The Center was founded in 1998, in the province of Vojvodina within Sebia—a territory with a long history of autonomy and identification as a specific multicultural region. These legacies made it logical for the Center to be oriented towards the issues of regionalism and interregional cooperation—not only by its name, but also by its mission. In their previous professional and political engagements, the individuals who initiated the establishment of the Center had worked on the issues of decentralization, human and minority rights, cross-border cooperation as well as antiwar campaigns. The postwar environment across the countries of the former Yugoslavia was marked by severed relations and deep psychological barriers. Undeterred by these challenges, the Center for Regionalism focused on reestablishing and normalizing connections among the signatories of the Dayton Agreement, Kosovo, as well as across the greater region.
Following democratic changes on 5 October 2000, Serbia determined its future orientation, which is European Union membership. These processes raised other questions – internally, the issue of decentralisation, protection of minority rights, even regional develpment etc. The Center conducts expert projects and, with its proposals, gives contribution to further democratisation of the country. When regional issues are concerned, there democratic changes took place in all countries signatories to the Dayton Agreement, they are all on the
EU membership track, while Croatia became a member on 1 July 2013. One of foremost conditions set by the EU when accession of these countries is concrned, is regional cooperation. Igman Initiative has given a great contribution to these processes by its specific proposals involving expert opinions. In addition to that, following 1999, a process of final defining of the status of Kosovo commenced. With its Civil Dialogue, the Center contributed, and is still contributing to the improvement of cooperation between the civil sectors of Serbia
and Kosovo, as well as to the initiation of projects in line with issues that are negotiated by Belgrade and Proshtina in Brussels.
The offices of the Center for Regionalism are located in Novi Sad