05.03.2025. » 12:25
Exactly mine cup of coffee
Are there enough cultural events in our city? What can we define as culture and cultural events? Can cultural events have negative impacts? And what about intercultural events?
When I first moved to Mitrovica, the very first thing I was introduced to was a private cultural center—a key gathering place for students of social sciences, journalists, and artists. It’s easy to see how such an experience could create unrealistic expectations. Given that, within my first month here, I met more artists and actors than I had in six years of living in Belgrade, I naturally got the impression that I had somehow landed in a capital of culture.
What makes this even more interesting is the fact that North Mitrovica does not have a functional state institution for culture, yet cultural events still take place! Here, in this city, private spaces take on the role of cinemas and performance halls. Many things have been put on hold here, but culture is not one of them—it lives in the hearts of its residents, undeterred by the lack of formal institutions. There are also festivals, some of which have endured for three decades.
But why stop there when discussing culture? Aren’t many parties and live music events part of it as well? Personally, I believe that this city’s nightlife is an integral part of this conversation. Unfortunately, the diversity of parties has dwindled in recent years, but traditionally, Mitrovica has always had something to offer for everyone’s taste! Entertainment here was never confined to weekends, and the music has always ranged from traditional folk and tavern songs to trap, rock, metal, and techno. Many people see clubs with commercial music as a negative phenomenon, somehow opposed to culture itself. But that doesn’t make sense when we consider the definition of the term. Any culture is composed of diverse fragments, some of which can even have a negative influence on individuals.
I would go even further, to the less obvious cultural elements—those we often see as mere everyday habits and fail to recognize for their deeper significance. On that note, I would dedicate a special place in this text to our culture of drinking coffee! Daily meetups with colleagues, friends, and family over a cup of coffee, outings to cafés—things a true Balkan native could hardly imagine living without!
Traditionally, coffee represents much more to us than just a beverage. It is far more than just a stimulant that keeps us awake for exhausting shifts, as it’s often viewed in Western "civilization." For us, coffee is relaxation, entertainment, a bridge between generations, something that brings people together and makes conversations flow smoothly. A cup of coffee can even serve as comfort when discussing difficult topics, or a tool to help us articulate words that are hard to say. And when it's finished, it can become a medium for fortune-telling. The habit of turning the cup upside down is so deeply ingrained in our culture that even some religious individuals practice it! Coffee, in its many different rituals, is deeply rooted in our everyday lives and the culture of the Balkans.
A few years ago, a mini coffee festival was held in Mitrovica, near the bridge. I had the chance to attend and enjoy the atmosphere. The idea behind it was to bring together different ethnic communities through a shared tradition, and it’s a shame that it didn’t turn into an annual tradition.
I believe that, in general, the culture of gathering remains strong in the Balkans, especially in rural areas. Many people have fond memories of preparing winter preserves with their neighbors—cherished moments of togetherness that evoke a deep sense of nostalgia. Similarly, for Serbs, the *Slava* is one of the most significant days of the year, when family, friends, and colleagues gather around the same table. For Albanians, Bajram holds a similar role, bringing families and loved ones together in celebration. Even birthdays and weddings on the Balkans tend to be grand occasions, often attended by hundreds of people.
All of these everyday traditions—small things that make our different cultures more similar—bring us closer and unite us. To me, they are far more significant than "high culture." This is something I would love to see organized as an intercultural event that brings different communities together in Mitrovica and throughout Kosovo.
- Andrea Todić, activist
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