DONOR: UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina
DURATION: 10 – 14 June 2011
LOCATION: Zetra, Sarajevo
OVERALL GOAL: Education through entertainmen.
Kid’s Festival is the largest independent youth event in S.E. Europe: Since 2004 over 40,000 children from all over Bosnia participate each year. The large numbers reflect a genuine Public Interest and the program matches by far international standards.
The public success of Kid’s festival is a huge achievement that marks an important step in the process of confidence building among the young generation of BiH. Thorough research results in a unique, attractive combination of entertainment, fun & education. KF is today a BiH social happening.
General approach of the Genesis Project within this project was to offer education through entertainment, primarily thanks to the method of live puppet theatre plays and educational workshops. This was done through: 1. Live puppet theatre play “The strange trial” – Mine Risk Education.
2. Live puppet theatre play “Man, don’t get angry!” – Peaceful Conflict Prevention Education.
3. Live puppet theatre play “Welcome, Hygeia” – Education about importance of personal hygiene.
4. Live puppet theatre play “I am the most important one!” – Education about tolerance, coexistence, communication and cooperation.
5. Facilitation of educational workshops with children on topic “Peaceful Conflict Resolution”.
6. Broadcast of 13 educational, children TV shows (produced by Genesis Project, broadcast on TV station throughout BiH) in video corner.
7. Distribution of “Manual for prevention of peer violence among children in primary schools”.
8. Distribution of DVD’s with Genesis Project educational children TV shows.
The results that have been achieved were the increased level of knowledge about:
what mines and UXOs look like; what are mine suspicious areas and locations; what minefield warning signs look like; many mine affected areas are still not marked; how to manage new and unfamiliar situations, how to respond adequately and develop safe behaviour,
how to peacefully resolve conflicts and to prevent conflict, how to improve culture of dialogue and communication skills,
importance of personal hygiene and prevention from bird and pandemic influenza,
tolerance, coexistence, communication and cooperation.