Events – War Childhood Museum

War Childhood Museum Receives Regional Award for the “Furaj mir” Program

Maida Salkanovic — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 15:34:13 +0000

The War Childhood Museum has received the regional “Jelena Šantić – Brave Steps Forward” Award for its “Furaj mir” program. The award was presented last night at the Museum of the Nineties in Belgrade, Serbia. It is awarded by the Jelena Šantić Foundation to promote artistic and social initiatives that contribute to peace, tolerance, understanding, and solidarity. The award is presented every two years in memory of Jelena Šantić, one of the region’s most prominent peace activists.

Explaining the jury’s decision, Filip Ejdus, Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade and a member of the jury, emphasized that the War Childhood Museum has achieved something few institutions manage to do: through the testimonies of people who experienced war as children, it humanized tragedy.

Innovative Approach to Peacebuilding

“Through a participatory approach, this museum has enabled thousands of people to recognize one another beyond dominant ethno-national narratives, while creating a valuable space for the development of an inclusive, civic, and transnational ethos in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Ejdus.

He also highlighted the “Furaj mir” program, which the jury recognized as an innovative approach to working with young people and building peace.

“‘Furaj mir’ has shown that transitional justice does not have to be a dry and abstract concept, but rather an experience that is lived, documented, and shared,” Ejdus said.

Young People as Agents of Change

Irina Ljubić, Executive Director of the Jelena Šantić Foundation, emphasized that the particular value of “Furaj mir” lies in the fact that it does not assign young people the role of observers, but of active agents of change.

“Through research, exhibitions, public events, and collaborative work, participants have demonstrated that confronting the past can serve as a foundation for a more responsible, open, and peaceful society. This reflects the very values that the Jelena Šantić Award seeks to recognize and support,” said Ljubić.

The award was accepted on behalf of the War Childhood Museum by Communications Manager Maida Salkanović, who noted that the young people involved in the program, through the topics they chose to explore, demonstrated that justice, truth, empathy, and equal opportunities are essential for building a strong and stable society — what we call positive peace.

“Young people need hope. They need to see that effort, dedication, and engagement are recognized and promoted as values. At a time when that is not always the case, I believe this program has shown that these values can help young people stand out and become role models for others,” said Salkanović.

Building Peace Through Research, Art, and Dialogue

Over the past two years, the “Furaj mir” program has brought together more than 120 young people from different parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through research, interviews, artistic processes, and exhibitions, participants explored and presented topics important for peacebuilding and strengthening social cohesion.

The program is implemented as part of the “PEACESTORY” project with the support of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund. Project partners include the Mozaik Foundation, the Step by Step Center for Educational Initiatives, and the Association of the High School Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In addition to the War Childhood Museum, which received the award in the civil society organization category, the individual award was presented to Dragan Popović for his book Losing Humanity – Srebrenica as a Historical Fact, while special contribution awards were presented to the Balkan Talks initiative from Niš, Karton Revolucija from Tuzla, and the Student Plenum in Blockade of the State University of Novi Pazar.

Jasminko Halilović at Ukraine Cultural Security Forum in Warsaw

Maida Salkanovic — Fri, 08 May 2026 16:31:58 +0000

Jasminko Halilović, Founder and Director-General of the War Childhood Museum, took part in the second annual Ukraine Cultural Security Forum held on 7–8 May in Warsaw, Poland.

As part of the panel discussion “Fake Past, Stolen Future? Disinformation, Weaponized Culture and the Fight for Truth”, Halilović joined distinguished speakers including the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, representatives of leading museums and cultural institutions, and the Ambassador of France to Poland. Panel discussion was moderated by Helene Rånlund, Chair of Blue Shield Sweden and a member of the War Childhood Museum’s Global Advisory Board.

Bringing together around 160 museum professionals, researchers, policymakers, and government representatives from Ukraine, Poland, Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, France, and Sweden, the forum—organized by OBMIN—focused on the critical relationship between cultural heritage, memory, and national security.

Confronting Disinformation Through Human Stories

During the discussion, Halilović emphasized that one of the most effective responses to disinformation and dehumanization is, in fact, humanization itself. He spoke about the importance of creating space for people who experienced war in childhood to tell their own stories and be heard, stressing that personal testimonies and oral histories are powerful tools in restoring dignity, resisting manipulation, and building empathy across divides.

He also highlighted the role museums and cultural institutions can play in confronting dangerous social trends by preserving authentic human experiences and making them accessible to the public.

Closing Event of the Creativity for Peace Program Held

Maida Salkanovic — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:12:59 +0000

On April 27 and 28, Sarajevo hosted the closing event of the “Creativity for Peace” program, which brings together teachers and young people from across Bosnia and Herzegovina with the goal of strengthening peace education.

More than 150 peer educators, teachers, and professors from all parts of the country gathered to exchange experiences, present the results of their work, and discuss the future of peace education in schools.

Exchange of Experiences and Voices from the Classroom

As part of the event, a panel discussion was held featuring Ajla Džambić, a peer educator from Tuzla, Lejla Đulić, a teacher coordinator from Gračanica, and Danilo Vasiljević, a teacher from Modriča. The discussion was moderated by Namir Ibrahimović from Centar za obrazovne inicijative Step by Step, a lecturer and mentor within the program.

Džambić highlighted that participants exceeded the planned number of workshops during the program after recognizing a strong need among young people for this type of content.

“We had the opportunity to learn and develop knowledge and skills for which there is often little room within the formal education system. This project is especially important to me because we had mentorship support that empowered us to independently lead workshops in the classroom,” said Džambić.

Đulić emphasized how meaningful it was for students to receive content from their peers, which made it feel more relatable and relevant.

“We should seriously consider formalizing the role of peer educators in schools,” said Đulić.

Vasiljević noted that the concept of peace is frequently mentioned, but rarely considered in practical terms.

“We encounter the term ‘peace’ all the time, but rarely reflect on how it manifests in everyday life. How do we overcome differences and solve the problems students constantly face? These are the questions we need to address,” said Vasiljević.

Recommendations for the Future of the Program

Nedim Krajišnik, Executive Director of Centar za obrazovne inicijative Step by Step, and Amina Krvavac, Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina at War Childhood Museum, also addressed the participants. During group discussions, teachers, professors, and peer educators shared recommendations on how schools can sustain the program beyond the completion of this project phase.

More than 60 schools took part in the program, while over 240 peer educators, teachers, and professors were trained in methods of peace pedagogy, which they continue to apply in their classrooms.

“War Childhood” in Munich

Maida Salkanovic — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:29:53 +0000

On April 1, 2026, the NS-Dokumentationszentrum München became a space where memories of Sarajevo met a new audience. Through a multimedia staged reading titled “I’m sick to death of war and shells, of big ‘men’ selling lies,” testimonies from Jasminko Halilović’s Childhood in War were brought to life by the voices of Ivona Baković, Maja Zećo, and Enes Şahin.

From Personal Encounter to Performance

The performance, directed by Christiane Mudra, grew out of a personal encounter with the book. “When I opened it, I was so touched, and I proposed a reading right away,” Mudra told us.

The visitors had the opportunity to listen to short, direct testimonies that speak of everyday life during the siege: moments of fear and loss, but also of humor, warmth, and small joys that persist even in the most difficult circumstances. In this way, the evening in Munich echoed something at the core of the Museum’s work: that childhood in war is not only defined by violence, but also by the ways children adapt, connect, and endure.

Universal Stories of War Childhood

For Mudra, these stories resonate far beyond Sarajevo. “The testimonies are universal,” she said. “They are about children everywhere who live in these conditions.”

As someone who was a teenager during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, she remembers the feeling of frustration. “I felt anger and despair about the lack of interest of the world to stop the war,” she said. Today, she uses art to speak out about the injustices she feels. “Through art, I can bring another perspective, inform people, and help them understand,” she told us.

Empathy and Responsibility

This intention to reach different audiences through art also shapes the future of the project. Mudra is exploring formats that could speak to both adults and younger audiences, with the hope of bringing the reading into schools across Germany.

Mudra hopes that audiences leave with empathy, but also with a sense of responsibility to prevent and oppose armed conflict wherever it occurs.

“We tell these stories from Bosnia to commemorate the siege of Sarajevo and to draw attention to all the children who live in conflict today,” she said.

Nine Years Marked with a Special Program

Maida Salkanovic — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:46:20 +0000

With a special program held at Meeting Point Cinema in Sarajevo, the War Childhood Museum marked its ninth anniversary last night, April 14, 2026.

The program was opened by Amina Krvavac, Director of the War Childhood Museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who emphasized the importance of the Museum’s work in today’s global context.

“This year, we have achieved significant results despite the challenging global situation. According to statistics, one in five children lives in a conflict-affected area, which makes our work more relevant than ever,” said Krvavac.

Young participants of the Museum’s peacebuilding program also addressed the audience. They traveled from Bratunac, Prnjavor, and Sarajevo to share their experiences and perspectives on the importance of peace education in their local communities.

Researcher Viktoriia Nesterenko spoke about the process of collecting objects during the ongoing war, while researchers from Palestine joined via video call, offering insights into documenting childhood in conditions of contemporary conflict. The Museum’s founder and Director-General, Jasminko Halilović, spoke with international guests about opportunities for the Museum’s further development and global expansion. The program was complemented by a performance by the mixed choir “Seljo.”

This central event is part of a broader program organized by the Museum from April 13 to April 17, 2026. Throughout the week, visitors are offered free admission, along with a rich program of peacebuilding workshops and other educational activities.

We invite all visitors to join us in marking this anniversary and to visit the Museum free of charge, whose collection continuously documents and preserves experiences of childhood in war.

Photo: Denis Ruvić

The War Childhood Museum Marks Ninth Anniversary

Maida Salkanovic — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:25:07 +0000

The War Childhood Museum will mark its ninth anniversary with a week of activities from April 13–17, 2026, including workshops, educational programs, and public conversations with international guests. Throughout the week, entry to the Museum will be free for all visitors.

The anniversary comes after a year in which the Museum expanded its work more than ever before—both through the growth of its collection and the development of its peacebuilding and educational programs.

Central Program

As part of the central program, researchers from Palestine and Ukraine will join the Museum in Sarajevo to present how new objects continue to enter the collection from contemporary conflicts. Their participation will offer attendees a rare opportunity to learn directly about the ongoing process of documenting childhood experiences of war.

The Museum will also host guests from the Netherlands, South Africa, and Portugal, with whom it will discuss its international development and future collaborations. At the same time, children and young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina will take part in presenting the Museum’s peacebuilding program, currently implemented in more than 50 communities across the country.

Workshops and Educational Activities

In addition to these discussions, the program will include a series of workshops and educational activities for different age groups, including:

Peacebuilding workshops for high school students
Educational activities for blind and visually impaired children and youth
An international peacebuilding workshop
Workshops with peer educators
Creative workshops for preschool children

The program will take place daily at the Museum (Logavina 32) between 11:00 and 19:00, with individual activities scheduled throughout the week.

Visitors are invited to join the celebration and explore for free the Museum’s collection, which continues to document and preserve the experiences of childhood in war.

International Roundtable on Memory and Prevention Concludes in Sarajevo

Maida Salkanovic — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 14:07:18 +0000

The international roundtable “Closing the Gaps: Memory, Prevention and Social Cohesion in Europe” concluded in Sarajevo on Wednesday. The event convened civil society actors, scholars, and policymakers from across Europe, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Italy, Ukraine, and others.

Over two days of discussions, participants critically examined the limitations of current memory practices and explored how memory can become a more effective tool for preventing violence, strengthening democratic resilience, and fostering social cohesion.

The conversations highlighted several key challenges: the persistence of fragmented and identity-based narratives, the marginalization of certain histories, and the difficulty of translating remembrance into meaningful action. At the same time, participants shared approaches that point toward more inclusive, intersectional, and action-oriented memory practices.

“It is symbolically significant that we are gathered in Sarajevo three decades after the war and genocide to reflect on how we can address gaps in memory initiatives—so that the lessons learned from past experiences are translated into meaningful action to prevent future atrocities while we confront our collective failure to have prevented those unfolding around the world today,” said Amina Krvavac, Director of the War Childhood Museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As part of the event, participants visited the War Childhood Museum, Gallery 11/07/95, and the exhibition “Roma, As Usual” at Manifesto Gallery.

A Different Future

The roundtable also created space for exchange among practitioners working in diverse contexts, strengthening connections between organizations engaged in memory work, peacebuilding, and human rights, as they reflected on shifting paradigms in a time of rising autocracy and polarization.

“One of my main takeaways is that we are at a deeply unsettling global turning point. What I saw in this room were people actively grappling with that moment—trying to understand what it means, the harm it may bring, and how we can respond by envisioning a different future,” said Teresa Vazquez of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC).

Through roundtables and working groups, participants worked on developing concrete recommendations aimed at bridging the gap between memory and prevention. These contributions will form the basis of a Policy Roadmap, designed to support future policy development and collaboration across sectors.

Closing the Gaps: International Roundtable Opens in Sarajevo

Maida Salkanovic — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:12:40 +0000

The international roundtable Closing the Gaps: Memory, Prevention and Social Cohesion in Europe opened today in Sarajevo, bringing together practitioners, researchers, and policymakers from across Europe and beyond.

The event is co-organized by the War Childhood Museum, the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC), and the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP), and takes place at Europe House.

The opening session featured welcome remarks by Ambassador Luigi Soreca, Head of the EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amina Krvavac, Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the War Childhood Museum, and Kristian Herbolzheimer, Executive Director of the International Catalan Institute for Peace. The session also included an overview of the roundtable by Silvia Fernández of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience.

In the opening keynote session, Hasan Hasanović, survivor of the Srebrenica genocide and Head of the Oral History Program at the Srebrenica Memorial Center, and Mô Bleeker, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advisor on the Responsibility to Protect, reflected on the role of memory in fostering justice, resilience, and prevention.

Over the next two days, participants will explore how memory can move beyond remembrance to contribute to violence prevention, democratic resilience, and social cohesion. Through roundtable discussions and working groups, the program will address key challenges in current memory practices, including the exclusion of marginalized perspectives and the difficulty of translating remembrance into meaningful action.

The roundtable takes place at a time of renewed polarization, rising hate speech, and historical revisionism across Europe. In this context, the gathering aims to create space for critical reflection, exchange, and the development of more inclusive and action-oriented approaches to memory.

Screening of Youth Short Films “Here We Stand” Held in Sarajevo

Maida Salkanovic — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 13:08:07 +0000

On Saturday, December 13, 2025, a screening of short films by young authors created as part of the international project Here We Stand was held at the Cinematheque of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project is implemented by the War Childhood Museum in cooperation with partner institutions from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

The audience had the opportunity to watch a total of eight short films—four from Bosnia and Herzegovina, two from the Great Britain, and two from Northern Ireland. The films were produced through the collaboration of three museums: the War Childhood Museum (Bosnia and Herzegovina), the Peace Museum (Great Britain), and the Free Derry Museum (Northern Ireland), with the support of the British Council, within the program Bradford – City of Culture 2025.

Throughout the project, young people aged 18 to 28 explored their personal experiences of peace, conflict, and identity, using mobile phones as their primary creative tools. The workshops were led under the mentorship of Elhum Shakerifar, a BAFTA-nominated filmmaker.

In Sarajevo, the War Childhood Museum worked with five young authors—Almir Agić, Hanan Alić, Demijan Ćatić, Luna Nur Jusupović, and Marko Pešikan—under the mentorship of Mirza Ajnadžić. In addition to their works, the audience was presented with films by authors Ami Nash, Caitlin Askin, Haider Mahboob, Sarah Derrick, and Kimie Modaressi from the Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

“This gathering was a true refreshment amid the winter greyness in every sense. The energy of young people is unparalleled. Coming together around activities like this sends a message that society still has creative individuals ready to offer a different approach to modern life and its challenges,” said Damir, a visitor.

Following the screening, a short discussion was held with the filmmakers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, during which the audience had the opportunity to learn more about the creative process and the themes addressed in the films.

Luna Nur Jusupović, one of the authors, said the screening was truly meaningful to her, and affirmed to her that the stories told mattered.

“The event felt like a true indicator of what can be accomplished when young minds from different parts of the world come together for a shared cause,” she said.

The screening in Sarajevo served as an opportunity to present the outcomes of the project’s activities and to connect authors, audiences, and partners.

Meeting with UN Representatives in Mostar

Maida Salkanovic — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:35:30 +0000

At the end of October, War Childhood Museum Director Amina Krvavac, together with the youth and educators participating in our PEACESTORY project, met in Mostar with Gwi Yeop Son, Regional Director of the United Nations (UN) Office for Europe and Central Asia, Arnhild Spence, UN Resident Coordinator in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Aida Hodžić, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The delegation also visited the exhibition “City in Traces”, produced and presented as part of PEACESTORY by our creative peacebuilders from Mostar, a team composed of four young women. The exhibition reflects on the city’s ruins, what they mean personally to young people and citizens of Mostar, and what potential they hold for building a more connected and peaceful future.

Photo: UN in BiH

Within PEACESTORY, youth teams participating in the “Creative Peacebuilders” component work across Bosnia and Herzegovina are exploring what peace means to them and their communities. Each of the 20 teams researches a specific topic of their choice, creating collections and exhibitions inspired by their findings. Throughout the process, all participants took part in joint training sessions focused on research and exhibition-making and are receiving ongoing mentorship support for different aspects of their work.

The UN representatives also met with participants in the “Creativity for Peace” component of the program, who have been trained in peace pedagogy methods. Throughout the past year, teachers across the country, together with their students, took part in these trainings. The students, who became peer educators, then went on to lead workshops for their classmates, sharing the knowledge and skills they had gained. So far, a total of 248 teachers and peer educators held 420 workshops attended by 7,874 students, across 53 schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through these workshops, they explore how conflict shapes human experience and seek to cultivate empathy by demonstrating the impact of war on people’s lives.

Photo: UN in BiH

PEACESTORY is implemented by the War Childhood Museum and partners Center for Educational Initiatives “Step by Step”, Association of Highschool Students in BiH, and the Mozaik Foundation, with the support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UN PBF).