Developed in collaboration with Rondine International Peace Lab, the exhibition brought together personal objects, testimonies, and stories from people who experienced war, creating a space for reflection on childhood, memory, resilience, and peacebuilding.

Alongside objects from the Museum’s collection, the exhibition featured stories and personal items from participants of Rondine’s international peace education programs, highlighting experiences from different countries and contexts.

Breaking the Chain of Hatred

Reflecting on the significance of the collaboration, Franco Vaccari, Founder and President of Rondine Cittadella della Pace, said:

“This is an experience that breaks the chain of hatred.”

At the exhibition opening, Amina Šurković, Archive Coordinator at the War Childhood Museum, emphasized the central role of personal testimonies:

“The true focus of this exhibition is the stories: stories told from different perspectives and originating from different parts of the world, helping us understand how war affects people’s lives and, above all, the lives of children.”

Through objects, stories, video testimonies, and multimedia content, Interrupted Childhood invited visitors to reflect on the protection of children affected by conflict and the importance of building peace through understanding and dialogue.

The grant is awarded by Unity, whose technology powers some of the world’s most popular video games and interactive experiences. We Grew Up in War is also being developed using the Unity engine.

The game was chosen from more than 515 applications submitted from around the world, making it one of only ten projects to receive funding this year. Through the Unity Charitable Fund, a total of $600,000 USD was awarded to projects addressing major global challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Based on Personal Stories

Based on real stories collected by the War Childhood Museum, We Grew Up in War explores the experiences of children who lived through war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukraine. The game focuses on how children navigate conflict through imagination, resilience, and hope. It is currently in development and is expected to be released in 2027.

Explaining why the project was selected, Unity highlighted its unique perspective: “This game takes the perspective of children, and takes a different focus – one of resistance and resilience and hope.”

Potential to Foster Empathy

Lukáš Kolek, CEO of Charles Games, described the award as an important recognition of the project and its mission.

“The idea behind the Unity for Humanity Grant is to support projects that do some good in the world and are, ideally, evidence-based. Our game We Grew Up in War is exactly that. It is grounded in real stories and historical research, and a study of an early prototype found it measurably improved players’ attitudes toward those affected by war.”

The grant was awarded in recognition of the game’s potential to help people better understand how children experience armed conflict, foster empathy, and raise awareness about the lasting impact of war on childhood.

A teaser for We Grew Up in War is available here. More information about the game will be announced as development progresses toward its planned 2027 release.

The exhibition was conceived and curated through a mentorship process led by the War Childhood Museum in collaboration with three organizations dedicated to social inclusion and fashion — Dress Again (Italy), ESPERO Atelier (France), and ANKAA Project (Greece). The starting point of this process was a workshop held in Sarajevo in September 2025, during which the partners jointly developed the exhibition concept and storytelling approach, reflecting on how each city could host the traveling collection with its own identity — while maintaining the same goal: fostering empathy, understanding, and new perspectives on migration.

Personal Stories from Around the World

Handle With Care — a traveling exhibition — presents 30 garments and 18 personal stories, accompanied by sketches, drawings, and creative documentation produced throughout the process. “Through this exhibition, we wanted to show that every piece of clothing can carry experience, memory, and a story about the search for belonging. Each fashion creation follows the search for a place that could be called home,” said Adna Muslija, project mentor.

The personal stories and testimonies of project participants from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Nigeria, Senegal, Gambia, Ukraine, Syria, and other countries also served as the narrative and conceptual foundation of the presented fashion collection, developed through a collaborative creative process that combined professional tailoring skills, ethical storytelling, and the use of recycled and previously used materials.

Paris, Athens, and Faenza

The traveling exhibition Handle With Care was first presented in Paris in March this year at the Maison des Réfugiés. The opening also featured a fashion show formally presenting the collection. The exhibition was later opened in Athens in April, as well as in Faenza at the Galleria Comunale d’Arte, where the exhibition was accompanied by a theatrical performance inspired by the collection and exhibition itself.

The mentorship process developed and implemented by the War Childhood Museum throughout the project draws on the institution’s long-standing experience working with personal testimonies, trauma, and memory. The methodology built through working with stories of those whose childhoods were shaped by war was transferred into the context of migration and social inclusion — affirming that fashion, like personal objects, can carry memory, identity, and dignity.

TexTALES is co-funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe programme. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Read more about our activities this month:

Educational Programs and Visits

Throughout May, we welcomed educational groups and visitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, the United States, Turkey, Italy, and Slovakia. 

As part of the global “Prove It Matters” campaign launched by the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, the WCM welcomed students from Hasan Kikić Elementary School in Sarajevo for a workshop focused on peace, children’s rights, and the importance of ensuring that children’s voices are heard. The campaign calls on world leaders to reaffirm their commitment to protecting children and upholding the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also encouraging children around the world to share their own messages of peace.

In May, we also welcomed a delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sweden during their visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The twelve-member delegation was received by the Museum’s Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amina Krvavac. Discussions focused on the Museum’s mission, the importance of preserving and sharing children’s wartime experiences, and the role of memory work in building more peaceful societies.

Conferences

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

As part of the panel discussion “Fake Past, Stolen Future? Disinformation, Weaponized Culture and the Fight for Truth,” Halilović joined representatives of leading museums and cultural institutions, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and the Ambassador of France to Poland. The discussion explored the role of cultural institutions in confronting disinformation, protecting historical truth, and safeguarding cultural heritage during times of conflict. 

Exhibitions and Youth-Led Initiatives

As part of the “Furaj mir” (“Live Peace”) program, youth teams from across Bosnia and Herzegovina continued to explore peace, identity, memory, and belonging through community-based exhibitions.

On 9 May, the exhibition “Perspektiva” opened at the Cultural Center in Srebrenica. Through art and documentary materials, the exhibition presents stories and perspectives gathered by young people from Bratunac and Srebrenica, creating space for dialogue, encounter, and reflection on a shared future.

On 11 May, the exhibition “Pod istim mirom” (“Under the Same Peace”) opened in the Milanović House Atelier in Banja Luka. Through photography, video, and personal testimonies, the exhibition explores different experiences of community, peace, and everyday life within a shared society.

On 20 May, young people from Modriča and Gradačac opened the exhibition “Sve(mir) među nama” (“Peace Among Us”) at the Serbian Cultural Center in Modriča. Drawing on conversations with residents from both communities, the exhibition transforms personal stories, reflections, and experiences into photographs and messages about peace, closeness, and mutual understanding.

On 22 May, the exhibition “Krivaja grad(i) mir” (“Krivaja Builds Peace”) opened at the Cultural and Sports Center in Zavidovići. Through photographs, interviews, and a central installation made from wood, young participants explored how the Krivaja industrial complex shaped the city’s history, memories, and sense of community, while reflecting on the connections between economic wellbeing, belonging, and peace.

In Ukraine, the War Childhood Museum Ukraine concluded the exhibition “Books That Walk With You Through War”in Chernivtsi with a public reading of the book With Love, Dad (З любовʼю — тато). The event featured a conversation with the author and serviceman Valeriy Puzik, moderated by Svitlana Osipchuk, Program Director of the War Childhood Museum Ukraine. The exhibition was developed with the support of the ProPeace Programme Office in Ukraine in cooperation with the Ivan Mykolaichuk Cultural and Art Center.

Awards and Special Projects

In May, the War Childhood Museum’s video game “We Grew Up in War” was selected as one of ten recipients of the 2026 Unity for Humanity Grant. The game was developed through collaboration with partners from the Czech Republic, studio Charles Games. 

Chosen from more than 500 applications worldwide, the project received funding and technical support through Unity’s flagship social impact program, which supports creators using real-time 3D technology to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The recognition will support the continued development of the game and expand its ability to engage audiences with stories of childhood affected by war through innovative digital storytelling.

Media Mentions

The War Childhood Museum continued to receive attention in both Bosnian and international media throughout May. Below is a selection of coverage from the past month:

• From Kyiv to the Balkans: How a Museum Opened My Eyes to Shared Wartime Childhoods
• Decoder Replay: The children of war
• War Childhood Museum as a Guardian of Memory and a Voice for Children Affected by War | Preporod.info (BOSNIAN) 

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.

How did you become a contributor to the Museum’s collection, and why did you make that decision?

I became a contributor at the encouragement of a friend who knew how much school had meant to me during the war. But like many other contributors, I initially felt that my story was too ordinary. My experience had not been traumatic in the way many others’ had been, and I thought that, as such, it was not relevant for a museum.

However, when I began reflecting on my childhood during the war, I realized how important those memories were to me. Suddenly, I felt a strong need to share how school had saved me during that time — especially my homeroom teacher.

Because of the war, I had to leave behind a world in which my classmates and I organized little parties inspired by the TV series Beverly Hills, each of us taking on the role of one of the characters — I was Brenda. Then, almost overnight, I found myself in another city, another school, without my friends.

Years later, I understood that school had restored the identity I had lost when I left my hometown. I was no longer just a refugee; I became a girl others wanted to be friends with again, thanks to the effort and success I achieved in school.

Do you think your story has similarities with the stories of children who are experiencing war and conflict today? Why?

I believe that every child is equally afraid of shelling, equally misses their family, friends, and favorite toys, feels the same pain when hurt, and experiences the same fear. On that level, all stories are similar and the experience is universal.

I was fortunate not to endure the worst horrors of war, but I missed my brother just as much as any other little girl would miss her brother, anywhere in the world. When I read stories of children from war zones today, I recognize the same fear and the same longing for normalcy.

And yet, I hope that even today there are teachers who bring moments of joy to children living through war — whether through warmth and care, or by organizing math competitions or school journalism clubs.

I am certain that school can become an additional home, a place where children can feel at least a little safer. With the support of teachers who truly love their work, children can, even if only for a moment, forget that outside, the world is at war.

What do the War Childhood Museum and similar initiatives mean to you?

For me, the War Childhood Museum is not merely an institution that researches and collects the experiences of children whose childhoods are affected by war. It is a special kind of home that carefully preserves my own memory of a beloved homeroom teacher.

In the Museum’s archive, it is not only colorful, stapled pages of a school newspaper that are preserved, but also the memory of the happiest chapter of my childhood during the war.

The Museum helped me understand how precious individual memories are — not only for those who carry them, but also for others, and perhaps one day, for history itself.

The workshop was organized as part of the global “Prove It Matters” campaign launched by the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. The campaign calls on world leaders to reaffirm their commitment to protecting children and upholding the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also inviting children around the world to share their own messages of peace.

Guided by the facilitator Mersiha Began, students had discussions about the consequences of war, children’s rights, and the role young people can play in building a more just society. They then created peace messages that will become part of an international art installation set to be exhibited at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in February 2027.

The workshop was joined by UN representatives Dragica Mikavica and Ariane Lignier.

Children’s Messages About Peace and Childhood

One of the participants, 12-year-old Eli, said after the workshop:

“Children should not be sent to war, nor should they have to fight for their country. They should enjoy their school days, their parents, and their childhood.”

Another student, 12-year-old Dejna, shared: “Peace and rights should not be considered blessings, but something standard for every human being and every child. Wars and genocides should also disappear because they bring no good.”

School psychologist Džana Živojević emphasized the importance of supporting children to feel safe, heard, and free to express themselves openly:

“I am proud of them, their reflections, and their freedom to express their opinions. It is important to me that children’s voices are heard, that children’s rights become a priority, and that as a society we focus more on ensuring that every child grows up without violence, fear, or any form of discrimination.”

“Children’s Voices Are Too Often Left Behind”

Ariane Lignier explained that the campaign was launched around a year ago and has since been implemented in several conflict-affected countries around the world, reaching more than 10,000 children.

According to Lignier, the goal is not only to collect children’s messages, but to ensure they genuinely reach decision-makers and become part of broader advocacy efforts.

“We wanted to bring the voices of children to the forefront because they are always left behind and we need to bring them back to the discussion.”

She added that children’s messages are incorporated into different aspects of the work carried out by the Office of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier, including speeches, reports, meetings, and social media campaigns.

Through this workshop, children from Sarajevo joined thousands of young people around the world who are using their voices to remind us that peace, safety, and a childhood free from violence should never be privileges, but rights guaranteed to every child.

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.

Educational Programs and Visits

During April, we welcomed almost 50 educational groups from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Netherlands, the United States, North Macedonia, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Czechia. Through guided visits and conversations, participants engaged with the Museum’s collection and reflected on the experiences of children growing up in war. 

In collaboration with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), we organized an educational visit and guided tour for unaccompanied minors from Sudan, Morocco, and Syria, together with students from local schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We also welcomed Doris Schmidauer, the First Lady of Austria, accompanied by Mirela Bećirović, spouse of the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the visit, our Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amina Krvavac, guided guests through the permanent exhibition and opened conversations about children’s rights and childhood in war. 

Ninth Anniversary

In April, we marked the Museum’s ninth anniversary with a week of activities held from April 13–17, 2026. The program included workshops, educational activities, and public conversations with international guests. 

Activities throughout the week included peacebuilding workshops for high school students, educational programs for blind and visually impaired children and youth, an international peacebuilding workshop, workshops with peer educators, and creative activities for preschool children. 

As part of the central program, researchers from Palestine and Ukraine joined the Museum in Sarajevo to present how new objects continue to enter the collection from contemporary conflicts. We also hosted guests from the Netherlands, South Africa, and Portugal to discuss the Museum’s international development and future collaborations. At the same time, children and young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina presented the Museum’s peacebuilding program, currently implemented in more than 50 communities across the country. 

Conferences, Seminars, and Public Programs

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 and teachers from across the country gathered to exchange experiences, present the results of their work, and discuss the future of peace education in schools. 

Our Research Coordinator, Ajnura Akbaš, also held an online presentation on trauma-informed archiving as part of the Survivor-Centred Visual Narratives project. 

Meanwhile, our Director for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Amina Krvavac, participated in the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, representing the European Museum Forum in her role as Chair. During the session, she addressed the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media on the role of museums in strengthening democratic values and fostering more connected societies. 

On April 23, we also marked World Book Day by reflecting on the role books play in the lives of children growing up in conflict, where reading can become a source of comfort, imagination, and emotional refuge.

Exhibitions and Youth-Led Initiatives

As part of our “Furaj mir” (“Live Peace”) program, youth teams from different cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina opened five exhibitions exploring peace, memory, identity, and belonging. 

In Tešanj, young people opened the exhibition “MiRazličiti,” (“Peace in Difference”) exploring how differences can connect rather than divide communities. The exhibition reflects on life in a community shaped by different identities, customs, and experiences, and what it means to truly live together. 

In Teočak, the exhibition “Priče iz kofera” (“Stories from a Suitcase”) focused on young people who leave, stay, or search for a sense of belonging. Developed through conversations with youth from five municipalities in the Majevica region, the exhibition explored migration, uncertainty, and attachment to place. 

In Bugojno, the exhibition “Mi(r) kad profesori ne gledaju” (“Peace When the Teachers Aren’t Watching”) examined the everyday lives of high school students navigating division within the education system while continuing to build friendships and shared spaces beyond imposed boundaries. 

In Prnjavor, the exhibition “Nekad se zakuha” (“When Things Come to a Boil”) used food as a starting point for conversations about war, displacement, survival, and peace. Through everyday ingredients such as rice, potatoes, and pasta, the exhibition reflected on memories of scarcity, leaving home, and rebuilding life. 

In Prozor-Rama, the exhibition “Zaroni u prošlost, izroni u budućnost” (“Dive into the Past, Emerge into the Future”) explored questions of memory and identity in a landscape transformed by the creation of an artificial lake. Using butterflies as a symbol of change, memory, and hope, the exhibition reflected on what remains even when physical spaces disappear. 

In Ukraine, the War Childhood Museum Ukraine opened the exhibition “Books That Walk With You Through War” in Chernivtsi. The exhibition features personal stories and objects from 15 children and teenagers for whom books became an important source of support during wartime. Alongside the exhibition, public programs for children and adults explored literature, empathy, and the role of reading in difficult circumstances. The exhibition is supported by the ProPeace Programme Office in Ukraine in partnership with the Ivan Mykolaichuk Cultural and Art Center.

Events

On April 1, the NS-Dokumentationszentrum München hosted the multimedia staged reading “I’m sick to death of war and shells, of big ‘men’ selling lies,” based on testimonies from “War Childhood” by Jasminko Halilović. Performed by Ivona Baković, Maja Zećo, and Enes Şahin, the reading brought memories of Sarajevo to new audiences in Munich through a combination of testimony, sound, and performance. 

Media Mentions

The War Childhood Museum continued to receive attention in both Bosnian and international media throughout April. Below is a selection of coverage from the past month: 

• Beyond museum walls: games that let you step into history 
• In A “Time of Monsters”, I Felt Safe In Sarajevo
• War Childhood Museum celebrates its Ninth Anniversary with Numerous Activities – Sarajevo Times