As Bosnia and Kosovo immerse themselves in the process of reconstruction and the Balkans strive for integration into the European Union, religious communities throughout the region have joined forces to assist in the painstaking process of reconciliation, development, and stability. Since 1996, Religions for Peace has worked with senior religious leaders and officials in South East Europe’s main religious communities - Islamic, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Jewish - to facilitate and support their efforts at cooperation and peace building.
During the Bosnian conflict, Religions for Peace representatives made several visits to the region to meet religious leaders and assist in joint dialogues. A similar process was beginning in Kosovo when the Serb military's campaign of mass expulsions provoked the NATO bombing campaign in the spring of 1999. Once this conflict ended, Religions for Peace helped religious leaders from Islamic, Orthodox and Catholic communities in Kosovo resume their discussions and commence work to build a more civil society. Religions for Peace has expanded its work to include Macedonia, Albania and Serbia and Montenegro, where initial steps to form inter-religious councils have taken place.
