Paola Petrić is „a new woman for a new era“, Program Coordinator and Deputy Office Director of the Regional Office of Heinrich Böll Stiftung Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Paola has been dealing for years with housing policies, green economies, gender equality, and other important issues, and at the same time have also been a long-term individual donor to the women’s movement.
1. Since you have been dealing for years with housing policies, green economies, gender equality, and other important issues, and at the same time have also been a long-term individual donor to the women’s movement – how do you reflect on the relation of these topics and local philanthropy? Where do you see the meeting point?
Almost every topic could be connected with philanthropy at local level, especially within societies with underdeveloped awareness of common good, mutuality, and solidarity. One of the examples of donating for the right purpose is the recently completed campaign Solarna Stara (Solar Stara Mountain), initiated by Energetic Cooperative Elektopionir in Serbia. Citizens’ individual contributions supported the construction of a cooperative solar power station plant in villages, Temska and Dojkinci, on Stara Mountain, which would enable all the income from the electricity production, in following years, to remain within villages, helping and promoting the development of the community and it’s general welfare.
I sincerely hope that, from the level of campaigns with a great driving force, we would get to the point when for those who are able to donate, contributing and investing in these and similar projects shall become a regular thing to do.
2. Having a broader perspective and acting within Heinrich Böll Stiftung Foundation and at the regional level, could you share with us some of the ideas and good practices in the field of philanthropy, in our region, but also Europe in general, which we could learn from?
I believe that majority is familiar with the work of the Trag Foundation and its sister organizations across the region, such as the Mozaik Foundation in Bosnia and Herzegovina or the Fund for Active Citizenship in Montenegro. For years already, these and other organizations have dealt with the development of local philanthropy, supporting youth and women’s entrepreneurship, encouraging social responsibility, and investing energy in advancing the status of marginalized groups.
Women’s Center „Chocolate Factory“ in Berlin, in District Kreuzberg, is an example of good practice which I mention gladly and frequently. This association has existed for forty years already and was established from the need to empower women, lesbians, and girls, and part of Center’s activities has been supported by thousands of individual donors with a minimum monthly sum of 3 euros. They are so-called Aunts of the Chocolate (Schokotanten).
3. Philanthropy in Serbia in the last decades has become a more important field of activity among non-governmental organizations, but also among citizens. What motivates you, personally and politically, to donate?
Very clearly and simply: building communities and societies with more solidarity, which rely on reciprocity and mutual support. Until we develop institutions and political culture which would clearly make solidarity one of the key values of our local political community, my personal activity and contributing for common good will be a part of my moral and political imperative.
4. Following and being a part of the women’s movement, but also green and left politics, how do you perceive solidarity? What kind of solidarity do we need today within the feminist movement?
Solidarity for me is the struggle for equality and readiness to help everyone suffering injustice and being exposed to any form of violence. Common responsibility of all feminists is to try to reconcile differences among us and come to grips with global and local challenges, especially those which threaten peace and civilizational values of human and minority rights, for which we fought hard and are still struggling for.
Interview by Diana Miladinović
