Project Overview
The project includes three phases: pre-travel workshops; twenty-seven days in Bosnia & Herzegovina; and post-travel curriculum development, implementation, and presentations.
Pre-travel Workshops
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From January through May 2023, the group will meet for eight pre-departure orientation sessions.
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Four of the sessions will require travel to the College of St. Benedict. The other four sessions can be attended via Zoom.
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Topics to be addressed, include:
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Logistics and practical concerns related to travel in BiH;
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Introduction to BiH's three official languages;
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Exploration of the intersection of BiH's languages, cultures, politics, history, and educational systems; and
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Overview of the curriculum development project.
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Note: Participants will be expected to prepare for workshops by completing assigned readings.
In Bosnia & Herzegovina
Participants will be very busy during their 27 days in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The dates for the trip are from June 7 - July 3, 2023. The program will take place in five major cities spread across the country, including four that have a university with a language program. A draft of selected daily itineraries is included to provide prospective participants with a sense of the types of experiences to expect while in BiH. A detailed schedule will be provided at a later date.
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Day 2 (Banja Luka)
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Morning orientation by Nešto Više personnel
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Meet with the faculty, administration, and students at the University of Banja Luka, Humanities/Language Department
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Sightsee in Banja Luka - walking tour of the town with tour guide and visit the Museum of Republika Srpska
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Free time (possible cultural event)
Day 10 (Tuzla & Srebrenica)
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Visit the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial
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Meet with an NGO that works with children and women and community development
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Free time (possible cultural event)
Day 15 (Sarajevo)
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Meet with faculty, administration, and students at the University of East Sarajevo (Serbian Program)
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Visit High School (Gymnasium, Serbian Program) and meet with language and history teachers and students
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Visit the United Nations Development Programme
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Language session
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Free time (possible cultural event)
Day 23 (Mostar)
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Meet with faculty, administration, and students at the University of Mostar
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Visit a Mostar high school (Gymnasium, Bosnian Program)
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Meet with Nansen Dialogue Center, a local NGO that is running a project in divided elementary and high schools (two curricula under the same roof)
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Language session
Day 26 (Trebinje & Dubrovnik)
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Meet with the Deputy Mayor of Trebinje
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Bus ride to Dubrovnik
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Visit the Franciscan Church and Monastery which has a library containing over 20,000 books, including 1200 valuable old manuscripts which are among the oldest written in the Croatian language.
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Sightseeing in Dubrovnik's Old Town (including lunch break)
Post-travel Expectations
The post-travel phase of the program will involve interdisciplinary and interinstitutional collaboration for the development of curriculum materials and the dissemination of knowledge and resources to campus partners, the broader community, and networks of grades 8-16 educators. With support from the group, grades 8-12 social studies and world language teachers will implement curriculum materials in their classrooms. All members of the group will be expected to share their experiences and knowledge through presentations and the project website.
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