In April 2013, KWN in cooperation with The New School screened the first product of their joint Oral History Initiative in New York. The short film presented the oral history of Safete Rogova, one of Kosovo’s first women actors and a dedicated women’s rights activist. Two audiences joined screenings of this short: first at The New School and later at a fundraising event at Macellaria Restaurant.

The Oral History Initiative seeks to document the life stories of Kosovars before, during and after the war. This year, in addition to collecting additional individual histories, the team plans to create a searchable, interactive, multi-media website containing transcripts in Albanian and English, short films, photographs and sound from these interviews.

The Initiative is led by an Oral History Collective that involves KWN, The New School and various independent researchers, academics, filmmakers and interns. KWN is pleased to welcome New School interns back this summer to continue building the Oral History archive, including Catherine McGahan, Ericka Kriedel, Amber Kiwan and Jung Chao. Professor Anna di Lellios and Kosovar contributors will also be volunteering time this summer for this important Initiative.

If you are interested in becoming involved in the Oral History Initiative as a volunteer, please email info@womensnetwork.org. We are still seeking filmmakers, film editors, interviewers and translators who want to contribute part-time or full-time.