The idea came to Carlo last year, to bring a small group of social workers from the “Il Samaritano” cooperative in Verona to Bosnia. To see for yourself, to learn, to understand where the kids who then land in Italy come from. Here we are, in front of the mural painted in Bihać in 2011: Simone, Enrico, Fabio, Anna, Annalisa, Carlo and Paolo.
Carlo, who fortunately speaks French, with a Congolese boy, leaving for the “game”
With Muhammad, who we learned has finally made it to Europe, where he would like to become a pizza chef.
Outside the Borići camp, in Bihać, where we had the opportunity to talk to various kids.
In the photo below: with Veljko and Dragica, long-time friends.
We also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of various local NGOs who informed us about the current situation. Below with Vedran from the JRS association.
With Silvia Maraone and Claudia Coladonato, of IPSIA BIH.
We then went to Velika Kladuša, where we met Alma, from the Rahma association.
With Jasmina, who has been involved in social work for years.
And finally, we went to see the biggest and most horrible squat… an old abandoned factory where so many refugees passed through.
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:
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.
We closed the Meet up in Trento with a quick but nice lunch and started travelling towards Trieste. The idea was to spend the evening in the square in front of the train station, where many migrants gather and receive help and some medical and loving care by Lorena, Gian Andrea and the volunteers of the association Linea d’ombra. The place was packed. As for material help, we brought sleeping bags, shoes and warm jackets. As usual though, our aim was to make some personal connections, which did happen, as we are still in touch with some of the people we met that night.
Laura distributed the letters her students wrote and received some in return.
Esther and Ruzanna played cards, some of us sang and we talked till late with several people.
The following morning we went to visit the people in the silos, one of the most horrible places I’ve seen. People stay in tents and when it rains there’s mud everywhere, rats are rampant and it just seems impossible that people can live in those conditions. We sang again as music does have the power to lift up spirits, and shared some food.
In the evening we arrived in Rijeka, at our place, which by comparison was a little bit of heaven. The following day we visited the Migrants spot near the train station, delivered a big box of gauzes and disinfectants a friend donated in Trento, and listened to the story of how Tinka, Damir, Sara and other volunteers started the place over a year ago.
After dinned, we listened to the amazing story of the Aladday family, and their ten years of travelling from Syria, thru Turkey, Greece, Montenegro, Bosnia and finally now in Germany. A father and his three children, thru perils, disappointments and delays.
A very nice article was published in a magazine in Bosnia about their story of love and heroism.
The following day we travelled to Spielfeld, in Austria, on the border with Slovenija. We walked thru this empty huge camp, imagining when it was packed with people, we were told a few thousands.
As it happened in a few places in Bosnia, the Balkan route moved, and left behind empty camps and squats. But the situation is always fluid, wars don’t seem to stop, and people are always looking for a better future.
(Anna: for a change and since we found an excellent “reporter” in this camp, I’ll pass the word to Michele, one of the fathers who participated in the second Family Camp of the summer).
I arrived at Home yesterday and it was as if 5 years hadn’t passed, as if we had said goodbye the day before and it was immediately hugs, stories and narrations of what has been and what will happen in these days together. The adventure begins with the association For a better world and we are ready.
The mural for the children of a nursery school in Rijeka has been completed with an explosion of colours, creativity and imagination.
“People should be educated about beauty: so that habit and resignation no longer creep into men and women, but curiosity and amazement always remain alive”. (Peppino Impastato)
An exchange of smiles and joy between the participants of the Family Camp and the guests of a nursing home near Labin.
The smile and serenity of grandmother Mica is striking, as despite the adversities of the war she decides to remain in the house and in the places where she lived with her family.
Thrown out by the army and forced to leave her home only to return and stay in the place she loves despite having no water (they bring her water cans once a week) and many other living conditions that we often take for granted.
Disarming how she describes how she goes beyond people’s belonging or ethnicity, how she trusts others and considers the person in their intrinsic value.
Today ends the week at Home where “time has flown” as Gioele reminds me and where the magic of the days and moments spent with people has allowed us to bring home a wealth of experiences, hugs, smiles and visions of the world. A time dedicated to our family and others, through small gestures of care and attention. There are many considerations about this experience, but I will focus on just a few:
– Doing good leads to everyone making a small contribution to change and making this world a better place.
– Hearing how people dealt with a war and its consequences always leads me to consider armed conflicts as a huge idiocy of the human race.
– Some testimonies have allowed us to understand that it is not easy to break the vicious circle of hatred, but it is essential to put out the flames of conflict (even if when you go to the town hall to get your documents you find in front of you the person who tortured you in prison until a few years earlier).
– There are no Serbs, Croats or Muslims, but as grandmother Mica says, people must be considered for what they are, restoring dignity to human beings.
– Seeing situations of poverty and considering how they can be faced with a smile even in the darkest moments helps you reconsider your priorities.
– Telling the positive aspects of others and not stopping at the negative ones allows you to be more magnanimous and give the other person the chance to surprise you.
– When you do something you believe in and carry it forward with courage and passion, something around you moves and help doesn’t take long to arrive. Thanks to all our traveling companions for this adventure relived 5 years later and made special by those who welcomed us and together work for a better world.
Also this year the Family Camps are very popular and in fact we had two.
The first and second day we dedicated ourselves to reviving the walls of the “Fortica” center for the disabled, where our Lidija works. The dads did a lot of cleaning around the external walls and the younger girls got busy in a decoupage workshop.
The day dedicated to clown therapy was also a success… from the choice of clown clothes, to the review of songs in Croatian, to the time spent with the guests of Dom Turnic: it was a day full of selflessness and joy.
Then there was the day spent in the hinterland bringing humanitarian aid to various needy families. Dear Biljana touched everyone’s heart…
…and the language of the heart knows no barriers.
The Pizza Party involved everyone: the preparation of the pizzas, the little waitresses serving around, the welcoming of the guests…
Another exciting moment was going to watch the sunset on Učka mountain. What indescribable colors.
And so this camp also ended, with so much joy and gratitude in everyone’s heart and the promise to continue to live these values in our everyday life.
With passion, because it is the fourth year that the parish of Travagliato (BS) sends us its young people, and it is one of the liveliest, most passionate and full of ardor and joy summer camps.
The first day we went to paint some murals in the rooms of a nursing home near Labin. Our young people satisfied the various requests: who wanted a castle, who a seahorse, who a smurf, etc. Above all, it was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with these lonely people and leave a mark that will remind them of the day spent together, of the singing, dancing and smiling.
And then, the inevitable day in inland Croatia, away from tourist Croatia. To bring humanitarian aid and a lot of humanity.
Practise for the Flash Mob Dance
and then in the Korzo of Rijeka, besides the Flash Mob Dance, we gave some many Free Hugs!
Other murals at the Dom Turnic institution. More than murals, we have “regenerated” the garden and the long table.
The bad weather had done some damage, but don’t worry, our team is coming…
Until next time, and thank you for once again bringing a contagious wave of joy!
Better World Croatia / Per un mondo migliore 