This special group will have as its main objective exploring sociocultural relations between Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Balkans. To this end, it will host

Specialists from diverse fields of knowledge—philology, history, art, sociology, political science, philosophy, anthropology, economics, education, theater, media, international relations, migration, environment, post-socialism, translation, technology, etc.—will focus primarily on contemporary issues. The main objective of the GE (Group of Experts) would also be to promote research linking Latin America and the Caribbean with the Balkans, foster co-authorship among members from different continents/countries, establish a new space for creating and implementing ideas, best practices, and research related to Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Balkans, disseminate research activities and results in the respective academic and popular spheres, both nationally and internationally, through the media, social networks, etc., and strengthen critical thinking among researchers from both regions.

large regions, mutually disseminate intercultural values ​​both Latin American/Caribbean and Balkan and establish/strengthen links with other

Latin American, Caribbean, Balkan and global networks and institutions. Since the members of the GE belong to various associations, networks, institutes and organizations (CLACSO, CIBAM, AIH, IDEAZ, NUCLEAS, CEISAL, Association of Serbian Hispanists, Network of Hispanists of Central Europe, CESLA, CONACYT, CONICET, AEB, ASIR, LEEM, Professor Andrzej Dembicz Foundation, etc.), the activities and results of the GE will also be disseminated by these institutions.

Regarding prior experience, several members of the new special group have been actively working on projects related to the general theme of this initiative for the past few years. This has led to the publication of several previous works and the organization of scientific events connected to the theme, as shown in the lists below. Furthermore, funding has recently been awarded (though still pending) by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation's R&D Projects for Knowledge Generation program to develop the project "Latin American Writers in European Socialist Countries during the Cold War" (reference PID2020-113994GB-I00) for the period 2021-2024. This project will engage with and symbiotically relate to the theme and members of this special group. Finally, regarding previous collaborations with CLACSO, Kovacevic and Gallardo are currently leading the coordination of the volume *Cultural Relations between Latin America and the European Socialist Countries during the Cold War*, which will be

Co-published by CLACSO and the Ibero-American Center of the University of Novi Sad. Simultaneously, one of the members (Jeftanovic) has explored Balkan issues from the perspective of memory and post-memory, focusing on the generation of Latin American immigrants, in the realm of fiction, publishing the novel *Escenario de guerra* (War Scenario) and "Sarajevo Underground," in the book *Destinos errantes* (Wandering Destinies). For these projects, she has traveled to the Balkan countries, read numerous books by authors from the region, and consulted historical and family archives.

If approved, the special group LATIN AMERICA AND THE BALKANS: CULTURAL AND SOCIAL TIES would constitute a groundbreaking initiative on a global scale, primarily due to its novel thematic focus on the connections between two parts of the world that are both different and similar, with diverse interrelationships that have not been addressed by academia with the depth the topic warrants. Given the extensive historical relations between the two regions, researchers would draw upon national archives, previous research, and new sources to deepen existing knowledge, foster innovative approaches, uncover new commonalities, and conduct comparisons between the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking worlds of the Americas and Southern and Eastern Europe.

Secondly, this group would also stand out within CLACSO itself due to its unique character, rooted in the prior experience of its coordinators and members. Furthermore, given CLACSO's Ibero-American scope and its proven academic significance, the research already initiated by the coordinators, primarily focused on literature and cultural studies, would acquire a broader and more ambitious scope, thus expanding scientific interest into new disciplines. These new scientific approaches would therefore find a solid avenue for development by having access to a specialized working group with considerable visibility.

Regarding the composition of the group and taking into account that this is a pioneering initiative, we have brought together colleagues from 20 countries with experience and interest in the subject (Argentina, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Chile, Croatia, USA, Slovenia, Spain, France, Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, Romania, Serbia) coordinated by a representative from the Balkans (Kovacevic Petrovic), one from Latin America, but of Balkan origin (Jeftanovic), and a third from the Iberian Peninsula (Gallardo Saborido).

Regarding funding, beyond the resources from CLACSO, the group is also conceived as a platform from which to access alternative funding avenues, such as national and European research calls (with special interest in the Marie Sklodowska Curie RISE Action) or from other entities, such as the Western Balkans Fund.

Finally, the expected results in the first years of the special group's life are detailed below.