The temperature in Mostar has risen dramatically and life in town has dissolved into minimal activity – very sensibly in this heat. Those who have the opportunity have escaped to the cool waters and the refreshing breeze of the Adriatic coast and the remainder are either bathing at the Neretva or in the shade of their own kiwi trees. Sounds idyllic – for those not working! However the MM house is very cool inside and the temperature is still dropping in the evening. As so many people have been on holidays, staff as well as visitors, the MM activities have slowed down although a steady stream of visitors and travellers have been accomodated in the house (MM youth hostel international!) – particularly the UK volunteers for the Firefly/ MM/ War Child summercamps.

• There has been great controversy at the Hague War Crimes Tribunal as the case of the Croatian General Tihomir Blaskić, on trial for war crimes committed in Bosnia's Lasva Valley in 1993, continues. He claims that responsibility for atrocities against the Muslim population lie within the policies of President Tudjman and his ministers. On 27^th July Stjepan Kljuić (political leader of ethnic Croats in the BiH Republic until he resigned in February 1992) also gave evidence that the BiH leadership of the Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) carried out Zagreb's anti Muslim policies during the 1992-1995 war. The Croatian Minister for Justice reacted by criticising the Tribunal for acting as a ‘means of political pressure against a sovereign Croatia’. The indictment of Tudjman could be disasterous in a country where there are currently frequent strikes and the President and his party are increasingly unpopular.
• Carlos Westendorp announced at the UN in New York on 27 July that there will soon be "social unrest" in Bosnia unless the unemployment rate is reduced by at least 40%. He stressed that privatization and foreign investment are the keys to creating jobs and criticised the government’s lack of interest of abilitiy to promote free enterprise.

• On 26^th July Djindjić publically called on General Plavšić (Commander of the Third Army in Southern Serbia) to fulfil his ‘duty’ and support the ‘drive to oust Milošević’ (Radio Free Europe). She argued that as an indicted war criminal he was unable to represent the country abroad or carry out his responsibilities within FRYugoslavia. By the same date the Alliance for Change also announced that they had collected 550, 000 signatures for a petition calling on Milošević’s resignation.

Between 28^th June and 10^th July Uli and Džemal were leading the photography workshops at the Trešnja summer camp, Vukovar, as the follow up exchange with the "Youth Peace Group Danube". This is the third event that has been organised between MM and YPGD - an ongoing process since summer 1998 when Vukovarians were first involved in a joint summer camp on the Croatian coast. In January this year photo students came to Mostar to learn new skills, guided by the more experienced MM group – in Vukovar this summer they were instructed in more sophisticated techniques. Due to limited finances (and late responses from funders) it was decided only a small group from Mostar would attend (Uli, Džemal, Frank, Jasmina, Ćina, Dijana) and then Dijana and Ćina were turned away at the border for invalid documents. Ćina did manage to join the camp later on, as did other visitors from BiH – such as the Sarajevo Drum Orchestra and Jude arrived for the last weekend.

Setting up the photography workshops was more difficult than in Mostar in that the darkroom had to be built during the camp, in a house that was still under renovation. However this was a great opportunity for those from both Mostar and Vukovar to learn how to set up a darkroom, as the YPGD does not yet have one. There was a lot of interest for the workshops though – including summer camp participants from Brčko as well as from the Netherlands and also some of the Austrian volunteers working in Vukovar. So while the darkroom was started the participants were introduced to basic camera handling and the actual taking photos began. Once the darkroom was set up it was used almost constantly by the many participants. The main topics of the first week were: still life, portraits, landscape, experimenting with the flash, photographing a concert, a children’s festival and a ‘happening’. Some great images were made from the sunny sunflower fields around the camp and during the frolicking in the warm showers later in the week. At the last day of the camp the group proudly presented our photos in café Burbon in Vukovar, accompanied by a video of the concert with the Sarajevo Drum Orchestra and local bands and slide projections on a wall outside the café.

Exhausted but happy Uli finally took a holiday and went to the States with Frank from 14^th – 31^st July.

The ‘Recycling’ Art Collective had a disappointment this month when they were unable to participate in the Brčko Festival – they were invited to make an exhibition or an open workshop of their 3 Dimensional work. The group successfully applied for money from Schueler Helfen Leben to attend the festival but were unsure of whether food and other basics would be provided, which was not included in the grant. At the last minute the group made the difficult decision not to go - also influenced by family concerns and other commitments. On the other hand though, the group has developed new sculptures and new ideas and is aiming to exhibit either for the Theatre Festival in Mostar this month or later in Sarajevo. More opportunities will come up for them and they will have more time to develop their work and they still have the support of SHL for materials and financing exhibitions.

Between 21st July - 1^st August the Conflict Resolution and Creative Collaboration Seminar took place in Podstrana (just outside Split). The event was in 2 parts – for the first 4 days the Mostar Rea Silvija theatre group worked intensively with Eva to develop a new piece for the International Youth Theatre Festival in Mostar next month. They were then joined by 6 other young women from Capljina, Gornji Vakuf/Usloplje, Sarajevo and Bihać who had already been involved in previous identity and non violent communication as well as creative collaboration seminars. The famous Jasminka from Gornji Vakuf/ Uskoplji Youth centre joined the group to lead the conflict resolution training as well as mediate alongside Eva. The issues that developed through the workshops were problem solving skills, communication skills, recognising the importance of the group, listening to people and creating confidence in finding solutions in conflict situations. The evaluations were positive and helpful, the most inspiring moments were the mask work, free writing, mediation role plays and building security within the groups. The group returned to their homes exhausted but satisfied with the new skills and experiences that they had gathered through the program.

The young women’s group were also interviewed on Radio X in Mostar this month. Four of the young women from the group were invited to the show to speak about the process of creating the theatre piece, "Six Parts of Me" as well as the Young Women’s Experiential Learning Experience Network’s seminars, overall program and upcoming events. It was a great opportunity for the group to get recognition for their work as well as invite more young women to join in the weekly creative workshops. They will be performing their latest work ‘Prave Male Stvari’ (PMS - Real Little Things) on the 10^th August and their first piece ‘Six Parts of Me’ on the 12^th for the Theatre Festival.

We received the great news that both Arijana and Amna have been selected to take part in the Leadership Adventure Training – ‘preparing the next generation of peace leaders in BiH’ by the Institute for Multi Track Democracy in Washington D.C. This will take place over a year period and in 3 stages of training and commits them to implementing the skills that they have learned within the projects or organisations that they are involved with in BiH over a year period on their return. This comes at a crucial time in the development of the project as Arijana and Amna will then be ready to take over the management of the YWELN project.

The future of the group is very much a current topic as Eva prepares to leave in mid September. The group is enthusiastic about continuing and managing themselves with the help and support of members of the community and parallel projects, possibly as an Advisory Board/ Steering Commitee. Arijana, Amna and Eva and the group have mapped out the rest of the year’s workshops and seminars so that the group has a secure basis for continuation and leading the project, although Eva will remain in long distance contact from USA. It has decided also that Adisa will be hired as co assistant coordinator after Eva leaves, taking on the office maintenance and administration of the project. Jude will continue to check in with the staff, support them in negotiations with their main donor as well as technical assistance.

This month the Alternative Institute entertained a guest from Sombor, Vojvodina - Robert Merey - a friend and colleague of Vladan. During his 2 week stay he was involved as an assistant and a facillitator of the multi media group, giving feedback and constructive criticism on the work that they had completed as well as planned for the future. Robert was invited to work with the group due to his diverse background of skills and experience in multi-media - making experimental films, playing music, writing and publishing prose and poetry. He facilitated many discussions on the subjects of arts, religion, methods of and needs for expression, which helped stimulate both individuals and the group with fresh imput and perspective.

On 3rd August the Alternative Institute went to Tuzla to promote ‘Kolaps3’, together with Dinko Delić (a published writer as well as coordinator of a local cultural organization). To quote Vladan ‘we were treated like real stars’ - the whole town was full of posters with photos, Marko and Vladan gave interviews for local TV, as well as the radios and newspapers. The members of the group read some of the work from the publication to an intrigued audience, and the work was also discussed and philosophised by Dinko (controversially for the group…). A poetry evening followed the promotion in a jazz club, which gave the group an opportunity to enjoy sharing their work with an enthusiastic audience – making the most of the stylish décor, huge speakers and red lighting. Lukasz’s performance of his experimental nonsense poetry, was described as ‘very low and humble voice at the beginning then screaming like a raving lunatic’. Vladan and Marko made a controversial performance of his sister’s and Robert’s poetry which whipped the audience into screaming applause.

From 6^th of next month to 1^st September Vladan will be involved in the Theatre seminar ‘Visions to Life’ organised in Mostar by ex volunteer Scott Mcelvany the rest of the group will be working on the publication. The group have also been negotiating with SHL for a computer which they could use for layout and design as well as some contribution to the internet bill – we will see what the outcome will be. They have also managed to obtain editing programs to install on the computer donated by Apeiron d’Arts – not to mention a donated digital camera.

The group are progressingly establishing themselves as an independent group, cooperating with many NGOs in BiH as well as the rest of former Yugoslavia. Not only is this in preparation of Vladan leaving Mladi Most at the end of September but also a step towards developing the work they are undertaking beyond a project but as a stable and recognised organisation.

Frank and Jasmina went to the Vukovar Summercamp from 28^th June – 11^th July to set up the Ninpo workshops. There was a great interest in the classes but as the interest in the elements of the work Frank decided to break up the sessions to focus on Ninpo philosophy, Yogic exercises and self defence separately. Frank was usually holding 2 or 3 sessions a day, with a diverse group of Austrian, Bosnijak, Serb, Croat and Dutch participants. The first session would be a relaxing Yoga and Shiatsu workshop, followed later by a more physical self-defense then a greater contact session for the more advanced students. Every class was opened with the unity ceremony ‘Kotodama’ and a strict code of respect and etiquette was followed throughout the classes. The participants were brought into contact with each member of their group and were involved in trust building techniques for the groups to be comfortable with each other and the techniques they were practising on each other. One participant, Siniša, was particularly commited and involved in the sessions and helped facilitate a workshop at the children’s festival outside of Vukovar. Sinša also expressed a great interest in continuing learning the art, and will hopefully cooperate with Frank in the future with seminars.

Frank left for the States with Uli soon after the Vukovar camp finished to take his summer holidays – so the Ninpo classes have stopped for a short break. He will return to Mostar after a meeting in Germany with his volunteer agency, Brethren Volunteer Service, from the 30^th July – 7^th August.

The camp that was organised by Firefly (Brčko/ Edinburgh) and from MM by Matt (a Firefly volunteer) began on 29^th July on the island Obonjan, opposite Šibenik on the Adriatic. Participants from both sides of Mostar, Nevesinje and Čapljina left for 2 weeks of theatre and music workshops with volunteers from Firefly based in Edinburgh, UK. The camp will also be visited by the Sarajevo Drum Orchestra who will provide the evening entertainment and other musicians from Pavarotti Music Centre. Plans for the second camp are looking a little shakey as transport costs are higher than were expected, however if it is possible to find support from OSCE or UNHCR to provide this the camp will go ahead – there are certainly enough willing participants!