Svitac (Firefly in Bosnia) Project Report – August 2026

ON-GOING PROGRAMME

  • Culture and Art Diversity around the World – Includes Language, Art&Crafts, Music, Drama, and Sports workshops from Monday to Friday (4-14)
    • Standard and Conversational Language workshops – English, German
      • I love English – English workshops for 15-30
      • “Lasstuns Deutsch sprechen!/Pričajmo njemački!“ (Let’s speak German) – German workshops for 15-30
    • Music workshops – samba, guitar for 15-30

       

       

      HIGHLIGHTS ON THE MONTH’S ACTIVITIES

      • Despite high summer temperatures this month, our program successfully engaged participants through sports, music, and arts. Highlights included chess, football, and collaborative painting sessions. August was primarily dedicated to preparing for our upcoming Summer Camps. The team demonstrated immense excitement and energy, working collaboratively to brainstorm creative activities, workshops, and games. We were also pleased to observe a noticeable increase in participant attendance throughout the month. It was highly encouraging to see so many children and young people choosing to spend part of their school holidays with us. This larger, enthusiastic cohort brought fresh energy to our daily activities, fostering a lively and welcoming atmosphere. Their engagement prompted greater interaction, teamwork, and creativity, making each workshop even more impactful. Furthermore, the increased attendance allowed us to implement a wider variety of activities while strengthening the sense of community and cooperation among participants, volunteers, and staff. International and local volunteers also engaged in various daily activities, focusing on different initiatives such as supporting online events and promoting the organization through social media.
      • In August, approximately 175 participants regularly took part in Svitac’s (Firefly in Bosnia) activities. The youngest and the oldest participants attended Culture and Art Diversity around the World workshops and English/German conversational workshops.
        • Younger group – They learned about a variety of engaging summer topics, took part in competitive games in the park, and held discussions centred on friendship, the sea, seashells, and marine life. Weekly general knowledge quizzes were organized by our team of international and local volunteers. During creative sessions, participants crafted decorations and ornaments. Physical activities included warm-up exercises, children’s yoga, dance, and sports every Thursday. Furthermore, the program focused on enhancing attention spans through storytelling (Sports Day, High above the Clouds, Heidi, and The Matchstick Girl); the children actively discussed narrative events, which successfully encouraged even the youngest participants to engage in the conversation and share their views. In the English, German, and Turkish language workshops, they learned vocabulary related to nature, actions, opposites, holidays, and sports. All workshops employ an educational visual method utilizing pictures and videos; these informal educational sessions aim to foster creativity, memory, motor skills, empathy, socialization, and tolerance for diversity. The highlight for the younger group was preparing for the Children’s Day performance, during which they learned and rehearsed new songs and choreographies.
        • Older group –They covered the following topics: World Youth Day, cultural diversity, young people and elections, and freedom of choice. In this way, we aim to offer young people a safe and neutral environment where they can share their opinions and express both positive and negative emotions without fear of judgment. During the Language Workshops, the group focused on practicing everyday communication, reading and translating short texts and phrases, working on grammar, completing school assignments, and engaging in projects. The highlight for the older group was a workshop focused on ecology, during which they learned about renewable energy, including how to conserve and produce it.

MUSIC PROJECTS

  • During the guitar workshops, participants focused on children’s songs, études, and popular melodies to develop their playing technique, sight-reading, and performance skills. Continuous practice enabled them to enhance their precision and musicality.
  • Participants in the Samba Group focused on developing new and existing techniques, studying études, and practicing both established songs and original works.

VOLUNTEERS

  • In August, Svitac (Firefly in Bosnia) greatly appreciated the collaboration with an international volunteer from Germany.
  • Three volunteers from Bosnia are doing their service in Germany and Croatia (6-12 months).
  • Local volunteers from Svitac (Firefly in Bosnia) participated as panellists at the third Brčko Diaspora Forum, ‘Global Experience for Local Development’, hosted by the Government of Brčko District’s Department for European Integration and International Cooperation. Alongside other participants, they discussed the opportunities and challenges young people face in the Brčko District, exploring how international experience and cooperation can help drive positive change within the local community.

ANNUAL EVENTS

  • Summer camps 2026 – Three camps took place from 24th to 28th August and Children’s Day on 29th August in the Youth Centre. Summer camps included Creative, Language and Music camps. Workshops were held every day from Monday to Friday and each workshop lasted 2 and a half hours.

The Language Camp introduced young learners to the basics of English, German and Spanish in a fun, interactive way. Through games and practical activities, participants mastered greetings, useful phrases, and simple expressions, all while building incredible speaking confidence.

At the Music Camp, participants explored the joy of making music together through group playing, rhythm activities, and creative composition. They had the opportunity to experiment with sounds, develop their musical skills, and even create their very own pieces.

This year’s Creative Camp was dedicated to the inspiring theme of “Peace.” Through art, imagination, and collaborative teamwork, participants explored the conceptual and personal meanings of peace.

The core curriculum and workshops included the following project modules:

o The Tree of Peace
o The Peace Cube
o The Bridge of Peace
o Little Ambassadors on the Planet of Peace
o The Museum of Peace

The creative initiative culminated in a special exhibition, “Museum of Peace” presented on Children’s Day. Open to family members, friends, and the general public, the exhibition showcased the children’s innovative ideas, artwork, and messages of peace. This event provided a meaningful platform for the participants to share their vision and engage with the wider community.

Children’s Day was held on 29th August in the Youth centre. It was a big finale where the participants of all three camps presented the results of the week. The parents and friends enjoyed the exhibition and the program prepared by local and international volunteers.

Total participants in summer camps: 80

Total participants in Children’s Day: 120

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