within Work Package 4 of the MILAGRO project
June 2, 2025
This event was implemented by the NGO Terraforming, a local partner in the project. It was a
workshop called: “Past migrations under the blue lights of luminescence”. The lecturer was the
founder and director of the NGO Terraforming, Miško Stanišić, who himself went through a
difficult refugee experience related to Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The workshop was
conducted in the premises of the University Library in Belgrade. The workshop was also assisted
by local partners of the NGO Atina, who brought migrants from the “Krnjača” migrant reception
center. There was great interest in this workshop, but the space did not allow for more than 63
people (with some visitors standing or arriving later during the workshop).
At the beginning, all those present were welcomed by the Local Coordinator of the project, PhD
Vasilije Milnović, emphasizing the importance of this project for our society and especially the
academic community that the library represents.
After that, Miško Stanišić took the podium. We emphasize that he is a professional with
extensive international lecturing and educational experience, primarily in the field of the
Holocaust, but also in the field of refugees and migration in general. With his organization
Terraforming (which, besides Serbia, has its representative offices in both Sweden and the
Netherlands), he led and participated in various international projects. Also, he was awarded for
his contribution to the Holocaust Studies by the most relevant world institutions in the field. At
the very beginning of the workshop, the lecturer interacted with all those present, asking them
quiz questions – initially of a general type, and later moving on to those related to the situation of
displacement from their native environment. Then, he moved on to the historical experiences of
receiving and accommodating refugees in Serbia during various periods of the 20th century until
today, while also exploring the experiences of people from Serbia as emigrants and refugees
themselves. The presentation was fact-based, combining historical data, personal stories, political
commentary, and conclusions with references to the situation today. One of the main points was
a matter of personal choices (passive bystander vs. active helper). At the core of this approach
was the promotion of fundamental EU values and rights, human and civil rights, democracy, the
rule of law, and respect for human dignity.
The workshop program also included the presentation of Vesna Stanišić’s book “Taste of the
Sun”, about the experiences of migration. This promotion sparked great interest among those in
attendance. It centered on the personal experience of political migration by a successful theater
artist, who was present at the event and had found a new life in Sweden.
At the end of the workshop, the closing speech was given by the Director of the University
Library, PhD Professor Aleksandar Jerkov.
All those present enthusiastically emphasized how much this workshop meant to them. At the
very end, the gathering continued with coffee and refreshments, but some attendees participated
with the organizers in creating the Video Pills of the project (WP4), emphasizing their
satisfaction with being present at this workshop and the importance of the MILAGRO project.
