The “Education for the Future” workshops, which were attended by 107 teachers from 16 schools of Middle Bosnia Canton in the first phase of the “Rebuilding trust and confidence among children, teachers and parents in divided and segregated schools of Middle Bosnia canton” project have been successfully completed.

In this project, which has been implemented by the NGO Genesis Project from Banja Luka, from 1st February this year, under the auspices of the German Foundation Schüler Helfen Leben, a total of 50 workshops with teachers, that included topics on the development of communication skills, social and emotional intelligence and developing life skills, were held.

By the end of the project, which is scheduled for 30th April 2015, a total of 120 workshops with teachers, workshops with 120 children and 60 workshops with parents was planned to be held, with objective to create a safe environment in the 16 targeted primary schools through educational and pedagogical work in classes. This project also aims to draw attention to the danger of ethnic distrust and animosity and to open space for communication and cooperation.

The study which was conducted by the NGO Genesis Project in 2009 in the schools of Middle Bosnia Canton has shown that communication, cooperation and dialogue between the two major ethnic groups does not exist, that the fear of loss of national identity is present and that parents, teachers and children lack communication, cooperation and dialogue.

The study also showed that the beneficiaries of the project, teachers, parents and pupils are willing to participate in joint activities and that they want to be educated on the skills of conflict management.

In this regard, the “Rebuilding trust and confidence among children, teachers and parents in divided and segregated schools of Middle Bosnia canton” project was launched, which will include educational and interactive puppet shows as well as recording and presentation of one-minute movies for young people in addition to workshops.