“I discovered that each person has something nice, something special in his or her heart”… This was one of the participant’s comments after the workshop organized by the GNRC Europe in Sarajevo during the ELSA conference for students coming from the Ex-Yugoslavia countries.

The main theme was the “Convention for the Rights of the Child” (CRC) with a specific focus on violence against children.  In this way, the Conference joined in the celebration of the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children. The agenda included general information about the CRC; reflection on specific issues like economic exploitation of children - begging in Bosnia and Herzegovina and taking care of children without parental care. Main speakers included Selma Turkić from UNICEF, Adnan Jasika from the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees and Ahmed Pjano from Save the Children Norway, among others.

The GNRC workshop focused on values that the Convention and the Learning to Live Together promote. Through interactive activities the participants dealt with issues like mutual respect, empathy, non discrimination and responsibility. The facilitators were  Marta Palma, GNRC Regional Coordinator, together with Jasmina Dizdarevic, Lejla Hasandevic, Lijljana, Amela Zunic, Aldina Dizdarevic and Selma Mumbasic.

For Maja from Montenegro the workshop was “a great way to better knowing ourselves and others”. Vuk from Serbia said: “from the story of Bobby I realized that I need to pay more attention to people around me because each person has something nice, something special in his or her heart”. Aldijana from Bosnia and Herzegovina said “you really intrigued me…so I'd like to get acquainted with the GNRC and join the network to work together to help children and young people around the world…” Jernej from Slovenia would like to do something similar in her country.

According to the organizers, through academic, social and inter-active activities, the program of the Conference was appreciated by all participants from Ex-Yugoslavia who have been separated by the last war by conflicts, nationalist ideologies and religious differences. They said: “Students have finally had a chance to know each other, to understand and love their differences and learn about children's rights...” They want to contribute to establish better living conditions for the younger generations as part of the European region that should lead them to a better future. They expressed their gratitude to the GNRC Europe for its contributions to the success of the Conference.