Reconciliation in Croatia & surrounding areas

The aim

• To work step by step for peace and reconciliation in the area of the former Yugoslavia and Albania. thereby building a healthy society after war

The Objectives

• Helping people to become aware of wounds and hurts on a personal, community, town or city and national level.
• Heal hurts caused through war
• Learn new ways of working within areas of conflict through active, non-violence, mediation and dialogue.

The Process

• Creating space to meet
• Provide an atmosphere that encourages growth
• Working in partnership with The Bench We Share, Dordir Nardir, The Centre for Peace, Non Violence and Human Rights, Osijek and other initiatives in the area with similar aims.
• Visits to, and training programmes within the United Kingdom, especially linked with visits to local churches, centres of reconciliation and residential programmes.
• Workshops in Croatia
• Assisting projects within the area and acting as a channel for grants and donations from trusts and organisations within the United Kingdom.
• Empowering and encouraging participants to carry on the work in their community

Beginnings

Footprints was started in 1989 by Clive Fowle, a Methodist minister, in order to act as a resource network for east-west links in Europe. In the post cold war era it had a new role in relation to peacemaking by bringing together people in conflict with each other. It works for healing and peace education. It gained an active partner in ‘The Bench We Share’ project which brings together Serbs and Croats in conflict as a result of the civil war of 1991/92. Footprints brought groups from Croatia to Birmingham and Leamington Spa and part of the programme was a visit to Barnes Close to share in peace building workshops. Footprints, now incorporating the new project known as Dordir Nade (Touch of Hope), is an ecumenical organisation but has received financial support and encouragement from the Methodist Church.

It was perceived that Footprints and The Community for Reconciliation had much in common and after discussion it was felt to be mutually beneficial for Footprints to become part of the Community for Reconciliation as a registered charity. CfR Footprints, covers work in mediation and peace building in the former Yugoslavia and Albania. Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania have been the scene of much conflict and the work of mediation, trauma counselling and peace building is urgent. Building on the experience of CfR, Footprints and The Bench We Share we believe that a significant contribution can be made to the process of reconciliation throughout the region

CfR Footprints operates within the charity status of the Community for Reconciliation, which has a council of Management for general oversight.

Rev Clive Fowle is our Director for this work.

More Information

cfrbarnesclose.wordpress.com/international-work/croatia-cfr-footprints