The online conference What do children say? was held on January 15, 2021. It was organized by the Network of Organizations for Children of Serbia (MODS) and the association “Naša djeca” (Our Children) Sarajevo, as part of the regional project “Deca kažu” (Children Say).
The “Children Say” project is implemented within the framework of the Joint Regional Programme #DijalogZaBudućnost (Dialogue for the Future): Enhancing Dialogue and Social Cohesion in, and Between, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and the Republic of Serbia,” which is carried out by the United Nations Development Programme – UNDP, UNICEF, and UNESCO, and financed by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (#UNPeacebuilding).
The conference was organized and carried out by young people from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina—from Belgrade (Friends of Children of Serbia and Center for Youth Integration), Niš (Open Club), Kraljevo (SOS Children’s Villages Foundation), Sarajevo (Naša djeca), Banja Luka (Zdravo da ste), Tuzla (Zemlja djece u BiH), and Prijedor (Svjetionik).
Children Say: “The responsibility is on all of us – for a better world, for the common good of everyone!”
In the introductory part of the conference, Stanislava Vučković, Head of the Youth Programme at UNICEF in Serbia, familiarized the participants with the “Dialogue for the Future” program and highlighted that the essence of the program is “better understanding, respect, and tolerance”, as well as creating equal and better conditions for all children, i.e., for all young people, which is also the goal of the “Children Say” project.
At the conference, children and youth from Serbia and BiH pointed out the common problems they face in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Particular attention was devoted to the views of children and youth on issues of environmental protection, housing, healthcare, and education.
The topic of Panel I was Environmental Protection. Within this topic, the panelists highlighted the biggest environmental problems, such as air and river pollution, the existence of illegal dumps, uncontrolled forest cutting, coupled with a lack of citizen awareness about the importance of waste disposal, etc. The children reminded the audience that “common good means something that a person can share with others (nature, roads, hospital, school,…)” and offered proposals on what should be done to preserve the environment.
Children Say: “A clean and healthy environment is not a matter for the selected few! It is our common good and our common right!”
In the continuation of the conference, the panelists addressed the topics of Healthcare, Education, and Housing.
Children Say: “Every child has the right to support and equal treatment in the education system, healthcare, and their environment!”
At the end of the conference, the film “CHILDEN SAY 2020” was also presented, showing what children and youth from Serbia and BiH think about solidarity, the common good, and equality.
The conclusion of the conference, which was intended not only for children and youth but also for representatives of institutions in Serbia and BiH, as well as representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, is: “More equality for every child.”
“By organizing this conference, we want the voice to be heard of the child who is on the street every day with an outstretched, hungry, and cold hand; the child with developmental difficulties who cannot independently walk toward achieving their life goals; the child without parental care who has no one to tuck them in during cold nights and hug them good morning; the child who is belittled and discriminated against because the color of their skin is not the same as that of the few; the child who has to work every day instead of playing in the schoolyard; the child who suffers psycho-physical violence from those who should be their safest haven; and every child who does not have a peaceful and carefree childhood – and DEMAND THE CREATION OF BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS FOR EVERY CHILD! Children are not our future. Children are our present.
We would like all our peers to live in accordance with how children should live: carelessly and happily. We would like the only concern of a child’s life to be how to measure their joy and knowledge.
Hear the voice of children who have much to say but are not heard at all. Common good, solidarity, and equality are attributes that grace the world, but only when there are no sad and unfortunate children in that world!”
You say: The light of the world is in children’s hands.
Do not extinguish our flame then.
Because, children have something to say!
You can watch the recording of the entire conference here.
