Mostar is still hot and sticky and life is still slow and many people are still at the coast. Many visitors are coming to the town as well as to stay with MM – a touring group from Danas za Bolje Sutra, from Ilidža near Sarajevo, a group of youth workers from a youth network ‘Esplanai’ Barcelona, and of course our favourite Beavers´Arts from UK. The Mostar staff had hardly recovered from the visit from Beate and Fritz from MM Berlin ‘And Friends’!! It was great to see you and discuss ideas for the future – hopefully we will see you all again soon.

• The ´New York Times´reported on 17^th August that US led anti fraud investigators found that ´Muslim, Serb and Croatian nationalist leaders have stolen up to $1billion from public funds or international aid projects since the Dayton peace agreement was signed in 1995´(Radio Free Europe). Some of the money is simply reported as ‘disappeared´ or ´lost´ by Bosnian banks and officials – up to $200 million in some cases. Alija Izetbegovic called the report ´lies´and accused the New York Times as trying to deter foreign investment by discrediting his government, refuting some specific claims within the damning report. However a spokeswoman for the office of the High Representative in Sarajevo stated that the ´lost´money probably totals even more than $1 billion.

• Posters were displayed all over ´west´Mostar advertising the celebratory football match on 5^th August marking the anniversary of ´Operation Storm´ in 1995, when Croatian forces ´completed their conquest of the Serbian held Krajina region´ and expelled approximately 200,000 Serbs. The day was also a national holiday which was observed by many shops and businesses.

• Mostar’s International Youth Theatre Festival took place this month involving groups from FR Yugoslavia, Croatia and of course Bosnia and Hercegovina as well abroad. The first 2 weeks of the festival were focused on process workshops and developing pieces for performance later on in the month. The final 2 weeks were filled with the performances ranging from physical theatre to community work, comedy, farce, classical literature and open workshops of ´work in progress´.

The Foto Project had a new resource for the month as a guest professional photographer, called Natasha Brown from England came to MM. She is working with some of the students, brainstorming new ideas for projects with Uli and Džemal as well as following up her own research in the region. She has brought fresh approaches and concepts to the work, has participated in some organisational development staff discussions and has proved to be very popular among the students.

On August 7^the 3 members of the group set up a photo shoot of the "reciklaže"(recycling) group´s sculptures in the destroyed school opposite MM. Using colour negatives and considering the environment where the scrap parts came from the group set up their shots to get the best results of the background, lighting and colours.

With the help and input of Natasha 2 projects were set up and implemented as the basis for gathering material for exhibition next month. The first was a night shoot on 25^th with the title ´Mostar by night´. Natasha introduced the technical aspects of night photography using colour film, then the group divided into 2 and each individual had 10 photo frames to experiment with the time exposure, flashlight, colour filters and different lenses walking through Mostar. The results were quite dramatic - bright and abstract colour and effects and participants are enthusiastic to go out again and continue with their experimenting.

The second project is an exercise to "Take 36 pictures of 36 different people you don’t know" - where the students are not only having to compose and technically plan their photographs but also consider their communication with strangers – the photos’ atmosphere and image being the evidence of the event. The results of these 2 projects will be presented as an image of Mostar, of its atmosphere and appearance at night as well as portraits of some of its inhabitants photographed ´in location´. The question remains of where to exhibit the work – suggestions from students have been in schools, the art technical gymnasium, cafes, train station as well as actually in the trains...

The ‘Rea Silvija’ group performed their piece ‘Six Parts of Me’ as well as their new show ‘Prave Male Stvari’ (Real Little Things) at the International Youth Theatre Festival in Mostar on the 10^th and 12^th of this month. The members of 'Rea Silvija' also went to watch other performances together to get new ideas, inspiration and meet other companies in the same work.

Soon after this Arijana and Amna flew to USA to take part in the 3 week ‘Adventure Leadership’ training organised by Nešto Više, Sarajevo, Institute for Multi Track Democracy, Washington D.C. and ‘Performance Edge’, New York (a creative arts education group). Work however continued in their absence supported by others in the group, particularly Alma and Almira who volunteered their time an energy in the office as the group begins reaching out to other communities. Creative writing workshops in Čapljina and Ilidža took place, led by members of the group, with a very positive response and requests for the group to return and continue. A theatre workshop has been scheduled for next month in Jablanica and Kostanjica as well as a visit to Gornji Vakuf to lead writing workshops. The young women from Čapljina are particularly interested to establish a similair group activity and are coming to MM each week now to participate and to learn how to lead creative workshops in their own town.

The group also increased their fame by performing an interview for a German radion program 'women on the move'. Selcted texts developed through the creative writing workshops were read on air and will be submitted as material for a magazine in Germany.

The future of the group is now being planned and structured first in preparation for Eva's departure in mid September and the administration of the group passing over to Arijana, Amna and Adisa. Research has also started to fund raise for next year when the current Bosnian Women's Initiative Funding (NHCR) finishes. Soros have voiced their interest in supporting the creative writing part of the project and the Council of Europe have suggested that the group apply for funding through them. While she cannot physically be with the group after mid September Eva will continue to write grants and support and guide the group's work via email.

Frank returned from USA with new ideas and a new format for his Ninpo classes after consultation with own teacher - as well as 4 uniforms for the students, 8 in total. The classes are being held on an individual as well as group basis, split into beginner and intermediary levels. First the cultural context or history of Ninpo is introduced to the students, its multi cultural roots and original aim to ‘end war’, and then basic but essential philosophy. Frank has been working on teaching and ensuring the students’ understanding of the ‘Codes of Conduct and Etiquette’ within the art which establish rules of mutual respect and awareness. Within these boudaries students are then guided through a process of exploration, of both self and their connection or relation to others in both a physical and intuitive sense. Respect for and acceptance of these rules create the foundations for learning both philosophy and physical techniques.

Recently there have been problems with one of the most advanced student, as he has not showed up for his classes so has been given an ultimatum to attend his appointed classes and to begin assignments. These are tasks to create, a piece of art, and then to interpret or analyse it – to explore and articulate both the artistic process as well as reflect on oneself and environment.

A new staff member was taken on in mid July and is now fully in training to be involved in the MM team. His name is Bartol Budimir, and he will be the Assistant Coordinator/ Finance Manager – taking over Ricky’s role in October. He has lots of experience from work in a youth organisation in Gornji Vakuf, an NGO also working across lines of social and politcial division. He studies economics now in Mostar and has experience training non-violent communication and conflict resolution. Yet another reason to come and visit us at MM!!

The meeting for MM to register as a local organisation was held on 4^th of this month, when the statute was voted and representatives of the Supervisory and Implementing board were chosen. The Supervisory Board is made up of 5 individuals from Mostar (Kimeta from Swiss House, Sanja from Srcem, Tina Čorić working at OHR, Danijel Lozančić with SHL and Fadila who is also establishing her own NGO) who are connected to MM. They are people, experienced and currently working in NGOs or related organisations and are interested in the work that MM undertakes. They will act as a supportive, reflective monitoring team, giving feedback and input on the organisational development and program of MM. The Implementing Board are the MM staff, now 7 long term individuals (Jude, Bartol, Arijana, Amna, Džemal, Uli, Frank) who are the legal responsibles for the organisation. The paperwork is being completed by Jude and Fadila and hopefully should produce our new registration by mid next month…we hope.

And finally, Jude got a holiday, and suffered from heat rash and too many ice creams in Dubrovnik…