ABOUT US

Face to Face Interreligious Service is a non-governmental organization established in 1996 as a positive response to the widespread despair and ethno-religious hatred infecting the society of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Realizing that religions have the capacity to fuel conflict but also to contribute to its resolution, the Service works to emphasize and reinforce the aspects of religious tradition that are wholesome, peaceful, and life-affirming. It seeks to uncover common ground between traditions and encourages dialogue between religious communities by facilitating information exchange and ecumenical cooperation. Face to Face Interreligious Service is supported by a wide range of religious and secular bodies, but remains independent in its programming.

A decade after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the scars of war are still evident on this divided society. During the war, the religious communities were used by their corresponding nationalistic parties to create xenophobia and hatred between the main ethno-religious groups (Serb/Orthodox, Croat/Catholic and Bosniak/Muslim). Today, the heads of the religious communities remain connected to the agendas of their political affiliations. The result is a controlled separation of the different religious communities. Some people who wish to cross ethnic barriers in the name of peace have abandoned religion because they perceive it as a restriction to peacemaking, too closely associated with the divisive policies of nationalism. However, addressing these issues in the context of Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot be done without examining the role of the religious traditions and mobilizing them to work for good.

The diverse activities of the Interreligious Service are inspired by the belief that religions are not just vehicles for ideology, but powerful sources of hope, healing, compassion, love and peace. Each project is designed to develop a culture of peacemaking and non-violence in Bosnia-Herzegovina. These projects include annual gatherings that draw members of the primary religious communities of Sarajevo into worship together, tours for children of the religious monuments in Sarajevo, a library of books and music, and the choir Pontanima.

Pontanima choir works at peacemaking in a simple but supremely symbolic, revolutionary way. Pontanima performs spiritual music, bringing members of Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox, Islamic and Protestant communities together to sing, form relationships, and learn. The choir's performances are inspirational to audiences around the region and the world, and it has been honored with numerous awards.