Welcome to the blog of “Better World Croatia” (or “Per un mondo migliore” in Italian). We have been doing volunteer work here in the area of Croatia and Bosnia since 1996, and our work is presented on our website and well documented on our Italian blog. Recently we realized the need for an English blog to document our activities and so as of 2021 we are starting to present our activities also here. Eventually we might include some of our past activities, but the thorough listing of our work is from 2021 on. For any of our past projects please refer to our Italian blog.
We were recently invited to the Caritas headquarters in Rijeka to receive thanks for the collaboration offered.
It was a nice opportunity to see the bishop again (who handed us the certificate) and many other friends and collaborators who work together with us every day to create “a better world”.
At the beginning of March we were invited to a large gathering of firement in Sunja, so we gladly decided to attend and visit a few more friends. We received a lot of praise and thankfulness for the mural we painted a few months on their tower. Here’s some pics from that evening, starting with our team, Andrea, Kris and I.
We of course checked our murals
And we met a lot of friends at the local bar Piccolo
We also visited some friends. Here with Filip’s parents. Remember the amazing video he produced a few years ago?
Nada welcomed us again at her place, and we took time to remember her sweet husband who just passed away
And here’s the original team, who met when the Civil March for Aleppo passed through Sunja exactly 7 years ago, in March 2017, and kept up friendship and cooperation with many projects: Jelica, Jasmina, Anna and Josip.
Since there was going to be a presentation of the book Theresa helped write, with others of the NGO Balkanbrucke, another Meet Up happened almost spontaneously in Berlin! Michael and I met in Munich and picked up Rebin, whom we had met several times in Bosnia but didn’t see since 2 years, and Junus, similar story. How great to meet again in a new context! Not without its challenges but definitely more uphill and with the feeling of going somewhere.
Here’s the power bank Rebin used on his last game, and now he gave it to me to pass on to some other gamer in need👏
In Berlin, we were given a very warm welcome by the Adday’s family, in a Syrian restaurant. Actually, a very delicious and abundant welcome!
These Meet ups are time for relaxing, reconnecting, eating together, sharing stories, an event to present the Walk and talk about future plans. And play songs together! Thank you Israel for joining us with your beautiful music.
Here at Amloud’s home we had the pleasure to meet again Ashab, whom we had met in Velika Kladusa exacty 2 years ago, when he was still a minor staying in Miral camp.
What a nice young man he has become! Here’s something he wrote:
| 18.2.2022 Friday Bosnia | 18.2.2024 Sunday Germany (This text is dedicated to the people who gave me a new perspective, a new hope, courage to fight depression in difficult times and have been in touch with me for the past two years. Much love and heartfelt thanks.)
18 February 2022 is Friday A young boy is lost in thought in the Miral refugee camp in Velika Kladuša, a small village in Bosnia. What will happen to us in the future? Oh God, when will we reach Italy? If we remain here in Bosnia in such conditions, we will not be able to do anything in the future. Such strange and strange questions were coming in his mind when suddenly a boy named Salman comes and tells him that today some people from Italy have come to meet me, I have to go to the city to meet them. You wanna join us? Ashab: Who are those people? Why would they come here from Italy to meet you? Salman: Man, they help the refugees, I have talked to them a little while ago on Messenger, they will reach the city at 1 or 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Please come with me they are very nice people.
When we arrive in the center of Velika Kladuša, there are about 6 or 7 people who greet us enthusiastically. As the time for Friday prayer approaches, these nice peoples people know that these two Pakistani boys, Salman and Ashab, are Muslims, so they send us to pray in the mosque. After that we go to a coffee shop.
[the picture below, our first meeting with Ashab and Salman in the bar]
Then we go to a small restaurant for lunch and spend about 2-3 hours there. Talking to this group from Italy, there was a distinct feeling of positive energy coming from them. There was a glimmer of hope that our life is still not that bad, it’s a different thing that Ashab you only have one pant, t-shirt and jacket and old shoes and your feet hurt because of these shoes. You have tried to enter Italy from Bosnia about 6 times but unfortunately every time you are beaten by the police and deported back. Among them, when a young man Rikko was talking to me, I felt like direct knowledge was being transferred to me. At 16:30 me and Salman came back to Miral cam. But…. Literally this 2- 3 hour meeting made me think. They have come from Italy to visit us in Bosnia as a group, spending time and money, and they are also paying for our food here. But still all these people are happy. Who does that in today’s age of materialism? Who are these people? What is the purpose of their life? How are they so happy? After much thought, I did some searching on Google and found that such people are called human rights activists and social workers. Love for humanity and race without discrimination. Religion, trying to help everyone is the secret of their happiness. At that time I also thought that one day I will become a human, rights + social + political activist, social worker, fight for people’s rights and help them. Just as these people met me and gave us a new hope, I will do the same. And my journey begins in Braunschweig, Germany, where I would begin my political and activist life. From Braunschweig’s schools, streets, local politics, Braunschweig Rathaus, state parliament, to the German parliament (Bundestag), I speak out for youth and human rights. And there comes a time when I become vice president of several organizations like Migrantifa Braunschweig. I work as a volunteer with many refugee aid organizations. The boy, who was not known before, now his name appears in the newspapers. Who had nothing, and today he has everything. He is fond of books; today he has more than 200 books, computer, iPad, many clothes, many shoes, bicycle, and many God given blessings. I don’t know how the love, respect, development of so many people liked me happened in such a short time because I still don’t know German well.😂
All this is to tell you people that your small actions work. Trying to help can change lives with one’s thoughts. I don’t know how many people’s lives will be changed because of this one group Walk of Shame. I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. If today I am living happily in Germany or have achieved so much, then surely you guys have played a big role in it.😇
Two years ago, in Bosnia. The meeting Ashab talks about:
We have been to Serbia several times in the last three years, but always in the northern part, and, obviously, in Belgrade. We met refugees near refugee camps and reception centers (entering is a very complicated legal process), in various squats and even simply on the street. We met volunteers and activists who have taken the situation to heart for years.
But…we had never been to Presevo, a city in Serbia in the southern part of the country, on the border with Kosovo and North Macedonia.
The population is made up of a large majority of Albanians, and in fact the general atmosphere is really different! Like being in another country.
But before arriving in Presevo, we stopped in Nis to meet Tamara, the coordinator of the NGO Indigo. In the little time we had available, Tamara gave us a tour of the city, telling us about her long “career” as an activist, from 1999 until now. How much she must have seen all these years! And it is truly admirable how much she still does for the marginalized.
She took us to the center run by Indigo for Roma children, and so we spent some time with these wonderful and also very musically talented children!
Some areas of Presevo struck me with the huge expanses of rubbish, but the people are very friendly. In the past they received thousands of refugees, and now there is still a camp hosting a few hundred people.
We made friends with a Syrian boy, Nassar, who told us his story and with whom we are still in contact. Hearing these tragic stories firsthand is never easy.
We then went to Bujanovac camp, which hosts mostly families. In fact, we were attracted by a small fire where two boys were cooking some chicken wings, outside the camp, amongst abandoned factories. They were cooking for the wife of one of them, who had just become a mother and, as they said, needed extra food after the delivery. This new father was simply over the moon, no matter the present squalid living conditions, the uncertain future, the poverty.
What mattered was that baby that we managed to have a glimpse of, that new life that blossomed there, in a refugee camp.
The music made the children come running to us, and even the camp staff turned a blind eye, saying: “sing, sing, music is good for us”
We also saw Ali again, originally from Eritrea, whom we had met last year in the Kikinda camp, in the north, on the border with Romania. He was already sick there, but he still joined our group. You can see him on the right, with the green hat. And below, still in poor health but grateful for a roof and a meal.
I spent the evening in Belgrade with Kia, a long time activist in Serbia. She was interested to know our impressions of Presevo, apparently many migrants were rejected there from northern Serbia. She mentioned how rumors are spreading that traffickers are now armed, which obviously scares people. We passed through the Pirot camp, on the border with Bulgaria. It was heavily surrounded by police, so there wasn’t much to do.
What’s the best way to end a year and start a new one? As tested and proven over and over, it’s in the name of solidarity and bringing gifts, smiles, hope. The need is so great as is the temptation to see everything black, a dead end we absolutely cannot succumb under.
Here are some photos of the start of the winter camp:
On December 31st we also celebrated Noemi’s birthday. In the morning we went to the migrant reception center and brought the winter clothing collected by our friends from Cloz, near Trento.
And then the “Candlelight Ceremony”: thoughts, wishes for the new year and gratitude for the past one.
The first day of the year we were in inland Croatia, visiting many families and lonely people.
On the second day of the year we armed ourselves with brushes and paints and went back to paint some more rooms for the guests of the retirement home in Nedešćina, near Labin. And the following day we returned dressed up as clown, with music and dancing.
And that’s not all: on January 4th we went to Bosnia, to bring three bags of educational toys to the primary school of a small village near Velika Kladuša. The toys were bought in Verona by Paolo Tinazzi, a high school friend; contact with the school came through Alma, one of the teachers, who is also very involved in social work.
A last beautiful encounter was the visit made to Anđeljka and her family, who live in a village near the school and who, in addition to welcoming our large group with a warm welcome, also told us their story, when they were chased away from their home in 1992 and lived as refugees for eight years, only to finally return to find their home destroyed. Starting over from scratch, freeing yourself from hatred and resentment, being happy for every moment of simple life… great lessons.
.A few thoughts from Maddalena:
A bright hug to you from the Veprinac Home. A home, a way of being in the world, between the mountains and the sea, where you can land and start again with simplicity of heart, with light luggage, with a spirit free for new beginnings.
I bring with me the beauty of new encounters, of songs, of good food prepared by many hands. The warm New Year’s Eve circle. Notes tuned little by little to other flames of lights. Falls, losses, rebirths, dreams transformed into words. Gestures and spontaneous hugs. Blessings, caresses transformed into concrete steps and help.
I carry with me the image of Rijeka station covered in the color of hope where those passing by are seen in their dignity.
The gaze of Loreta from the Nedešćina institute.
Her pale room illuminated by our brushstrokes. “A rainbow, a little angel. Is it possible?” She asked. Joy was in the shape of her eyes.
I bring with me the whole group of friends who are a bit artists, singers, dancers, crazy enough, with brushes in hand, colourfully dressed, going amongst rooms, corridors, people in need of care and attention. Thank you!
“To those who give the love they have inside. May they be blessed. However absurd and complex life may seem to us, it is perfect…” Perfect in the love of the time that passes, of the time that is given to us to choose, overturn, revive this humanity of ours with creativity.
Last November another trip to Bosnia took place, and besides Luca and I we had with us a newcomer, Fiamma, who brought much new inspiration and love. Here’s the team.
Much of our focus was in Bihac, particularly serving hot tea around the bus station and wherever we met people, since it started getting cold.
We spent time with people, mostly Curds from Turkey but also North Africans, listening to their stories and trying to help in whichever way we could, from searching for medicines, mobile phones, warm clothes, etc. Once more, Luca entertained the children with his Big Bubbles Show.
Then we were able to bring some more colour to Camp Borici, in cooperation with Silvia Maraone and other volunteers from IPSIA. This time we painted on the floor, and before leaving Luca did his magic show again for children and parents. Last time we were in this camp was in 2020, Michael was still with us and it was actually his last trip.
We ended this trip visiting once more Andelka and family in their small village near Velika Kladusa and enjoying their amazing hospitality, so typical of this area.
Another Christmas…let’s fill these bags with gifts from the heart!
Here’s the bags as they are being made. Sooner or later everyone will get one.
Humanity is a large and immense family… We find proof of this in what we feel in our hearts at Christmas. Pope John XXIII
But I am sure that I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round…as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely. Charles Dickens
Better World Croatia / Per un mondo migliore 