This year’s scholarship was awarded to Amer Maslo, a PhD candidate at the University of Sarajevo – Faculty of Philosophy, Department of History, for his project “Childhood in Armed Conflict: The Case of the Uprising in Herzegovina and Bosnia (1875–1878).” The scholarship was presented by Amina Krvavac, Director of the War Childhood Museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Childhood During the 1875–1878 Uprising in Herzegovina and Bosnia

The project explores childhood during the 1875–1878 uprising in Herzegovina and Bosnia, with a focus on collecting archival material and analyzing the impact of war on children’s lives. It will result in a scholarly article and a public lecture comparing children’s experiences across four major wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through this comparative analysis, the project seeks to understand how different conflicts shaped children’s daily lives, and to identify key similarities and differences across historical contexts.

The “Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić” Scholarship is named in memory of a beloved and prematurely lost War Childhood Museum researcher. It is awarded to PhD candidates conducting research in the social sciences and is now in its fourth year. The scholarship has been awarded in collaboration with the “Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić” Foundation since 2022. You can view previous recipients here.

“Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić” Scholarship

The scholarship is awarded in cooperation with the Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić Foundation.

The 2025 scholarship award amounts to 3,000.00 BAM and is granted as a one-time payment.

Eligible applicants include doctoral students who are citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as foreign nationals conducting research in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose work falls within the fields of anthropology, archaeology, psychology, education, history, sociology, linguistics, literature, philosophy, art history, law, political science, journalism, or related disciplines. In addition to the quality of the application and the research proposal, the evaluation will also consider how closely the research aligns with the mission and scope of the War Childhood Museum.

The recipient will be required to provide proof of research completion, as outlined in a formal agreement. There is no obligation to submit financial reports on how the funds are used.

The selection will be made by an expert jury appointed by the War Childhood Museum.

To apply, please send your application with the subject line “Application – Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić Scholarship” no later than May 1, 2025, to info@warchildhood.org.

Applications must include:

• A brief summary or proposal of the research project for which the scholarship would be used (up to 3,000 characters);
• A professional CV;
• One academic recommendation letter.

The scholarship recipient will be announced in May 2025. Take a look at previous recipients here.

The full scholarship call is available at this link. For any inquiries, feel free to contact us at info@warchildhood.org.

Life Outside of Gaza

This November, the War Childhood Museum welcomed two talented scholars from Taiwan: Daphne Weng and Ann Chen, graduate students from the Graduate Institute of Museum Studies at Taipei National University of the Arts. 

Weng first discovered the War Childhood Museum while researching how museums tackle the challenging topic of war, especially for young audiences. “Many war exhibitions around the world exclude children, imposing age restrictions. I was looking for museums that designed their exhibitions for children while addressing such difficult subjects. That’s how I found the War Childhood Museum online,” she explained.

Weng instantly became a fan, and when she learned that the Museum had a traveling exhibition in her part of the world last year – in Seoul, South Korea – she made it a point to visit. This November, Weng had the chance to hold a presentation featuring the Museum at the ICOM-CECA conference in Athens. Determined to make the most of her time in Europe, she and her colleague Ann Chen decided to travel to Sarajevo to experience the Museum firsthand.

Chen, whose research focuses on Taiwan’s complex history and transitional justice, was also inspired by the Museum’s mission. “In Taiwan, we are working to uncover hidden truths about our history – about colonization, authoritarian rule, and the struggles for justice. The War Childhood Museum’s work resonates deeply with that effort,” she shared.

Speaking War to Children

Weng’s presentation in Athens, titled Never Too Young to Learn, explored how museums can introduce war-related topics to children through thoughtful, sensitive approaches. She compared two cases: the War Childhood Museum and an immersive storytelling theater project at the National Taiwan Literature Museum, where children interact with history through motion sensors and dramatic visuals.

“They both have some strategies in common, but they have different narratives about wars,” said Weng and added that the War Childhood Museum stands out for its message of hope and resilience.

Impressions from Sarajevo

Visiting the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo offered the duo a new perspective. They mentioned that they visited museums that depicted the brutality of the war very vividly but found the WCM’s approach comforting. 

“We felt a sense of calm in the atmosphere, and it was nice that the exhibition focused on human hope and resilience. This made it more comfortable for us to read through all the labels, leaving us at ease, yet still allowing us to learn something meaningful about the war,” Weng said.

Chen added, “This visit taught me so much about Sarajevo’s history and the unique experiences of children during the war. It’s a deeply moving way to understand the personal side of history.”

The War Childhood Museum is proud to be a part of their academic journey and looks forward to seeing how their work continues to bridge cultures and inspire others. Thank you, Daphne and Ann, for visiting us!

Can you walk us through your research project? What are the main goals and questions you are addressing?

I am researching the topic of emotional literacy in the field of literature in the context of education. I am interested in whether children, even in primary school, can develop concrete, practical, and life-important skills through reading and analyzing literature. In my work, I advocate for the functional role of literature, which should contribute to the quality of children’s everyday lives.

To test my concepts and ideas, I conducted research among fifth, seventh, and ninth-grade students in three primary schools in Sarajevo. With one group, I worked on reading and analyzing literary works from Bosnian children’s literature for one semester, once a week, with the aim of developing emotional skills. The key goal of the research is to determine whether literature can help develop these skills. The results we obtained, together with colleagues from the Department of Psychology, Prof. Dr. Maida Koso-Drljević and Dr. Delila Lisica, showed that children from this group were more skilled in three out of five emotional literacy skills after four months, which is encouraging.

How has the “Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić” scholarship supported your research?

The War Childhood Museum and the Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić Foundation are among the few who have recognized the importance of this research and decided to financially support it. Academic work can be a lonely and frustrating endeavor, requiring a lot of time and sacrifice. The scholarship has primarily supported my research by providing personal motivation to continue pursuing this topic, especially when things get complicated, which happens often. That’s why doctoral research, for good reason, takes between four and six years. 

In addition to providing motivation, the scholarship has brought me great joy, as it signifies that people beyond my immediate academic circle recognize the value of this topic and my scientific approach to it.

How will your research contribute to the field of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina and beyond?

It’s difficult to say at this point, especially given the challenges and poorly implemented practices in the Bosnian education system. I hope this research will at least encourage literature teachers to use literature to develop students’ emotional skills, which, according to research, have a positive impact on peer relationships, learning, mental health, and addressing issues like violence, substance abuse, and teenage pregnancies, until broader systemic changes in education take place.

Ideally, I would like my work to spark a dialogue, both within the educational field and in the broader social context, about concrete ways to introduce emotional and social literacy programs for children in schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as has been done for decades in other school systems around the world.

What advice would you give to future students applying for this scholarship or those interested in similar research topics?

For those applying for the scholarship, I recommend being as clear, concise, and straightforward as possible when presenting your research idea. If you can’t summarize your research in just one page, it might indicate that some aspects are still unclear to you, suggesting that you need to spend more time refining the key points.

For those interested in topics related to emotions in literature, emotional literacy, or developing other practical skills through reading and analyzing literature, I invite you to visit room 196 at the Faculty of Philosophy or reach out to me on social media so we can discuss and reflect together.

The “Lejla Hairlahović-Hušić” scholarship is awarded to doctoral students who are citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina or foreign nationals conducting research in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Students from a variety of academic fields, including anthropology, archaeology, history, art history, journalism, law, linguistics, literature, pedagogy, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology are eligible to apply.

Additional information about the scholarship will be available on our official website and social media platforms.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The War Childhood Museum preserves almost 6,000 exhibits in its collection from eighteen past and current world conflicts. Besides displaying them through a permanent exhibition in Sarajevo and numerous traveling exhibitions worldwide, the Museum also has an online Collection Management System with all the information. How was the database created and who it is intended for?

The idea of creating a comprehensive Collection Management System (CMS) for the museum has been a long-standing goal. Since its inception, the WCM has meticulously recorded contributors, stories, objects, oral history testimonies, and other related data. Initially, these details were kept in separate files. Although this method was reliable and safe, it lacked a systemic and centralized approach. As the museum grew, it became clear that a more effective way to record, manage, monitor, and access data was needed. The practical necessity of efficient data management, combined with the desire to create an all-encompassing platform, led to the development of the CMS.

To achieve this goal, in 2020, WCM teamed up with a local Bosnian company, New Technologies Group (NTG). Together, we created a customized database tailor-made to meet the museum’s specific needs. Given the vast scope of WCM’s activities and the determination to have the best CMS possible to meet those needs, opting for a custom-made solution rather than ready-made software was essential. 

The primary users of the CMS are currently WCM employees, who utilize the database for collection management purposes and for other museum activities, including exhibitions, educational programs, and research projects. Additionally, close collaborators, such as project partners, may be granted partial access to the CMS on a need basis, allowing them to contribute to specific projects and activities that benefit from the rich data stored in the CMS.

Although the CMS is currently primarily for internal use, it was designed from the beginning to be a future resource for external research and educational purposes. The extensive and detailed information stored in the CMS provides valuable insights for those studying the impacts of war on children. So, our aim is also to ensure that the multilayered experiences of children affected by armed conflict are preserved and accessible. Therefore, the CMS not only supports the museum’s internal processes but will also serve as a centralized resource for research and learning. This fulfills the museum’s mission to document and preserve the experiences of children impacted by conflict while contributing to research and educational efforts.

CMS Accessible for Researchers, Scholars and Students

 In addition to stories, detailed information about the exhibits, and WCM exhibitions, the database also contains information about more than 250 oral history testimonies. Will the transcripts of those testimonials be available to researchers?

Oral history testimonies, which have been primarily video-recorded, are transcribed and edited in the native language. Each transcribed segment is tagged with keywords corresponding to the topics it addresses.

Currently, we are working to import these transcript excerpts and their tags into the CMS, and an advanced search function for them is being developed. This feature will allow users to search by various parameters and, most importantly, by specific tags and keywords of interest. Therefore, in the future, this functionality will enable researchers to efficiently search for transcript excerpts based on the topics relevant to their work.

Will they be able to access CMS directly? What will be the procedure? 

As mentioned earlier, one of our goals is to make the CMS accessible to external researchers, scholars, students, and others studying topics documented by the museum. Currently, our research team actively manages requests for access to our collection, ensuring alignment with the museum’s collection policies through a structured procedure, including the signing of an Access Agreement, before sharing certain materials relevant to the access request.

Although a similar procedure should stay in place, with more direct access to the CMS, viewing parts of our collection will become more efficient and further tailored to researchers’ needs. Users will be able to directly explore and view certain materials from our extensive database, regardless of whether their interests are broad or highly specific. The advanced search capabilities will enable them to pinpoint relevant testimonies, stories, and objects with ease. This streamlined process will significantly enhance our knowledge-sharing capacity.

Easier management of collections, research, educational programs, and exhibitions

The database can be searched using numerous parameters. Were these already developed in the WCM methodology, or were some specifically designed for such a platform? How much attention was given to making the search feature as user-friendly as possible?

First and foremost, it is important to highlight that the CMS is much more than just a secure and efficient way to store data. Beyond data storage, it incorporates multiple features that streamline various aspects of our work, including collection management, research, education, and curation.

One such feature is the advanced search function, which interrelates all of WCM’s primary information categories—contributors, stories, objects, and oral history testimonies. This feature allows for searches based on a variety of parameters, enabling users to find both general and highly specific information. For example, if one wishes to see all plastic toys whose stories cover the topic of time spent in a basement or shelter, shared by female contributors from Bosnia and Herzegovina who were between 10 and 13 years old during the conflict, the CMS can provide these results with just a few clicks.

Many of these parameters were already part of WCM’s methodology. These include categories defining the content of the stories, types of objects (e.g., toy, letter, photograph), and object materials (e.g., plastic, metal, textile), among many more. However, prior to the CMS, it was not possible to search through the data in such an efficient way.

We have also added entirely new parameters as we have continued to use and refine the CMS. For instance, we introduced the “restrictions on use” parameter, which allows us to mark materials with specific requests or levels of anonymity, thereby adding another layer of privacy protection. We also added the “object shape” parameter to differentiate between 2D and 3D objects, which is crucial information when designing balanced exhibitions. Additionally, we now have a very specific storage location code for each of our objects, detailing the location from the most general parameter (e.g., country) to the most specific one (e.g., the exact tray or folder).

Furthermore, even the existing categories are continuously expanding to accommodate new content. We take this dynamic approach to ensure that our CMS remains user-friendly and adaptable to the evolving needs of our work. 

CMS Preserves Stories and Testimonies in 19 Languages

The content in the CMS is multilingual, currently preserving stories and testimonies in nineteen different languages. Many of these have already been translated into multiple languages. How many languages will the stories and testimonies be available in the future?

The working language of the CMS is English, ensuring it is as universally accessible and usable as possible.

However, much of the content is multilingual. Oral history testimonies are recorded and transcribed in the local languages of the contributors. These transcripts are then translated into English, and often into additional languages as needed.

Similarly, stories collected in their original languages are translated into English and other languages on a need basis. For example, certain stories were translated into Romanian for a temporary exhibition in Bucharest and into Dutch and Albanian for other exhibitions in the Netherlands and Kosovo. Our permanent exhibition in Sarajevo includes translations of displayed stories in languages such as Chinese and Italian to enhance the visitor experience. All these multilingual entries are preserved in the CMS.

Therefore, the number of languages available in the future will depend on our ongoing projects and needs. As our work continues to expand, we anticipate adding more languages to the CMS to ensure the accessibility and reach of our content.

The CMS is constantly expanding and upgrading. Can you reveal in which direction it will develop further?

The CMS is a dynamic and evolving platform. Initially, we did not anticipate many of the advanced features it now possesses. Beyond preparing the CMS for external access, we plan to continue enhancing it by adding new features. Although the CMS is already highly functional, the advantage of a tailor-made system is its ability to grow, adapt, and expand based on WCM’s needs and overall dynamics.

Our direction is to continually assess our needs and integrate new features accordingly while experimenting with innovative solutions. For instance, one idea is to develop an exhibition feature that would allow us to set various parameters, enabling the CMS to assist curators in designing exhibitions tailored to specific requirements.

Last but not least, cybersecurity is a constant priority. We engage experts to audit the system and implement advanced privacy measures.

Overall, the CMS is central to many of WCM’s activities, including collection management, research, education, and exhibition curation. Given its importance, we are committed to its continuous development, making it an increasingly invaluable tool for all our activities.

Toys

MEMENTOES is an EU-funded project that brings together teams of experts in museology and history with video game developers to create video games that carry important historical lessons to a wider audience, particularly younger generations. As part of this project, the War Childhood Museum and Charles Games studio are jointly developing an educational research video game titled “Toys.” The game is based on the testimonies of individuals who grew up during wartime, which are part of the War Childhood Museum’s collection. “Toys” is one of the three video games currently being developed within the project.

“War Childhood is, unfortunately, more and more topical today”

The Charles Games studio has extensive experience in creating video games with social impact. According to Lukas Kolek, the Chief Executive Officer of Charles Games, their participation in MEMENTOES is a natural extension of that.

“We are happy to be in tandem with WCM. It handles topics that are (unfortunately) more and more topical today. The strong overlap with current events is what motivates us, but also brings with it a lot of responsibility. We have to represent everything very precisely, and sensitively. That’s another part where WCM’s help is indispensable,” emphasizes Kolek. 

Collaboration between museums and game developers

In addition to developing educational games, this project aims to evaluate the MEMENTOES games as tools for education, empathy building, learning about historical events, attitude change towards social issues, as well as entertainment. Furthermore, the project seeks to produce guidelines for collaborations between museums and game developers.

Some small-scale studies, where students played games previously developed by some of the project partners, have already been conducted. Data collection took place last year in high schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, and the Czech Republic, in order to measure attitude change, game quality, and historical awareness and empathy, respectively.  

“The primary objective of these small-scale studies was to evaluate the effectiveness of the MEMENTOES game quality evaluation methodology and its associated tools. Through this assessment, we seek to improve our research design and the planning of future, larger studies, which will be testing the three video games developed within the project,” says Fernanda Flores from the War Childhood Museum. 

Participating in such an important pioneering project is an opportunity for the War Childhood Museum to enhance its educational activities using innovative tools in global peacebuilding.

The MEMENTOES project will last until the end of September 2025.

__

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Empathy as the Core of Understanding

The MEMENTOES project began in 2023, and connects museums focused on historical injustices, research institutes, and independent game developers to create investigative educational games for all generations. The first game addresses the horrors of the Gulag; the second focuses on a mining disaster that occurred in 1956 in the Belgian city of Marcinelle; and the third is dedicated to the experiences and impact of wars on children. Each game allows users to immerse themselves in the lives of ordinary individuals affected by these events, fostering empathy and influencing attitudes toward crucial socio-historical issues.

Together, War Childhood Museum and Charles Games Studio from Prague are crafting a game exploring the impact of wars on children, tentatively titled “Toys.” This game draws inspiration from testimonies of individuals who grew up in various conflicts, which are preserved in WCM archive.

The game’s learning goals are intricately intertwined with the museum’s objectives, emphasizing the cultivation of empathy among players through personal narratives. We hope that players, by being in the shoes of a child who experienced war, will have an increased empathy towards their experiences. By leveraging authentic and relatable storytelling, we aim to foster a deep connection between players and the characters depicted, facilitating an understanding of war’s multifaceted impacts on children. It is crucial to emphasize that we are committed to portraying such experiences sensitively and respectfully, which is also consistent with our approach in our exhibitions and our broader work.

Fernanda Flores, War Childhood Museum

Flores particularly pointed out that the game ‘Toys’ portrays children not only as victims of war but also as individuals with agency who are resilient and creative.

Video Gaming as a Tool in Peace Education

The project is halfway to its final implementation, and all three games are in alpha (demo) versions. “Toys” will feature a total of 25 vignettes based on the War Childhood Museum’s collection. However, despite being inspired by the museum’s exhibits and testimonies, the characters and the storyline in the game are fictional. 

Three out of the 25 vignettes are already playable.

The game is envisioned to be also played in an educational setting. Leveraging the game’s modularity, educators will have the flexibility to tailor the gaming experience to suit their unique time constraints and the specific topics they wish to address in their classes. Our objective is to ensure that students can maximally benefit from the game within the educational sphere.

Fernanda Flores, War Childhood Museum

The fact that this is a pioneering project and an innovative tool for learning about peace and justice worldwide is evidenced by the words of one of the game creators from Charles Games Studio, Lukáš Kolek:

We will use the game mechanic of perspective-taking, which will allow players to explore the depicted historical events from the points of view of different actors impacted by the event(s). Based on the provided materials, players can form their own picture of what happened. Existing research suggests that this will lead players to develop a critical understanding of the past and better understand the motivations and actions of people who experienced it. Beyond that, the format has the potential to promote peace-building actions and their profound significance.

Lukáš Kolek, Charles Games Studio

All three games will be finalized and available to users by the end of 2025 when the project concludes.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The conference lasts four days and brings together over 400 local and international experts in education, museology, human rights, and related fields. All participants from more than 30 countries can participate in over 250 workshops, presentations, and discussions. The conference program is divided into two segments: the first two days are intended for teachers’ workshops organized by Step by Step, while the third and fourth days are dedicated to academic sessions organized by WCM and IAIE.

The academic part of the conference was officially opened on Monday morning by the founder and CEO of the War Childhood Museum, Jasminko Halilovic, and the director of the International Association for Intercultural Education, Barry van Driel. In his introductory address, Jasminko Halilovic expressed great satisfaction that this peacebuilding conference is being organized in Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Sarajevo is the right place to discuss peacebuilding. The title of this conference is “Children as Peacemakers in Divided Societies,” and Bosnia and Herzegovina, indeed, is still a divided society. As all of you know, we had a devastating war in the 1990s. The war took over one hundred thousand lives in a country of 3 million. You can imagine how many are traumatized and how many are affected, almost everyone. As we talk, it’s 28 years since we signed a peace agreement and ended the war. But Bosnia is still very much a divided society, and today’s children, who we address in the title of this conference, are affected not only by intergenerational traumas but also by everyday tensions produced by politicians of this country. We have one of the highest brain drain rates in Europe. Young people are leaving because of the corruption and the political tensions about new possible conflict. So what we are trying to do in Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina is to build a safer future on our difficult past. And, here, we know that peace is not only a cession of conflict. We know peace is much more than that; we feel this daily.

As the War Childhood Museum, we wanted to bring children’s voices and views of the conflict into the public sphere. Today, the War Childhood Museum works with hundreds of schools in the country. Thousands of children every year participate in our educational programs. These are programs about childhood in war, but also how peacebuilding works and how children can contribute to this process. We hope that the WCM can be our small contribution to peacebuilding in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, stated Halilovic.

Barry van Driel also expressed satisfaction that Sarajevo is hosting this year’s conference. He emphasized the strong dedication of the International Association for Intercultural Education to peacebuilding. In its 39 years, this association has held meetings worldwide, so Bosnia and Herzegovina found itself with Mexico, Italy, Greece, France, and many other countries.

Via video link, Zlata Filipovic, the author of the famous diary entries from wartime Sarajevo later published in the book “Zlata’s Diary,” also addressed the attendees. “I was eleven when the war started. I always enjoyed reading and writing. When I was nine or ten, I read the Diary of Anne Frank, which I felt was a long history that can not happen again. I also had an older friend; she was three years older than me and kept a diary. I thought I should also keep one. I wanted to be as cool as she was to me. But when the war came to my life, to the life of my family, my city, it came to my diary, too. I started to write about how many bombs fell that day, who left the city, who was hurt, who was killed, and so on. I was keeping a diary with no intention of publishing it one day,” said Filipovic.

Thanks to its translation into English, “Zlata’s Diary” is essential literature about war childhood. The WCM Peace Education Resource Center includes excerpts from the diary recently published on our website. Resource Center also features ten activity plans for teachers who can implement them step by step in their classrooms.

“We hope that our collection, which now includes 6000 objects from 18 different armed conflicts starting with the Second World War to contemporary conflicts, like the Ukraine, where we also have an office as a museum, we hope that this collection can be a useful resource for educators and those who devote their lives to teach about peace,” concluded Halilovic.

The “Children as Peacemakers in Divided Societies: Educational Approaches” conference concludes on Tuesday, October 10th.

You can find all the information about the conference program here. 

Together with the team members from the award-winning indie game studio Charles Games from Prague, Jasminko Halilović (founder and CEO of WCM) and Fernanda Flores (WCM collection manager) presented in Heraklion the prototype of the WCM game, tentatively titled “Toys.” It is an exploration educational game based on the testimonies of people who grew up during wartime, preserved in the museum’s archives.

The meeting also featured games intended for the Bois du Cazie Museum in Belgium and the virtual museum of the Czech association Gulag.cz. The first of them, titled “Those from Below” focuses on the horrifying mining accident that occurred in the Belgian city of Marcinelle in 1956, while the second, “Gulag Diaries,” is dedicated to researching the complex of forced labor concentration camps and prisons, considered synonymous with the totalitarian regime of the USSR.

“This project aims to offer new tools and frameworks for future exploration of games as tools for raising historical awareness and empathy, as well as the ability of games to result in attitude change in players,” stated Jasminko Halilović, War Childhood Museum Founder and CEO.

Click here to learn more about the Mementoes project.