CIEL Global Students and Professors Visit the Center for Peace in Mostar

CIEL Global students during their visit to the Center for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation in Mostar.

The Center for International Experiential Learning (CIEL Global) from the United States once again visited the Center for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation in Mostar, continuing a relationship built around education, dialogue, and a deeper understanding of Mostar’s history.

This time, a group of professors and students visited the Center as part of their study trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina and ongoing academic research focused on Mostar.

Their research explores the city through the theme:

“A Case Study in Divided Cities, Reconstruction, and the Role of Cultural and Spiritual Heritage in Post-War Recovery.”

On behalf of the Center for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation, Asja Kljako and Lana Dušić welcomed the professors and students, introduced them to the Center’s work and mission, and discussed Mostar, its complex history, and its process of post-war reconstruction.

The discussion also explored the consequences of war and division and the important role that cultural heritage can play in rebuilding communities, preserving memory, and supporting dialogue and reconciliation.

As part of their visit, the professors and students watched a documentary about the destruction and reconstruction of the Old Bridge, one of Mostar’s most important cultural and historical symbols. The story of the bridge offered a powerful perspective on the city’s destruction and suffering, but also on its reconstruction, recovery, and efforts to preserve a shared cultural heritage for future generations.

We are especially pleased that CIEL Global has once again chosen Mostar and the Center for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation as a place for experiential learning, academic research, and direct engagement with the city’s history and post-war experience.

Visits such as this demonstrate the importance of bringing students and researchers directly into the communities whose histories they study, giving them an opportunity to engage with local experiences, institutions, and perspectives.

The Center for Peace and Multiethnic Cooperation thanks the professors and students of CIEL Global for their visit, their thoughtful interest, and their contribution to a deeper understanding of Mostar and its unique history.