Svitac (Firefly in Bosnia) Project Report – June 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

      • This month highlighted our program’s key activities and outcomes, culminating in the successful Spring Event. The Svitac team focused on fostering personal growth and community connection among all participants. As a major highlight, the Spring Event served as a joyful gathering that brought together participants, parents, and special guests. It provided a vibrant space to enjoy fun activities, strengthen community bonds, and build lifelong friendships.
        Another key achievement this month was organizing and delivering MOS workshops in local elementary and high schools, as well as at the Faculty of Economics. Planning activities, exchanging ideas with young people, and creating interactive workshops together fostered a strong sense of teamwork and shared purpose.
        June also brought fresh energy! Matthew, a new volunteer from the USA, contributed fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and motivation to our daily work. This positive atmosphere made the experience even more special and was a personal highlight for our team members.
        Additionally, marking important occasions like World Environment Day, World Day against Child Labour, and World Refugee Day was highly inspiring. Working side by side with people of different ages and backgrounds created a supportive and motivating environment. This experience strengthened our communication and organizational skills while emphasizing the importance of intercultural learning and cooperation.
        Finally, children and youth at Svitac gathered for a special workshop to mark World Refugee Day. Through educational presentations and discussions, participants gained a deeper understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by refugees around the world today.
        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 June, approximately 160 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 explored diverse, engaging topics including animals, butterflies, and bees, with special presentations dedicated to camping, First Aid, and beneficial insects. Weekly general knowledge quizzes were organized by our team of international and local volunteers. During creative sessions, participants crafted decorations and ornaments for the upcoming Spring Party. They creatively practiced writing the numbers and letters they had learned so far, creating various words such as ‘car’ (C), ‘dog’ (D), ‘flower’ (F), and ‘boat’ (B). Physical activities included warm-up exercises, children’s yoga, dance, and sports every Thursday. Furthermore, the program focused on enhancing attention spans through storytelling (The Ugly Duckling, The Goldfish, The Lion King, Happy Farm, Bello – my best friend, The Secret Castle and Mulan); 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 butterflies, migratory birds, camping, summer decorations and tools. 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 the Spring Party, where our participants proudly showcased their talents through guitar performances, English recitations, dance routines, and children’s songs celebrating the beauty of spring. They also enjoyed creating rhythms together in group activities, which encouraged teamwork and musical expression.
        • Older group –They covered several key topics, beginning with child labour and how it differs from acceptable work like helping at home, alongside how different cultures view the normalization of young people working. Next, they explored youth activism and social change, focusing on the specific role young people play in advocating for societal progress. They also discussed traditions and modernity, looking at how traditional beliefs conflict with modern changes, how cultures navigate this tension, and how technology alters cultural practices. Additionally, the participants addressed education and equity by examining differing access to education and the unique barriers faced by students from diverse backgrounds. Finally, they covered language and communication, analysing how language shapes cultural identity, the distinct advantages and challenges of multilingualism, and the ways language can both connect and divide us. 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 an interactive, fun, and educational workshop focused on nature, environmental protection, and responsible outdoor behaviour. They learned about the importance of protecting the environment, respecting plants and animals, keeping natural areas clean, and following good behavioural rules while outdoors. Through discussion and examples, they discovered how small actions can make a big difference in preserving our planet.

MUSIC PROJECTS

  • At the guitar workshops, participants worked on children’s songs, etudes, and popular melodies, developing their playing technique, sight-reading, and performance skills. Continuous practice led to noticeable improvements in their precision and musicality.
  • Building on the previous month’s musical ideas, the Samba group worked on arrangements, rhythm, and harmony. Through close collaboration, participants successfully shaped and polished the compositions’ sound. Meanwhile, younger participants developed a new original piece, focusing heavily on the introduction and transitions between sections. Exploring dynamics and rhythm allowed them to enhance their creativity and collaborative music-making.

VOLUNTEERS

  • In June, Svitac (Firefly in Bosnia) greatly appreciated the collaboration with international volunteers from Germany and USA.
  • Three volunteers from Bosnia are doing their service in Germany and Croatia (6-12 months).
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