Dialogue and Innovation Build the Path Toward a More Inclusive Community

The Municipality of Bar has adopted the Charter on Social Cohesion, a strategic framework that confirms the local administration’s commitment to building a community based on trust, solidarity and equal opportunities for all citizens. The Charter is the result of a participatory process jointly implemented by the Municipality of Bar and UNDP, through activities ranging from the Local Forum “Community Drives Change” to the “Innovation Lab in the Field of Social Cohesion”.

The Deputy Mayor, Tanja Spičanović, stated: “This document is not procedural in nature, but is based on values that traditionally belong to our city – multiculturalism, togetherness and solidarity. Its strength lies in the fact that it reaffirms our fundamental values and provides guidance for the further development of the local community.”

The Charter is already being implemented through four initiatives developed within the Innovation Lab, through which non-governmental organizations from Bar have responded to key challenges identified by fellow citizens. UNDP and the Municipality of Bar supported these initiatives with grants as the most promising for strengthening trust and inclusion:

I Am Not a Tourist - a programme for the active inclusion of citizens from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus;

Bridges of Togetherness - a language “speed-dating” initiative connecting Turkish newcomers and the local population;

I Can Do It - an educational and development programme for young Roma women;

e-Tolerance - a digital platform that supports victims of cyber violence and promotes online dialogue.

According to the NGO Lea, which implements the e-Tolerance project, the motivation for applying was to contribute to building a more tolerant and connected society through the exchange of experiences. “Over the past few months, e-Tolerance has helped create a safer and more supportive online space, where dialogue and understanding are promoted instead of hate speech,” the organization stated, confirming that the goal has been achieved.

The Bar initiatives were also presented at the National Dialogue on Social Cohesion, from where activists of NGO Lea sent a clear message: “Citizens must be drivers of positive change in their community and must never remain silent in the face of violence in any form, but oppose it with the power of knowledge, empathy and solidarity.”

Over the past months, volunteers of NGO Kompas have collected more than 250 bags of waste from sites such as Ratac, a protected area and a symbol of the Bar coastline. They emphasized that the key to the solution lies in joint engagement: “Stopping the spread of illegal dumpsites and changing attitudes toward nature can only be achieved if we all take responsibility and act in the interest of the common good.”

Parallel to field activities, within the NextGen programme, six women from Bar completed a multi-month training programme for new leaders in the field of social cohesion, including activist Sanja Smolović, who stated: “For the common good, it is enough to offer support where you can. Small things change the community, and good spreads when it comes from the heart.”

By adopting the Charter, Bar establishes a sustainable model of cooperation between citizens and institutions - a tool for long-term strengthening of trust and practical guidance for local initiatives and projects.

The programme “Together for the Common Good - Enhancing Citizens’ Trust in Institutions and Building Resilient Communities” is implemented by UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO, in partnership with the Government of Montenegro, with the support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).