and think and we have the same way of thinking. Where I grew up, we knew nothing of each other - what is a Serb? What is a Croat? What do they think about us?
4:55 Vera comes from Germany. She believes that the social commitment of the school is important. She and other volunteers operate a project for Roma children. Once a week they visit the outcast Roma children on the outskirts of Mostar, play and dance with them and give them simple lessons.
OT VERA Plümer
I find it very condescending the way people in this part of town send regular kids, some of them very intelligent, to a special needs school. That shows a really arrogant attitude, it’s like saying no, you don’t belong here, you’re different, you’re worthless, you can’t play with our kids.
5:51 Most people in Bosnia don’t even know that these people exist. They are never registered and they have no papers.
6:03 The Roma children feel as though outsiders never usually deal with them.
OT ROMA GIRL
Two Englishmen visited us and we learnt together. I enjoy these lessons- we’re good friends. I like everything about it - what we do and what we tell each other. I'd like to learn their language but I also hope they’ll learn mine.
OT ROMA BOY
I really like the lessons I have here. I'm in good company, we play, nobody abuses me because I’m a gypsy and nobody provokes me. I would be happy doing this every day.
6:55 On her way back Vera runs into Mirwais.
Mirwais comes from Afghanistan. The story of his escape could fill the pages of an adventure novel. A few years ago he came to Austria. In just three months he learned German. After a year he was the best in his class and moved to the Polytechnic College.
And then he heard about a college in Mostar.
MIRWAIS OT
One day a man came to give a talk at my school and gave me an information leaflet about the college. Once I’d read it, I couldn’t think about anything else for the whole day. I was just mad about that school. I went home and read the leaflet over and over again until three in the morning. I read all I could about that school and couldn’t sleep. It’s hard to describe how excited I felt.
7:56 The youthful idealism of Mirwais and his schoolmates from all over the world will not bring quick results- something the United College is aware of.
OT PAUL REGAN
This is a very long-term project. To see a significant impact here in Mostar and also on the social and educational system of Bosnia Herzegovina, we could be talking about a generation.
8:23 The founder of Yugoslavia, Marshal Tito, thought that even several generations would not be enough to create the basis for a lasting coexistence of Bosnia’s peoples.
Among names Blender
PAUL REGAN
School
Veselin GATALO
Writers
VERA Plümer
Student from Germany
MIRNES Salkic
Bošnjak
IVAN Babic
Croatian Bosnians
Mirwais Hakim
Students from Afghanistan