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NSI in Media

Fields of work

Normalization of relations/dialogue

NSI contributes to normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina

Beograd – Pristina; Photo: EPA / Valdrin Xhemaj

NSI facilitates open exchange on the Brussels dialogue and normalization process among opinion-makers from civil society from Kosovo and Serbia. Moreover, NSI provides evidence-based independent analyses and recommendations for decision-makers involved in the process.

Key Assumptions:

–   There is a need for fostering a regular in-depth dialogue between civil society actors engaged in the normalization of relations from both sides, so to be able to propose improvements to the Track I dialogue among the officials based on an in-depth understanding of internal political dynamics and sentiments on both sides and NSI is well-positioned to facilitate such dialogue.

–    NSI will represent and include diverse representatives of the Kosovo Serbs community in the dialogue between civil society actors from different sides, which will add important voices and perspectives to the process.

–   NSI is capable of delivering high quality analysis using the evidence collected through qualitative and quantitative research, and producing recommendations for which NSI is able to advocate with decision makers.

To see the projects we are implementing or have implemented in the area of Normalization of relations/Dialogue, see our Reference List.

Normalization of relations/dialogue

NSI contributes to normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina

Beograd – Pristina; Photo: EPA / Valdrin Xhemaj

NSI facilitates open exchange on the Brussels dialogue and normalization process among opinion-makers from civil society from Kosovo and Serbia. Moreover, NSI provides evidence-based independent analyses and recommendations for decision-makers involved in the process.

Key Assumptions:

–   There is a need for fostering a regular in-depth dialogue between civil society actors engaged in the normalization of relations from both sides, so to be able to propose improvements to the Track I dialogue among the officials based on an in-depth understanding of internal political dynamics and sentiments on both sides and NSI is well-positioned to facilitate such dialogue.

–    NSI will represent and include diverse representatives of the Kosovo Serbs community in the dialogue between civil society actors from different sides, which will add important voices and perspectives to the process.

–   NSI is capable of delivering high quality analysis using the evidence collected through qualitative and quantitative research, and producing recommendations for which NSI is able to advocate with decision makers.

To see the projects we are implementing or have implemented in the area of Normalization of relations/Dialogue, see our Reference List.

Trustbuilding and Dealing with the Past

New Social Initiative supports different approaches to Trustbuilding and Dealing with the Past initiatives among communities

NSI intents to achieve several outcomes in order to meet this goal:

– NSI will be the channel of positive stories on inter-ethnic relations and reaching wider public by offering the innovative communication tools for visual and public affairs influencers (YouTubers, Instagramers, TikTokers, Journalists, Professionals and CSOs);

– NSI will be the convener and facilitator for structured exchange of attitudes and opinions, thus supporting trust building and collaboration among CSOs speaking on behalf of different ethnic groups in Kosovo;

– NSI will harvest and spread counter-narratives and positive stories, thus creating space for exchange and dialogue by partnering with media and digital outlets across Kosovo.

Key Assumptions:

–   New innovative solutions for trust building will resonate better with citizens, especially youth, and the positive frame of the inter-ethnic relations could disrupt diminish the strength and malign influence of the negative narratives they were socialized in;

Photo: Emerging Europej

–  “Pockets of Freedom” or forums, which remove the publicity constraints, will strengthen the bonds between CSOs from different communities, thus increasing the trust between them and allowing them to establish stronger coalitions on crucial societal topics, especially those related to the inclusion of the non-majority communities;

–  Engaging different audiences with opposite narratives on the same topic will soften the rooted stereotypes about the “other” communities and address the grievances from the past, and will fertilize the ground for trust building.

To see the projects we are implementing or have implemented in the area of DwP/trust-building, see our Reference List.

Trustbuilding and Dealing with the Past

New Social Initiative supports different approaches to Trustbuilding and Dealing with the Past initiatives among communities

Photo: Emerging Europej

NSI intents to achieve several outcomes in order to meet this goal:

– NSI will be the channel of positive stories on inter-ethnic relations and reaching wider public by offering the innovative communication tools for visual and public affairs influencers (YouTubers, Instagramers, TikTokers, Journalists, Professionals and CSOs);

– NSI will be the convener and facilitator for structured exchange of attitudes and opinions, thus supporting trust building and collaboration among CSOs speaking on behalf of different ethnic groups in Kosovo;

– NSI will harvest and spread counter-narratives and positive stories, thus creating space for exchange and dialogue by partnering with media and digital outlets across Kosovo.

Key Assumptions:

–   New innovative solutions for trust building will resonate better with citizens, especially youth, and the positive frame of the inter-ethnic relations could disrupt diminish the strength and malign influence of the negative narratives they were socialized in;

–  “Pockets of Freedom” or forums, which remove the publicity constraints, will strengthen the bonds between CSOs from different communities, thus increasing the trust between them and allowing them to establish stronger coalitions on crucial societal topics, especially those related to the inclusion of the non-majority communities;

–  Engaging different audiences with opposite narratives on the same topic will soften the rooted stereotypes about the “other” communities and address the grievances from the past, and will fertilize the ground for trust building.

To see the projects we are implementing or have implemented in the area of DwP/trust-building, see our Reference List.

Citizen participation

NSI is working on increasing non-majority participation in decision making processes for the purpose of getting better services and making institutions more accountable

Source: NSI photo archive

NSI works to achieve this goal on both supply and demand side of the citizen participation: 1) on the demand side, the outcomes of our engagement are the benefits that citizens have by utilizing the mechanisms of citizens’ participation, and 2) the creation of low profile community spaces which will support resonant voices; 3) on the supply side, the outcomes of our activities will be established and improved participation mechanisms in the institutions (in mostly Kosovo Serb majority municipalities).

Key Assumptions:

–    The increased demand for the better services will boost the efficiency of the institutions and increase their accountability;

–    Resonant voices are reluctant to speak out because of the non-pluralistic nature of the political arena of the Kosovo Serb community, but their participation in closed group discussions will encourage them to speak up in the future and preserve social capital required for any collective action;

–   Kosovo Serb majority municipalities will be open for cooperation on non-controversial issues, and will accept the citizen participation mechanisms.

To see the projects we are implementing or have implemented in the area of Citizen Participation, see our Reference List.

Citizen participation

NSI is working on increasing non-majority participation in decision making processes for the purpose of getting better services and making institutions more accountable

Source: NSI photo archive

NSI works to achieve this goal on both supply and demand side of the citizen participation: 1) on the demand side, the outcomes of our engagement are the benefits that citizens have by utilizing the mechanisms of citizens’ participation, and 2) the creation of low profile community spaces which will support resonant voices; 3) on the supply side, the outcomes of our activities will be established and improved participation mechanisms in the institutions (in mostly Kosovo Serb majority municipalities).

Key Assumptions:

–    The increased demand for the better services will boost the efficiency of the institutions and increase their accountability;

–    Resonant voices are reluctant to speak out because of the non-pluralistic nature of the political arena of the Kosovo Serb community, but their participation in closed group discussions will encourage them to speak up in the future and preserve social capital required for any collective action;

–   Kosovo Serb majority municipalities will be open for cooperation on non-controversial issues, and will accept the citizen participation mechanisms.

To see the projects we are implementing or have implemented in the area of Citizen Participation, see our Reference List.

by
Uncategorized
18/04/2024

New Social Initiative monitors media and social media in cooperation with Pikasa
Analytics INC, a data analytics company specializing in developing and
implementing tools, software, and machine learning algorithms. The tool allows
monitors to count the nominal number of articles on particular topics and see the
level of audience engagement.

Engagements on websites are defined as news articles from each outlet’s website
shared on Facebook and the total number of likes, shares, and comments they have
collected. Social media engagement encompasses likes, shares, and comments
gathered from all social media channels (Facebook,Instagram, YouTube, TikTok,
LinkedIn) for all posts, including photos, videos, and text. The assessment of
engagement extends beyond the media outlets to encompass a variety of social
media accounts, including those of politicians and opinion makers

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by
Uncategorized
19/03/2024

New Social Initiative is conducting online media and social media monitoring in
cooperation with the Pikasa Analytics INC, a data analytics company specialized in
development and implementation of tools, software and machine learning
algorithms. The tool allows monitors to count the nominal number of articles on
particular topics and see the level of audience engagement.


Engagements on websites are defined as news articles shared on Facebook from
each outlet’s website and the total number of likes, shares, and comments they
have collected. Engagements on social media encompass likes, shares, and
comments gathered from all social media channels (Facebook, Instagram,
YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn) for all posts, including photos, videos, and text. The
assessment of engagement extends beyond the media outlets to encompass a
variety of social media accounts, including those of politicians, and opinion makers.

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by
Uncategorized
23/02/2024

New Social Initiative (NSI) held a discussion on February 8, 2024, which brought together Kosovo Albanian and Serb CSO activists and analysts, in Gracanica. The main focus of the discussion was on the elections that are going to be held in Kosovo, and how that will affect the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. The discussion provided a platform for all participants to express their viewpoints and opinions on the matter.

⁨Aleksandar Šljuka⁩ summarized the conclusions that arose from the discussion. The publication is available only in English.

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Uncategorized
09/02/2024

U saradnji sa Inicijativom mladih za ljudska prava iz Srbije, a u okviru projekta Radne grupe za poglavlje 35 Nacionalnog konventa o Evropskoj uniji, sačinili smo analizu napada na pripadnike manjinskih zajednica u Srbiji i na Kosovu u 2023. godini. U cilju sveobuhvatnog pristupa, u radu je primenjena tipologija nasilja koju je razvio norveški sociolog Johan Galtunga koja sadrži kategorije direktnog, strukturnog/institucionalnog i kulturnog nasilja.

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Uncategorized
20/12/2023

Citizens’ Dialogue – Key findings and recommendations

This document presents key findings and recommendations from the Citizens’ Dialogue on Disinformation held in Pristina in November this year as part of the project “From Fake to Check” A Citizens’ Dialogue on Disinformation in the Western Balkans.

The report includes insights gathered during the dialogue, addressing topics such as awareness of the dangers of disinformation without adequate means to combat it, the erosion of media independence, and the collective concerns expressed by participants.

At the end of the report, there are recommendations derived from the insights gained during the event.

From Fake to Check (FFTC) is an innovative project led by Missions Publiques in collaboration with four partners of the Western Balkans region – New Social Initiative (NSI) in Kosovo, Civic Initiatives in Serbia, Institute for Democracy, Media and Culture (IDMC) from Albania, and ZIP Institute from North Macedonia. This project is funded by the German Foreign Federal Office. The initiative supports the Office’s commitment to fight against disinformation threats as well as its strategic support of the Western Balkans in the light of their EU accession process.

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Uncategorized
11/12/2023

Local Elections in North Mitrovica, Zvečan/Zveçan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavić/Leposaviç

This document is a part of the latest effort of the Kosovo CSO to compensate the lack of social dialogue through New Civic Initiative on Dialogue.

The ongoing political stalemate between Kosovo and Serbia, marked by a lack of willingness to compromise on key issues, poses a significant threat to regional stability. In response, a commendable civic initiative seeks to establish a platform for inclusive and structured dialogue among diverse communities in Kosovo. By ensuring representation from Kosovo Albanians, Kosovo Serbs, and other minorities, and employing neutral facilitators, the initiative aims to address specific issues such as the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb Majority Municipalities and the integration of the Kosovo Serb community. Focusing on fact-based discussions, policy proposals, and international support, this effort strives to break the current deadlock and foster a long-term commitment to peaceful dialogue, emphasizing the importance of non-violence and public awareness campaigns to garner support for a comprehensive agreement.

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Uncategorized
15/09/2023

More than a year has passed since the Government of Kosovo started the action of permanently deploying special units of the Kosovo Police in Serb-majority municipalities in the North. While for the Prime Minister Albin Kurti this decision represented a step towards establishing law and order in this region, for the local Serb population the presence of these units will become a source of fear and insecurity. The unprofessional behavior of the members of these formations, but also the fact that the nature of their presence is illegal, caused this to be one of the key reasons for Serbs from the North to resign from all the local Kosovo institutions in which they had been integrated until then. After this, and under the pretext of the departure of Serbs from the Kosovo Police, the presence of these units increased further, and together with that, the number of incidents between them and the local Serb population aslo increased. The situation culminated after the extraordinary local elections, which were boycotted by Serb representatives and in which ethnic Albanians were elected mayors in Serb-majority municipalities. In order to allow the newly elected mayors access to the municipal buildings, against which the Serbs protested, the members of the special units entered into conflict with the Serbs from the North for the first time, after more than 10 years. Since then, the crisis has deepened even more, relations are at a record low level, and a solution to the problem is not in sight. How did it even come to this? What impact did the decision to deploy special units have on broader socio-political processes? Can we move forward, and how?

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Uncategorized
15/09/2023

This policy paper delves into the intricate role played by internationalized justice mechanisms in the context of Kosovo and their influence on the broader aspects of the rule of law and public trust within the country’s judiciary. The aftermath of the Kosovo conflict in the late 1990s witnessed the establishment of several international actors aimed at addressing critical issues such as impunity, the administration of justice, and the promotion of reconciliation. Prominent among these mechanisms are the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and lastly Kosovo’s Specialist Chambers (KSC).

his policy paper contributes valuable insights into the intricate dynamics that have evolved within Kosovo’s legal landscape. Furthermore, it sheds ‘light’ on the complex interplay between international interventions, the domestic rule of law, media discourse, and public confidence in the judiciary, offering a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced by Kosovo’s evolving justice system.