A New International Center for Reconciliation through the Arts

 
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A New International Center for Reconciliation through the Arts

Ismar Porić, Artistic Director of House of Good Tones, as told to editors at The Ensemble

04-02-2025

A summer workshop at The Ensemble House. Photo: House of Good Tones.

Few would disagree that imagining and constructing something good for humanity, in a place where vast harm has been done, is a creative act. Therefore, the completion of The Ensemble House in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina can be seen as one of the world’s great creative triumphs in recent years.

During the mid-1990s, Srebrenica was the site of one of the 20th-century’s worst genocides. But the establishment of The Ensemble House, a place where people can convene to forge “peace, reconciliation, and community development,” helps to transform the region into a site of vast possibility. The Ensemble House, a joint project of the Emmaus International Solidarity Forum and the House of Good Tones Foundation, is founded on a mission “to create opportunities for young people to express themselves, develop their talents, and build bridges between communities through artistic initiatives.”

To be clear, it’s more than “a house”: it is an educational and cultural center dedicated to global peacebuilding through the arts. Its cluster of simple wood-frame buildings, recreation facilities, and green spaces, nestled into a country hillside, are places where people can sleep, eat, play, and share ideas together.

Workshop leader guiding multi-media discussion. Photo: House of Good Tones.

Ismar Porić, one of the project’s leaders, is quick to point out that this is not Srebrenica’s first initiative for creating peace and harmony through the arts. Fourteen years ago, Porić and his colleagues founded the House of Good Tones (HOGT), an after-school music program that brought together children and youth of various ethnic identities, in Srebrenica. HOGT has grown and thrived; to date, more than 2,500 children and young people have participated in its curriculum of music, film, literature, and community engagement. Concerts and summer camps bring the students into regular contact with young people from other regions and countries.

(Read previous articles in The Ensemble about the House of Good Tones here, here, and here.)

“Over the years,” says Porić, “our work with the House of Good Tones has shown us the incredible power of music to bridge divides and bring people together.” Both HOGT and The Ensemble House, he says, were “born out of a deep belief that Srebrenica, a place marked by immense tragedy and genocide, should also be a place of hope, creativity, and connection.”

He adds that the students of HOGT will be intensely involved with the conference center. “For the young musicians of the House of Good Tones, the Ensemble House is a gateway to the world. It provides them with opportunities to collaborate with international artists, participate in masterclasses, and experience the power of artistic exchange firsthand.”

Small group discussions at The Ensemble House. Photo: House of Good Tones.

With the creation of The Ensemble House, it’s now possible for students (as well as teachers, activists, and all interested others) from around the world to have this kind of experience. “When they come here, they will find a space where they can immerse themselves in music, learn from different traditions, and form lasting connections. In this house, talent is nurtured, cultures come together, and the next generation of socially engaged artists is shaped.”

For a venue with such lofty purposes, the center has a relaxed, playful feel; it includes a playground and two tennis courts (which, as you can see on this short video, also work well as giant yoga mats). Ismar and his team hope that organizations large and small, from all parts of the world, will choose The Ensemble House for conferences, retreats, workshops, and all kinds of professional and student gatherings.

“We aim to be a catalyst for change,” he says. “The Ensemble House is not only a venue; it’s a statement. Here, in a town with one of the most painful histories in modern Europe, every gathering carries a deeper purpose, reminding visitors that creativity is a tool for healing.”

Activism, April 2025, artistic expression, Artistic Initiatives, Arts for Social Change, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Community Development, Conferences, Creativity and Healing, Cross-Cultural Connection, Cultural Exchange, Educational Programs, Genocide Recovery, Global Collaboration, Hope and Renewal, House of Good Tones, International Artists, Ismar Porić, Masterclasses, Music Diplomacy, Music Education, peacebuilding, Performing Arts, Professional Gatherings, Reconciliation, Retreats, Social Harmony, Socially Engaged Art, Srebrenica, Talent Development, The Ensemble House, Workshops, Youth Engagement

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