October in the War Childhood Museum

This October, the War Childhood Museum continued its global engagement through exhibitions, international conferences, and educational activities. We welcomed visitors from around the world, hosted diplomats and youth, and joined artistic and academic conversations on memory, ethics, and peacebuilding.

Read more about our activities this month:

Educational Programs and Visits

Throughout October, we welcomed visitors and educational groups from the USA, Sweden, Italy, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Germany, Qatar, and the Netherlands.

Åge Sandal Møller, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Bosnia and Herzegovina, visited the Museum, explored our permanent exhibition, and shared his reflections on the experience — from the emotional impact to the importance of initiatives like the WCM both locally and globally.
👉 Read the interview here.

We also welcomed two high school students who joined us for the Social Day, an event giving young people the opportunity to spend one day in a workplace, learn about museum processes, and experience the professional environment of the WCM team.
👉 Read more here.

At the end of the month, WCM Director Amina Krvavac, together with youth and educators from our PEACESTORYproject, met in Mostar with Gwi Yeop Son, Regional Director of the 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 discussions put special importance on empowering young people and teachers in peace education across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
👉 Read more about the meeting here.

We also shared a new video featuring the visit of journalists from Mediacentar’s School of Excellence, who explored the Museum’s work and learned about its role in documenting and sharing children’s experiences of war.
🎥 Watch the video here.

Exhibitions

On Sunday, October 12, the War Childhood Museum joined artists and communities around the world in an act of solidarity through the Gaza Biennale – Sarajevo Pavilion, hosting a film screening and artist talks with creators from Gaza. The event drew attention to the power of art to bear witness to children’s lives under siege and genocide, creating a space for reflection and empathy. The works were on display through November 7.
👉 Read more here.

Conferences

In October, WCM’s Program Manager Katarina Vučković participated in the roundtable “Agents of Peace: Civil Society Driving Transformative Change from the Ground Up,” held as part of the international conference “A Call for Peace: The End of Wars and Respect for International Law.” The discussion explored how museums and civil society organizations can act as catalysts for peace and reconciliation.

Meanwhile, Svitlana Osipchuk, Program Director of War Childhood Museum Ukraine, moderated a talk at the Donbas Media Forum on the role of media in shaping collective memory and its interaction with state institutions during wartime.

Events

The War Childhood Museum Ukraine launched a new series of online events exploring how personal and local stories shape research, cultural, and artistic practices.

The first workshop, led by Andrii Borutia, focused on methods of studying local history, identifying sources, and linking research to public history. The second, led by artist and curator Vitalii Matukhno, examined independent publishing, projects on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and how visual memory forms in conditions of limited access. Finally, researcher Viktoriia Nesterenko addressed ethical questions in oral history — including children’s agency, informed consent, and emotional care for researchers.

At the end of the month, the War Childhood Museum’s Bosnian and Ukrainian teams came together for the annual retreat — an opportunity to reflect on the year’s achievements, share insights, and shape plans for the year ahead.

Media Mentions

The War Childhood Museum continues to be featured in both Bosnian and international media. Here is a selection of articles covering the Museum in October: