30 BOLD Fellows Participated in International Exchange

The BOLD Institute on Civic Engagement at UNO welcomed 30 young leaders to the United States for a five-week long residency. BOLD (Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Leaders) is an international exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo and focused on developing leaders, promoting international education, and positively impacting the region.

The program ran from Aug. 14 to Sept. 17, 2022 and included a four-week intensive academic residency on the UNO campus and a weeklong educational tour of New York City and Washington, D.C. While in Omaha, the BOLD Fellows participated in daily workshops on leadership, civic engagement, conflict resolution, and collaboration, attended a Global Challenges course, and met with the faculty and students from various academic disciplines.

They learned about American democratic processes and values directly from civic leaders such as Congressman Don Bacon, Lt. Governor Mike Foley, Nebraska Supreme Court Justice Stephanie Stacy, and the entire Omaha City Council. One of the major highlights of the entire exchange happened during the visit to Omaha Mayor’s office when all 30 Fellows were awarded the title of “Honorary Citizens of Omaha,” a true tribute to the group’s civic engagement efforts and innovative spirit.

The Institute provided the Fellows opportunities to study diversity, promotion of racial, ethnic, and religious tolerance, and empowerment by meeting community leaders such as those at the Malcolm X Foundation, El Museo Latino, OneWorld Health Centers, and TriFaith Initiative, the latter a campus that brings together a synagogue, church, mosque, and interfaith center on 38 acres in the American heartland.

The BOLD Fellows also explored different ways in which civic engagement initiatives helped transform Omaha neighborhoods through the arts, affordable housing, and education and training programs for children, and even spent an afternoon cleaning and weeding City Sprouts urban farm, which builds local food systems and strengthens minority neighborhoods’ economic viability. Through such experiential learning opportunities, the Fellows gained practical skills and exchanged ideas and knowledge with their American counterparts.

A critical part of UNO academic exchange programs is traveling to cultural and historic sites throughout the Midwest, therefore the Institute included a three-day visit to the Winnebago Native American Reservation and its museum and College, the Lewis and Clark Center in Sioux City, Sioux Falls, as well as Mount Rushmore and the Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

In addition, Fellows had time to explore the local area and participate in U.S. holidays and celebrations, such as concerts, comedy shows, barbeque parties, and sporting events with UNO students, Labor Day festivities, and shared a traditional Jewish Shabbat meal with our faculty and staff. After leaving Omaha, the Fellows spent two days absorbing the rich and fascinating culture of New York City, exploring its many immigrant neighborhoods and iconic sights, including the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, United Nations, and the 9/11 Memorial. The group had its first BOLD marriage proposal as two participants became engaged in the center of Times Square.

The excitement continued as the Fellows journeyed to Washington, D.C., where participants spent the final three days of their U.S. exchange program. They toured the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress, several Smithsonian institutions, and some Fellows even received a wave from President Biden as his motorcade left the White House. During their D.C. stay, BOLD Fellows presented Action Plans to the Department of State staff in areas of human rights, sustainability and environmental conservation, promotion of STEM and non-formal education, political engagement of youth and women, government transparency, hate speech, and safety in the digital environment, among others. The proposed projects are aimed at strengthening their communities and democracy as a whole in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and are eligible for funding opportunities through the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo.

While all participants agreed that this was an experience of a lifetime, an unforgettable month full of education and adventure, one Fellow summed it up best by declaring, “When we return to Bosnia and Herzegovina, it will all look the same, but we will never be the same.”

The UNO Institute on Civic Engagement looks forward to welcoming the next groups of BOLD changemakers and innovators in Summer 2023. For more information about BOLD, please visit the UNO BOLD website and follow us on social media, BOLD Facebook Page.

About BOLD: The BOLD Program Team consists of Dr. Lana Obradovic, Director of International Studies and Principal Director for BOLD; Dr. Patrick McNamara, Instructor of Political Science and Academic Director for BOLD; Julie Jimenez, Administrative Director for YSEALI and Grants Manager for BOLD; and Michael Butcher, Grants Coordinator for BOLD and YSEALI.