To demonstrate how the college connects people as well as fosters their mutual understanding- despite the situation between the countries they come from- it would be best to tell you about my own experience. Indeed, if wars segregate people by placing them on two hostile sides, UWCAd is where the opposite occurs. The War in Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995 had a profound impact on the whole Balkan region both in terms of shuddered countries overwhelmed by a large-scale destruction as well as the long-term distrust and suspicion created between nations who did not want war to break out in the first place. Nonetheless it occurred affecting the whole college community back then; students whose countries were at war with each other-Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina-were daily listening to the dreadful news about the war victims emerging from incomprehensible aggression. Despite that fact, they remained friends promising to stick together no matter what the future holds. For them it was inconceivable why the governments would declare war after living in decades of peace. How was it possible to diminish integrity and coexistence of people coming from the same country in matter of few months following the outbreak of the War. What could trigger off such bloodshed? They could not anticipate it because politics was far too obscure for their peaceful minds; they did not care about politics! The memories and experience they shared was much stronger than resentment that emerged between certain political groups in their countries. The college as whole played a crucial role during this tumultuous period by providing these students with moral support. Not being satisfied to only boost the mental strength of their fellows, both teachers and students made a brave decision to gather supplies from everywhere they possibly could and shift them to war-struck areas in Croatia. Incredible act of devotion and care for those who desperately needed aid of any kind in order to survive; indeed worth every praise and admiration. I cannot but to feel proud and grateful in the same time to be part of this peace-loving organisation.
The War had much worse consequence than sheer degradation of land and slaughter of innocent people on all sides committed by those seeking to pacify revenge of reincarnated “injustices” that had died out long ago. Nevertheless they were again mentioned in order to justify horrible violence that mankind had witnessed before in similar fratricidal wars. The saddest outcome of the war, however, came after it ended in 1995; relation between the people from ex-Yugoslavia cooled down resulting in complete break-up of relationships. Thus, young generations in Croatia became completely alien about their coevals from Serbia, Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I was in similar position when first coming to the college in September 2008. Having a chance to meet all the students following my arrival I soon found out about a strange group of my second years called “the Balkans” with whom I was to feel closer and more familiar than to others because we –according to what I was told- share the same cultural characteristics. Such thing was absolutely new and unknown to me; never before was I called “a Balkan” nor I felt any special connection with them. In fact, I barely knew couple of people coming from these countries but I had never considered myself under the same classified group.
However, as days and months passed I began to understand what links with me with the “Balkan” students; our similarities lay not only in culture - which one could have best seen during the last week in which we (the Balkans) have had an opportunity to demonstrate its uniqueness- but we also discovered connection in history that our countries shared. Furthermore, we have overcome any prejudice that might have stood before our friendship –as a sheer consequence of the politics- by having open- minded discussions about any controversial event or taboo topic concerning the War. I was thrilled with their shrewd and intellectual personalities of my co-years that did not hesitate to talk about things no matter how challenging they were. By looking with hindsight onto the years preceding the period in UWCAd I can say I regret that I did not see our similarities before because it would have broken a myth of “them”( the enemies and vicious people) across the boarded being somehow different from “us”( righteous victims). In addition, I do hope such links and interaction between students from ex-Yugoslavia will be fostered more in near future in order to debunk the prejudices and bridge the gap.
If wars alienate people by shuddering their unity than it is time to thwart this unreasonable act with promotion of mutual understanding and tolerance; carved in the UWC mission statement: “Make education a force to unite peoples and nations for peaceful and more sustainable future.”
Šime Luketa, Croatia
