Cate Greenman

My name is Cate Greenman, and I’m a rising junior at Stanford University majoring in international relations. I recently completed a Stanford Global Studies internship in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina working with the Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC).

My time in Bosnia was life-changing. While I initially found it difficult to adjust to life in a country so different from the U.S., I thoroughly enjoyed the work I was involved in and learning more about the country and its history and culture. In work visits to the National Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), I was able to engage directly with policy-making and understand the current political landscape in BiH. Writing an article for the media outlet Balkan Diskurs gave me the unique opportunity to interview expert historians on how to best teach and discuss violent ethnic conflicts.

One of the highlights of my experience was attending the annual Srebrenica Genocide Commemoration. As part of my work, I attended the 5th Srebrenica Youth School, a convention that brought together young activists and students from across the Western Balkans and Europe to learn about the history of Srebrenica and hear from activists, academics, and genocide survivors on how to effectively prevent future ethnic conflicts. Getting to witness firsthand how deeply the consequences of the genocide are felt today in Srebrenica was an extremely impactful and emotionally intense experience. The picture attached shows the arrival of recently identified human remains to the Potočari Memorial Center before the annual burial of genocide victims on July 11, 2024. I left this experience feeling deeply grateful and vow to do my part to educate my peers back in America on both the people and complex history of BiH.

Once again, thank you for your support. I will be forever grateful for this experience and the opportunity to work and learn in such an incredible country.