The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.2001, Blaðsíða 17

Vol. 56 #3
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
143
government must be women. Gender strat-
egy is one of our projects in raising aware-
ness of the importance of gender gaps espe-
cially in the area of local planning and deci-
sion-making.
Encouraging participation from the
ground up, rather than the old communist
method of top down is one of our priori-
ties. A new community radio station has
been granted a license and when we are out
in the cantons presenting workshops we
hope to assist the radio producers in find-
ing people who will be interested in receiv-
ing training so that they can put together
local programming for the station. There is
a great need for solid waste management
here and hopefully we will be able to assist
in starting recycling programs in some of
the cantons. Many of the cantons have
community groups already established so
we will encourage these people to get recy-
cling started “at source” in their communi-
ties. Garbage is a worldwide problem but
here it is especially great. Finding a place to
put a garbage dump is difficult due to the
number of land mines in the country.
Apparently even cleaning up wild garbage
sites is hazardous with land mines under
the refuse.
We have met many young people here
who have decided that rather than abandon
this country as many of their friends have
chosen to do, they will stay and try to make
a future for themselves and their children.
It is this attitude that we find most refresh-
ing. There are many in the old guard that
cannot or will not ever change, and they
make things difficult for this younger gen-
eration. The declaration of independence in
1991 and then immediately being thrown
into a war until 1995 devastated not only
the economy but left a quarter of a million
dead, over a million homeless refugees and
more than a million left the country.
Joining the European Union is a dream
for many, but they have so far to go it will
take so much of their young lives in the
attempt. Last week Bosnians were told that
they now have to get a visa to enter
Hungary, as of June 1st. That was a heart-
breaker for many, who felt that maybe
things were getting easier.
The University of Tuzla was founded
in 1976 and presently has about 6000 stu-
dents. Our colleague, Dr. Benjamin retired
from politics during this last election in
November and is now the Dean of
Philosophy at the U of Tuzla. There has
been an effort to improve the university as
it has had problems of “corruption” as it
has been described to us. Some excellent,
bright students have chosen not to attend
until things improve. Information gathered
from the Internationals here as well as
workshop tours to Canada and other coun-
tries appear to be of immense value to
Tuzla decision makers who have gained
access to that experience.
So many lives have been lost, ruined or
changed completely during this past
decade. War criminals who are indicted
by the UN War Crimes Tribunal or arrest-
ed for trial in The Hague are spoken about
quietly, with heads shaking. The massacres
that took place seem to be of another time,
as if time can heal these wounds. Every
time we hear about the latest Balkan crisis
we shudder. We hope that this area has
found a peace that will last. With all the
peacekeepers on the ground for the time
being, these people are getting on and are
making the best of their future. Everyone
here has experienced a horror that we in
Canada have never and hopefully will
never see.
Until next time,
Karen and Len