The Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, Kosovo office celebrates the successful completion of two projects. During this occasion BIRN will promote the book “Moving On” and show the premiere of the short documentary “Obstacles to the Other Side”, produced by BIRN in Kosovo.

“Moving On” is the product of the Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence in 2007, an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation.

The documentary tackles problems facing Kosovo’s youth in their efforts to move around freely in their homeland.

The 17-minute documentary tells the stories of seven young Kosovo Serbs and Albanians, revealing the problems and barriers they face during their everyday lives.

“Obstacles to the Other Side” is supported by the National Endowment for Democracy, NED, through the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, YIHR.

The presentation of the publication - Moving On: Overcoming Barriers to a European Future – and the premiere of the short documentary “Obstacles to the Other Side” are scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, at the BIRN office in Pristina.

During this event the BIRN team from Kosovo will hold presentations on the publication, the documentary, and announce that the next fellowship project will start in January 2008.

The first in a series of presentations of the publication - Moving On: Overcoming Barriers to a European Future – was held in Belgrade on Wednesday in the presence of representatives of the media, NGOs, international and governmental organizations.

The occasion was to celebrate the completion of the Balkan fellowship for journalistic excellence in 2007, an initiative of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and ERSTE Foundation.

The reception and cocktail were organized in honour of the two fellows from Serbia, Nenad Radicevic and Milorad Ivanovic. The BIRN team from Serbia gave a presentation about the publication, and announced that the next fellowship project is to start in January 2008. Fellows from the 2007 intake discussed their experiences during the project.

“This is a great opportunity to travel and work through the region and Europe”, Radicevic said, and Ivanovic encouraged colleagues to take part in future activities within the fellowship programme.

A series of articles recently produced by ten journalists participating in this year’s Balkan Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, highlighting the need for better movement of people, goods and ideas in the Balkans, is to be launched over the next two weeks in capital cities throughout the region.

Starting with a reception on November 28 in Belgrade, the fellows and their mentors will