EPI collaborated with four partner organizations which were part of the UK-funded Project Mostar – Spaces to Activate and Rejuvenate (Mostar – Prostori koji pokreću). The project aimed to make Mostar an inclusive city and foster a new positive narrative across the Western Balkan region. The project sought to achieve greater social cohesion focusing on improving public spaces both materially and culturally.
To inform the inception phase of the project, EPI conducted innovative, participatory research to identify community-level indicators and priorities for peace and coexistence (‘life together’) in the city. We worked with seven Mostar communities, both rural and urban. Local facilitators engaged over 300 residents across 21 focus groups, asking what everyday indicators they use to identify the presence or absence of peace and life together, what’s missing and what works. We collected over 2,000 everyday indicators of what peace and life together look like in Mostar.
EPI’s research revealed that public space is a common concern across Mostar for men, women and youth. Adults prioritize infrastructure improvements, while youth seek more opportunities. Residents shared that increased communal life might look like: no more plastic bags decorating trees along the Radobolja River, no abandoned animals at Bunica, a pool in Potoci, care for Cim’s basilica, lighting at Bulevar’s circle, young people at Nina’s café in Bijeli Brijeg and a new clinic in Zalik.
Our findings show that Mostarians’ perceptions of peace and community life are less about violence, crime or ethnic tensions and more about everyday needs and aspirations. Most residents want to improve the quality of life through better infrastructure and public spaces. Mostarians generally oppose the idea of a divided city, believing that ethnic division does not benefit their community. They value daily cooperation, respect and equal treatment among different groups to foster harmonious coexistence.
Many participants shared that this project provided their first opportunity to discuss these issues within the community and to personally share their thoughts and concerns with their neighbors.
Visualizing the everyday indicators using Photovoice
To share our findings and assist with monitoring and evaluation for Project Mostar – Spaces to Activate and Rejuvenate, we launched a visual narrative project. Seven community researchers from Mostar’s neighborhoods asked residents to share personal stories and images of everyday indicators of peace and life together. We created the Mostar Photo gallery, featuring 65 photo stories from citizen photographers, showcasing the everyday signs of peace in their communities.
In February 2024, we hosted an exhibition on a city bus, parked in central Mostar and traveling to rural communities. Visitors experienced a soundtrack of everyday Mostar noises—river water, traffic, and café conversations—while browsing 21 selected photo stories from all seven neighborhoods.
