UF travels to Skopje!

The Society of International Affairs in Gothenburg presents their study trip for the spring semester 2017… and the destination is the capital of FYR Macedonia, Skopje!

The city has a 2000 years old tradition that lies at the crossroad of important communications in the Balkan peninsula. Skopje represents Macedonia’s major political, economical, educational and cultural center. It has blossomed into a thriving, stimulating city to explore and continues to be a focus for new residents, economic development, construction and refurbishment. Besides the majority Macedonians, many Albanians, Turks, Roma, Serbs, Bosniaks and others call Skopje home.

The focus for our trip will be the peace process and development in the country. On Sept. 8, 1991, Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia and became a member of the UN in 1993 under the provisional name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Tensions rose between different minorities at the turn of the century, more specifically between the Macedonians and the Albanians. With the support of the U.S. and the EU, the Macedonian government decided on a two-track approach: a decommissioning and modified amnesty agreement with the guerrillas, and an agreement on Albanian rights with moderate Albanian political parties. The EU took over from NATO’s operation Allied Harmony and deployed around 300 troops to provide security to EU and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) monitors overseeing the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement. It thus became the first ever military operation of the EU. EUFOR Concordia was a significant event in the evolution of the EU’s security cooperation.

Our hope is to get a better insight into the country’s peace process and conflict resolution, as well as the future of the country. We will be meeting with different institutions and NGO’s to get a more nuanced view of what is happening in the country. We will, of course, also be exploring Skopje’s culture, food and nightlife, while soaking in the beauty of the city!

If you think this would be a fun experience where you learn more about a foreign country and hang out with like-minded people, or if you already have a great knowledge and interest in Macedonia, you are welcome to apply!

We are planning to travel between the 9th and 13th of May, making it a 4-night stay. The fee for participating will be around 1500 SEK, including flight and accommodation. Since we have a limited number of spots, we are interested in knowing why we should choose YOU for our travel group. Your application can be in Swedish or English and should include:

• A short presentation of yourself, your occupation and what you have done in the past.
• How you can contribute to our project, and why you want to be a part of the travel group.

It should be no longer than 300 words.

Send your application to event@ufgbg.se.

Application deadline: Thursday 29th of March at 23:55

Consider that the project will require some of your time and dedication, we ask that you participate in the meetings and perform the assigned duties for planning the project. You don’t need to be a member of UF to apply, but you will need to become one if you are elected to participate.

Please also note that everyone is individually responsible for checking that they have valid travel documents and organizing with their insurances if they wish to do so.
We look forward to reading all your applications, and don’t hesitate to contact us on our email-address event@ufgbg.se if you have any questions.
Selma & Daphnée
Event Committee – Society of International Affairs