01/11/2009
On March 28th 2009 the Manchester Peace Park, Podujevo, Kosovo was dedicated to the memory of those killed 10 years earlier in the massacre of the Bogujevci and Duriqi families.
Over 40 people travelled out from the UK from MAK to support the survivors in the two families and to express their commitment to the creation of the Peace Park. A team from the Humanitarian Law Centre, Belgrade joined us.
The participants from the UK included surviving family members, a British army surgeon, a former head teacher, a landscape architect, artists, musicians, film makers, journalists, lecturers, curators, youth workers, students and MAK leaders.
Whilst honouring the dead, '10', the title of the 10th year of remembrance dedication event, celebrated life and beauty. Through music, art, planting and by standing together in unity the whole town was uplifted and filled with hope for the future.
It was a milestone in a long and challenging journey - a journey which continues…...
In 2008 the planting of nearly 2,000 trees and shrubs in the Peace Park marked a symbolic moment in the healing of a community and the strengthening of ties with the UK.
Manchester Aid to Kosovo worked closely with the Eden Project, the Municipality of Podujevo and local groups to create the Manchester Peace Park in Podujevo, a town still recovering from the conflict of a decade ago.
Eden's landscape architect Jane Knight travelled to Kosovo to take delivery of the oaks, maples, ginkgos, hollies and several types of flowering trees.
With the help of a project team of 11 men from the Manchester area who all belong to the group 4 Mission and work with MAK, Jane led the planting of a tranquil grove within the 22-acre open space.
The Peace Park was the brainchild of ethnic Albanian cousins from Podujevo, Saranda, Fatos and Jehona, Liria and Genc Bogujevci, who were medically evacuated to the north of England after escaping with their lives from a massacre that killed eight members of their family and eight members of the Duriqi family in a back garden in their home town in 1999.
Recovering from terrible injuries, and inspired by Manchester's parks and open spaces as meeting places for families and the community, the children proposed a park for their home town of 128,000 people, which until then had only over-used and poorly maintained open spaces.
The 22-acre site on the edge of the town was given over by the authorities on a long lease. Part of the land had been stripped of topsoil and lays adjacent to an unused railway, overlooked by a tall silo used as a snipers' lookout. There was a sewerage problem from housing which had been built illegally nearby. The adjoining area of woodland had to be checked for unexploded shells and landmines.
Jane Knight first drew up her design for the park in 2004, working with the local community in Podujevo along with Eden's artistic director Sue Hill, the team from MAK, and Vision of Peace, a group of young Llapi artists.
The park master plan, to be built by MAK over several years as funds were raised, was to create a place for the whole community to enjoy and meet. A woodland area has been cleaned up and trails constructed for running or strolling. Places for quiet reflection have been established, along with children's play facilities and flower gardens. Picnic tables, chess tables, and bird boxes will all be added.
The Kosovo Ministry of the Environment has been greatly encouraged by this international collaboration and has contributed by paving a meeting and performance arena central to Jane's design. The local council, Podujevo Municipality, has minimal resources for all its public provision and is enthusiastically promoting the joint effort, with the mayor even working on site. This chapter in the project, the planting of the trees, was funded by proceeds from a concert given by Manchester musicians Ian Brown and Badly Drawn Boy at the Eden Project four years ago.
Jane Knight, said: "The planting of the trees and hedges was a great step forward in the progressive transformation of a desolate, open area into a park. "The trees represent a long term legacy to the park and the community and many have been selected as reminders of those who have been lost.
"MAK have done amazing things to help this community and Eden has been only too pleased to help. This is a story of transformation and hope. The project has gone from strength to strength. It's a huge human story of dedication to the place. The park is the focus of the renewal of the community. It is the best and most significant project I have ever been involved with."
Pam Dawes, of MAK, said: "We are on course to complete the Peace Park ten years after the liberation of Kosovo in 1999. The Eden Project's vision and practical support have got us to this exciting stage. It has been excellent to work with creative staff and horticulturalists and as the costs are being met through Manchester musicians performing at the Eden Sessions this is a true collaboration, a real success story.
"The Eden Project workshop visits and residencies for MAK, Kosovar artists, political leaders and the Bogujevci children who inspired the project, have been highlights in all of our lives. We learnt such a lot working at the Eden Project during inspiring, happy days. We believe the Peace Park will encourage and inspire Kosovo as it moves into a new period in its history."
Much has been achieved through collaboration and voluntary effort. See the Peace Park Wiki for plans of the park.
MAK is now fundraising to complete the Manchester Peace Park in Kosovo.
Still to be funded and installed:
- Sports pitches
- Lighting
- A simple building for a staff shelter, tools and equipment
- Final surface for paths in the garden including mosaics (see our Mosaic Project)
- Art (see our Collaborative Arts Project)
- Arena seating
- Staging
- Picnic tables, chess tables, bird boxes (see our Bird Box Project)
Please contact MAK if you are able to help in any way.
Words from the Dedication
28th March 2009
In this place
may trees and flowers bloom
and peace and tranquillity reign in every heart.
In this place
may children play and laughter fill the air.
In this place
may there be safety, security and hope.
May the cries and anguish
of past years be stilled.
May the cruel noise of battle
be silenced
and the painful, poisoned memories of the past
be purified and removed.
May our desire be fulfilled
for this park to be
an oasis of joy.
Here may beauty displace ugliness.
May curses be transformed into blessings.
May it be a park of dreams
a place of dancing
a place of rest
a place of recreation.
We commit this space
to be a sign of hope to all,
where all can come together as friends.
We dedicate this park
to all who yearn for peace
in every land
to all who yearn for an end
to hating and hurting,
brokenness and violence.
We dedicate this park
to all with a vision of a world
without sorrow and suffering
without hurting and hopelessness.
May there be an explosion of joy
and human happiness in this place.
May we walk together hand in hand
knowing our great value
and celebrating our common humanity.
Dennis Wrigley
Education is central to our work. MAK is involved in the following areas:
- Supporting young Kosovars evacuated to Greater Manchester to reach their full potential
- Resourcing museums, galleries and universities e.g. Imperial War Museum North, Fragile State – Art from Kosova, Leeds Met Imaging War Conference, Peace One Day at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.
- Annual summer school for the children of Podujevo
- Working closely with schools close to the Manchester Peace Park in Kosovo
- Supporting volunteers and developing university links – over 100 volunteers from the UK have worked with us in Kosovo, many returning regularly. Students have volunteered to work with MAK from a wide range of universities including York, Manchester, UMIST, MMU, Oxford, and the Royal College of Art. Several MAK volunteers have gone on to train in youth work or to work in international organisations
- Supporting Ekovizioni and developing a strong local group of young ecologists
- Working with support groups for the disadvantaged in Kosovo e.g. Women in Action
- Kosovo IT project to train teachers and resource both schools and Handikos
- Bags of Art project to resource disadvantaged school children in Kosovo
- Collection and distribution of 5,000 books to help replace burnt libraries (04)
- Running workshops led by British artists in Kosovo e.g. Stephen and Matt Raw Peace Banner Project, Lucy Birbeck Art Flag Project
- Supporting Vizioni i Paqes art teachers in their Kosovo schools – materials and workshop leaders
- Keep On Dancing! MAK's Strictly Not Dancing '08 turned wall flowers into ballroom dancers and raised close to £3,000!
- Supporting training in athletics events though the Great Manchester Peace Park Run and hosting Kosovar athletes competing in UK events
- Providing professional development opportunities for artists and musicians through our cultural programme, including residencies and training support for the 4 co-directors of Art in the Park
- Giving talks about our work to interested parties, including schools, colleges, churches, companies and community groups.
Kosovo is struggling to overcome one of its major problems – waste. A beautiful agricultural and wooded country, Kosovo's natural assets are considerable. Yet the country's natural beauty is marred by rubbish on the land and by the pollution of many of its rivers.
Our aims:
- Link with schools to develop green agendas including the inclusion of ecology in school syllabuses
- Work with Ekovizioni and help develop a strong young ecologists' group in Podujeve
- Strengthen the love of nature in all age groups through the Manchester Peace Park and through our children's summer school work
- Act responsibly in our use of power and resources
- Encourage local planning and design which highlights waste and sustainability, co-ordinating with UK specialists and the Municipality of Podujeve
- Support tourism in areas of natural beauty and botanical interest.
- Increase involvement in the three border Balkans Peace Park http://www.balkanspeacepark.org which includes a mountainous region of West Kosovo.
MAK has limited expertise here although we are already working with Jane Knight, a superb landscape architect, and Peter Sandover, an architect specialising in regeneration. We welcome contact with ecologists and teachers working in this crucial area of recovery and development. Please contact us if you would like to support this work.
2009 sees the start up of our Bird Box Project that will be managed in Kosovo by Ekovizioni. MAK has been involved in sport since its inception despite its founders abandoning Manchester United during the 1999 season to lead MAK. Nevertheless their team went on to win the Treble!
Support has been received by both Manchester United and Manchester City Football Clubs. The mayor of Podujeve has been greeted warmly at Carrington Training Ground by Sir Alex Ferguson. Llapi, Besiana and Pristina football clubs all train on the Manchester Peace Park. A donation of 1,000 footballs
was made to MAK by Sven Goran Eriksson and Nancy dell'Olio of Truce International for distribution in Kosovo.
MAK runs to fundraise
for the Manchester Peace Park. MAK has raised a team of 25 runners in the 10K Great Manchester Run
for several years. We also provide a 20 strong volunteer water distribution team. MAK members have also run in the London Marathon
and Great North Run. Sports sponsorship is one of our major sources of income. We welcome all runners committed to fundraise for us.
MAK created the Great Manchester Peace Park Run
in 2006 UK Race Director Charlie Mussett and Marketing Director, David Hart from Nova International (Britain's premier Run organisation) worked on site with MAK and local athletics leaders. The Run is now in its third year. Managed by Armend Bajgora and Avdullah Shala of Llapi Athletics Club, it has quickly developed into a major fixture in the Kosovo athletics calendar. In 2008 the (renamed) Great Kosovo Run attracted over 3,000 people. 8 athletics clubs competed in the elite field.
The prize for the first run on the Manchester Peace Park was to run in the elite field of the Great Manchester Run. MAK hosted the visits of athletes Rrahim Mani and Myrvete Pervetica who represented Kosovo both in Manchester and in the Great North Run. Rrahim and Myrvete made many friends amongst the international running community who have encouraged Kosovo to aim for London 2012.
Sport is central to our children's summer club which approximately 100 attend each august. Young children take part in races each day culminating in a traditional sports day. They can also learn to play football, rounders and cricket. This year circular games with a parachute were a favourite.
One of the main activities on the Manchester Peace Park is sport. At present volleyball
and football
are played on the unmarked, unlit field. Runners and footballers train the woods throughout the year. We have created
a trim trail for athletes. We want to create all weather, lit sports pitches and seating. MAK would welcome help with this.
MAK is also interested to broaden our sports sponsorship to include many sports. If you are committed to fundraise for the charity please contact runners@makonline.org with suggestions and for more information.
MAK is particularly grateful for the support of Nova International and to all our runners who have given MAK five years of fantastic support. Initially a crisis aid organisation, MAK's work broadened to include family support following the medical evacuation of Kosovars to Greater Manchester
in 1999.
10 years on many of the families we initially supported help to lead MAK.
Recovery in the UK has been a considerable success story and MAK is particularly proud to have been part of the high quality reception services and medical care offered in Manchester, complemented by highly committed schools, churches and other community groups. MAK's initial work was crisis aid and we have collected and transported over 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid for the region.
Sadly there is still dire poverty and great practical need in Kosovo and we will consider transporting aid as will Hope and Aid and Smile International, partner organisations active in the Balkans.
Please contact info@makonline.org MAK's remit is the relief of sickness and distress. This has involved us in supporting recovery from ethnic cleansing including supporting children medically evacuated to the UK following the massacre of their family.
Working closely with the British Embassy and our legal advisors we have provided witness support at war crimes trails.
MAK supports the work of the Humanitarian Law Centre, Belgrade.
MAK is committed to support equality in all our projects and is particularly keen to enable young people
to carry responsibilities.
MAK supports Handikos. We work for inclusion of people with disabilities
in Kosovo.
MAK supports all ethnic groups in Kosovo.
MAK has developed artistic partnerships with the following organisations
Eden Project staff, Jane Knight (landscape architect) and Sue Hill (Artistic Director) have worked on the development of the Manchester Peace Park, Kosovo, since 2004. The collaboration has involved designing the Manchester Peace Park in Kosovo, fundraisers at Eden Project (Ian Brown, Badly Drawn Boy, British Sea Power), Kosovar artists' residencies, Eden Project arts events (Party for the Park with MAK visual artists and the Travelling Band) and visits to Eden by political leaders from Kosovo.
Castle Fine Arts, Britain's leading fine art foundry, has supported the work of MAK for several years. MAK is proud to report that we are the foundry's official charity. Support has included a foundry project in Podujeve, Kosovo, the training Kosovar sculptors in the UK, the casting of sculpture for the Peace Park and financial support for our work from all sculptor employees.
Imperial War Museum was linked to MAK well before its opening – in 2000 we travelled to Kosovo with MAG and the Imperial War Museum historical advisor to help collect images and artefacts for display – two years before the museum opened its doors. The day McAlpines moved out of the Daniel Libeskind designed museum MAK musicians played a celebratory concert in the massive empty shell! Many MAK portraits of medically evacuated Kosovar children (Michael Spencer Jones, MAK Cohesion album art work, 2001) were given to the museum for inclusion in its multi-media presentation Children and War. The presentation is watched twice daily and has now been seen by several million visitors. MAK members prepared an IWMN touch screen on evacuation. The museum has hosted visits from political leaders and artists from Kosovo and the donation of 1,000 footballs from Truce International to MAK for all schools in Kosovo was, most appropriately, held at IWMN during its exhibition about war and sport.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park, acknowledged as Britain's finest outdoor gallery, has supported MAK since 2007. Currently helping to train and resource MAK's four artist directors of Art in the Park (see below), YSP is helping MAK strengthen skills and develop knowledge within a sculpture park environment that is second to none. Janette Pratt, education curator, visited Kosovo with MAK in 2009 and is particularly interested in strengthening educational links with the Peace Park, both in Kosovo and the UK. In 2009 YSP invited MAK and MAK artists and musicians to lead Peace One Day, an international day committed to global disarmament and unity, at the Sculpture Park.
MAK is committed to supporting Kosovar culture and presented 'Fragile State – Art from Kosova' at Stockport Art Gallery, Greater Manchester (October '07–Jan'08). This highly acclaimed exhibition (curated by MAK member James Walmsley) presented 9 leading artists from the Balkans whose work included painting, photography, sculpture, print and film and was the result of 2 years' research and development in Kosovo involving a large MAK curatorial team. An extensive programme of education and outreach in the UK included presentations by all the exhibiting artists at Manchester University, Manchester Metropolitan University and the Imperial War Museum North. Close collaboration was developed with Stockport College (Graphics) and MANCAT (Art). MANCAT lecturers developed responsive work which was later exhibited in Kosovo (10, 2009). Stockport young people also curated their own responsive exhibition (Stockport Art Gallery, 2008), with support from Stockport Gallery staff. Cheadle and Marple 6th Form College (Performance) developed a 2 year A level programme of work based on the Kosovo conflict, including performance in the exhibition.
MAK supported the development of Vizioni i Paqes - a group of young Llapi artists who presented an exhibition to honour MAK's work in Kosovo in 2004, 'Bridges of Love'. Since 2004 MAK has hosted numerous UK residencies for the seven artists involved, including residencies and training with our partner organisations.
MAK working parties in Kosovo have included over 20 British artists, several of whom have developed work informed by their visits to Kosovo (James Walmsley, curator; Rebecca Davy, painter; Paul Cliff, photographer; Stephen and Matt Raw, language artists; Lucy Birbeck, flag artist; Margaret Cahill, painter). Margaret Cahill's exhibition 'Butterflies in Rain' (Artland, 2009) was a sensitive multi-layered response to her visits to Kosovo.
As part of '10', commemorating the tragic events that occurred a decade previously on March 28 1999 and the formation of Manchester Aid to Kosovo, MAK presented an exhibition in Podujevo of over 40 British and Kosovar artists involved in the charity. The huge, highly acclaimed exhibition of sculpture, painting, printing and photography, was coordinated and curated by Fazli Blakçori who wrote:
'I am thrilled and honoured to bring together this collaborative exhibition of British and Kosovar artists. This is the result of nearly 5 years involvement with Manchester Aid to Kosovo through which I had the chance to travel and see a different world. This is giving me the strength to change things in my country, for my people. I want to share what I have experienced – not keep it just for myself. '10' is my contribution to change. My journey led me to being curator of this exhibition. I am involved in 2 different worlds. In Kosovo art expresses war, suffering and isolation. This describes our past. In comparison, In British art there is a sense of greater freedom and different themes. I am pleased to be able to bring them together and share these contacts with others. Art speaks for itself.'
MAK has selected four highly committed young artists to lead Art in the Park managing art installed in the Manchester Peace Park, Kosova: Mike Anitt, Agron Blakcori, Fazli Blakcori and Matt Raw. Their experience includes post graduate courses, international artists' residencies, ceramics, painting, sculpture, bronze foundry work and curating. All are highly committed to create a centre of artistic excellence in Kosovo.
Young MAK leaders, artists Saranda Bogujevci and Fazli Blakcori, will curate an exhibition of interactive arts graduates work (MMU, 2009) in Pristina in November 2009, opening up the country and bringing experimental young artists together.
MAK supports the development of training, artistic collaboration, and the celebration of Kosovar culture. Art has proved central to much of our work, whether it be the creation of the Manchester Peace Park, the recovery of evacuated children, foundry projects, the huge Podujeve Peace Banner, the Orfeo art flags, and exhibitions and training in the UK.
MAK is extremely grateful to our partners, participating artists and curators, to the Arts Council England for support and encouragement, and to all our arts donors, most notably the Cecil and Hilda Lewis Trust. 
Music has been a major part of Manchester Aid to Kosovo since the charity's early days. Urmston singer songwriter Helen's song, written for Kosovo in 1999, Let love Live Again was recorded and sold to raise funds for MAK's 14 artic emergency aid convoy. Many local musicians performed at our first major fundraiser as the MAK aid convoy left the Trafford Centre for the Albanian camps including Russell Watson – a young, unknown tenor from Salford!
A decision was made at this first concert to produce a MAK album to support recovery in Kosovo. Over the next 18 months Manchester's finest were drawn into the Cohesion music project. The 36 track Cohesion album was released in January 2001 and launched at The Lowry (Manchester) and the Elbow Rooms (London). With 50% exclusive tracks, the Manchester album remains highly collectable and includes early work by Elbow, Doves, Badly Drawn Boy, New Order, I Am Kloot, Fingathing, Andy Votel, Jane Weaver, Lamb and Mr Scruff. The album introduced many to the richness of the Manchester music scene. Ten years later a sequel, 10, is in production.
Badly Drawn Boy is a MAK patron and has supported the charity for many years, including giving some highly memorable performances.
Elbow has also taken a lead continually supporting MAK's activities. This has included the band giving music, performance, donation of art work, financial support and PR for MAK. We are delighted that the band has also maintained generous support for Manchester based mines clearance charity MAG, to whom they were introduced through MAK supporting de-mining and mines awareness in Kosovo.
Cohesion Live was held on Platt Fields Park, right next to the university, in Freshers' Week 2006. MAK presented many contributors to the Cohesion album including Badly Drawn Boy, Elbow, Lou Rhodes, I Am Kloot, Jane Weaver and Toolshed/Homelife who all performed on the main stage together with a new friend of MAK, Graham Coxon, complemented by DJ sets from the Smiths's Andy Rourke and Doves. The Longcut, Nine Black Alps and the cream of emergent young artists in the Manchester music scene filled the FreeDM Stage and tent. It was a brilliant day described by Elbow as 'more festivally than all the festivals we have played this year!' and an event which certainly marked out Elbow as future stadium fillers.
The Eden Project offered MAK a prestigious Eden Session in 2005 and we presented Ian Brown, Badly Drawn Boy and British Sea Power. The sell out event was a major success both musically and financially enabling us to plant out hundreds of trees and shrubs in the Manchester Peace Park, Kosovo. MAK concerts have also been held at other Manchester venues including The Comedy Store, Manchester (Mr Scruff, Stephen Fretwell and Brothers With Different Mothers), the Green Room (Bryan Glancy) and Jabez Clegg.
In 2009 the dedication of the Manchester Peace Park was led by Manchester's Travelling Band, Best Emergent Talent at Glastonbury, 2008. Michael Eavis got it right! The band made thousands of new fans in Kosovo and demonstrated great versatility and sensitivity playing at the Remembrance and Dedication event on the Manchester Peace Park on March 28th, in a cinema, bar, the town hall square, and serenaded the locals whilst travelling throughout Podujeve on horse drawn wagons. The multi -instrumentalists musicians also played Oda Theatre in Pristina, a live set for UrbanFM Radio, and provided some entertainment in a children's home. The Travelling Band is keen to return and want to help develop live music and music workshops in Kosovo with local musicians.
MAK is committed to supporting traditional music and dance in Kosovo and will provide opportunities for dance and the performance of live music on the Peace Park.
Jo Dudderidge of the Travelling Band is MAK music co-ordinator. Jo is currently curating MAK's second album, 10, due for release late 2009. The band is currently recording their second album.
MAK is constantly collecting music memorabilia and art work and would be grateful for donations. This is auctioned annually to raise funds for our work. The 2008 auction, which included rare artwork by Radiohead, Elbow, The Charlatans, Doves, Graham Coxon, and a series of signed portraits by Shari Denson, raised nearly £3,000. Please contact auction@makonline.org.
The second MAK Manchester album is now in production. Additional music, from musicians anywhere in the world, can be donated for digital sale. Please kindly contact music@makonline.org with offers. |
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