April 2001

Dear Friends,

At a special General Assembly in March, the member organisations of Balkan Peace Team decided to end BPT's work in the Balkans and close down the association. This decision is based on our assessment that, for many reasons, BPT's resources and organizational structure are not able to meet the demands of the current situation.

Many member organisations, however, will continue their work for peace and justice, especially in the Balkan region. In particular, the French organisation, EPB (Equipes de Paix dans les Balkans) will continue its efforts in Kosovo/a. BPT's most recent project, the Dragash/s Youth Centre in Kosovo/a, is now being handed over to another organisation in the region, with a commitment that it will eventually be run under the ownership and leadership of the local community.

This recent decision to close BPT does not take away the value of BPT's accomplishments over the years. The time, energy and financial resources, which were contributed by BPT supporters and volunteers, have resulted in a number of important developments. Since 1994, Balkan Peace Team provided committed support to local activists in Croatia, Serbia, and Kosovo/a who were working for change in the areas of human rights, peace, and dialogue between communities. For one, this was a project that entailed the co-operation of more than ten independent peace organisations from many different countries, including four international organisations with world-wide networks. Together these groups coordinated and managed field projects in a conflict situation. Through our years of activity, BPT provides a valuable experience for future efforts at grassroots nonviolent intervention.

Throughout Balkan Peace Team's years of work, it has been inspiring to cooperate with many local grassroots groups and organisations working in difficult situations. We have been enriched by the insight gained from this experience and will continue to follow their efforts and find new ways to support them.

As part of the process of disbanding, BPT will carry out a full evaluation of the project. This effort will culminate in an evaluation meeting scheduled to take place in the fall of 2001. We will continue to maintain information about BPT and links to our member organisations on our web site at www.balkanpeaceteam.org We will be including a list of the organisations and their addresses in our final issue of the BPT Newsletter.

We hope that you will continue your work for peace in the Balkans, wherever and however this may be.