The documentary film State of Peace had its premiere screening on 10 June 2026 in Sarajevo, marking the final stop of a tour that also visited Vitez, Brčko, Kalesija, and Lukavac. The screening at Meeting Point Cinema drew an audience of young people, civil society representatives, international partners, and members of the public. The film, produced under the EU's annual youth peacebuilding programme State of Peace by the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) in collaboration with PINCH Media, follows young participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro as they explore memory, identity, belonging, and the region's future through dialogue and shared experiences.
Luigi Soreca, Head of the EU Delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative, stated: "The European Union was founded as a peace project, and that commitment remains at the core of everything we do. State of Peace programme shows what peacebuilding truly looks like in practice with young people from across the region meeting, listening, and building trust while exploring the legacy of the past. This documentary is important because it captures something that statistics and policy papers cannot: personal encounters, conversations, emotions, and the courage of young people willing to engage with one another."
"State of Peace places young people at the center of the conversation about peace and the future of our region. Their stories demonstrate that mutual understanding, cooperation, and respect for diversity are not abstract values, but lived experiences that can bring communities closer together."
The screening was followed by a discussion with documentary protagonists from the region. Tara-Michelle Gliha, a participant from Bosnia and Herzegovina, noted: "Bringing together 50 young people from across the region showed us that we have far more in common than we often think. Once we have the opportunity to meet, talk, and learn from one another, we realize that we share many of the same hopes for ourselves, our families, and our communities, opportunities, security, and a better future for the region."
"This documentary is an incredibly important thing that came out of the State of Peace Academy because young people from the Western Balkans are fed up with other people talking about us. This film documents the truth, the real, living truth that happened among us, during those fourteen days, on this unique journey."
Developed by the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina in cooperation with PCRC, the State of Peace programme has, over the past three years, brought together more than 150 young people from across the region through educational workshops, study visits, and dialogue-based activities. The documentary contributes to efforts to strengthen regional cooperation and promote a more peaceful, inclusive, and democratic future for the Western Balkans.
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