Youth Creativity Driving Dialogue: DokuFest Showcases Documentary Filmmaking for Peacebuilding

We are pleased to feature a new video highlighting the impact of a unique initiative that brings young people together through documentary filmmaking. 

Implemented by DokuFest within the framework of the Youth Empowered through Inclusive Schools and Societies (YESS) programme—supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund and implemented jointly with UNICEF and IOM—the training offers a creative platform for young participants from different ethnic backgrounds to collaborate, learn, and build trust.

Through hands-on workshops, mentoring sessions, and collaborative field exercises, DokuFest guides youth participants in exploring their communities, documenting real stories, and reflecting on shared experiences. 

The video  wraps up multitude of activities across Kosovo with youth of different background and illustrates how filmmaking becomes more than a technical skill: it becomes a medium for dialogue, understanding, and positive social engagement.

Building bridges through creative expression

The initiative promotes interaction among young people who might not otherwise connect in everyday life. By working together on storyboarding, filming, and editing, participants cultivate empathy, learn to navigate diverse perspectives, and develop a collective sense of purpose.

These learning experiences strengthen interpersonal confidence, enhance communication abilities, and support broader peacebuilding efforts aimed at fostering resilience, inclusion, and meaningful participation.

A partnership shaped by shared vision

DokuFest’s longstanding expertise in film education, combined with the UN’s commitment to supporting young people as agents of positive change, provides an enabling environment for emerging storytellers. This partnership demonstrates how creative industries can advance reconciliation, broaden understanding, and inspire new narratives rooted in cooperation and respect.