During his visit to the War Childhood Museum, Gabriele Derighetti, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Bosnia and Herzegovina explored the permanent exhibition and reflected on the stories conveyed through everyday objects, his own childhood memories, and the importance of protecting children affected by conflict.
What are your impressions after visiting the exhibition?
Something can be simple and yet extremely powerful. Simplicity is powerful. The exhibition is presented in a very straightforward way, and the objects themselves are everyday objects that each of us can relate to.
Yet they carry an extremely powerful message because they held symbolic meaning for these children during an incredibly difficult time in their lives. Through their simplicity, these objects tell powerful stories. That contrast between the simplicity of the objects and the strength of their message is what impacted me the most during this visit.
Was there anything that particularly surprised you during the visit?
Not one thing in particular. Through some of the objects, I could relate to memories of my own childhood. In my case, I was very fortunate to grow up in a country that had not experienced violent conflict in recent decades.
Seeing these objects brought back memories of my childhood, but it also made me reflect on how fortunate I was to have grown up under such different circumstances from the children who experienced the war here in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In your view, what is the importance of initiatives like the War Childhood Museum, both globally and locally?
We are talking about children. As the Swiss Ambassador, I represent a country that strongly supports the protection and defense of international law, particularly today. But this goes beyond international law. This is about children everywhere.
Throughout history, even during the Middle Ages, there has been an understanding that children and other vulnerable people should be protected during conflict. There has long been a recognition that children should not be targeted in war.
It is up to all of us to stand up for their protection, because we are talking about children everywhere.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
