Today we ventured out into the city for our morning lecture. Like many European universities, the University of Belgrade is located in numerous buildings throughout the city. We visited the Faculty (or College) of Political Sciences to hear a presentation/discussion on Serbian Perspectives of the Kosovo Conflict. Dr. Filip Ejudus provided an excellent history on the "Kosovo Question", especially over the last 10-15 years. If you have been following the news, you know that Serbia and Kosovo recently agreed to normalize relations and to pursue an implementation plan that will be acceptable to both countries. The agreement will also pave the way for both countries to join the European Union. However, we also learned that from the Serbian perspective (or national imagination), Kosovo is still a part of Serbia. Once again, we are encountering a multi-layered, complicated diplomatic issue.

We've also observed that the citizens of Belgrade have many varied opinions on both the internal and external politics of their country and they are not shy about expressing them. Taxicab drivers have offered their perspectives and we've been interrupted by citizens on the street when our hosts have explained various sites, place names, etc. to us.

After a lunch break in the lively pedestrian mall of downtown Belgrade, we visited the Humanitarian Law Center and heard Marijana Toma (deputy director) describe their groundbreaking work with transitional justice and the documentation of war crimes in the Balkans. The Center has also worked closely with the International Criminal Tribunal in the past ten years. Marijana shared a copy of the Kosovo Memory Book with us, which records the circumstances of missing or killed persons during the Kosovo War in the late 1990s. For me, this visit and discussion was a powerful example of justice and peacemaking. (See group photo with Marijana)

Our day ended with a gathering of SIT staff, guest lecturers and the UR contingent at Supermarket, Belgrade's first concept store, blending food, fashion, art, music and publishing in one setting. A very fun and different experience!