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SUMMER PROGRAM 2011
July 2011
Greetings from Global Children’s Organization (GCO)
We wish to share some great GCO News for Summer 2011!
what?
This month, in collaboration with Abraham’s Vision, we launch a new initiative that includes an experiential learning program for college students AND a summer camp for younger children.
Global Children’s Organization (GCO) and Abraham’s Vision (AV) are partnering in preparing a unique and exciting program this summer in Bosnia Herzegovina (BIH). Building on the collaborative efforts GCO and AV have shared in the past three years, this summer’s program connects the participants of AV's Vision Program (http://www.abrahamsvision.org/programs/programs/) and a comparable group of young people of diverse backgrounds from BIH.
The program has two parts. The first part, for college students, explores conflict transformation and community building in an ethnically diverse group. The second part is a GCO summer camp for 7-12 year olds. The college age students participating in the first week will work together as a team in the second week staffing the summer camp for young children.
Cornerstone values and objectives, rooted in many years of experience, that GCO brings to this new program partnership:
Cultural/ethnic exchange in a safe/secure environment
Valuable because developing meaningful working and friendship relationships with people from backgrounds and histories markedly different that one’s own is a powerful means to counter entrenched stereotypes about "the other", "the stranger", "the enemy".
Community Service:
Valuable because community service is an empowering experience in which we draw on personal strengths and capacities in making a positive, tangible difference to help in the world around us.
Participation in successful group effort focusing on specific and attainable objectives:
Valuable because by working together with others on projects and activities that yield valued and meaningful outcomes, we identify shared values, aspirations and hopes and translate these "into action".
Envisioning a world for the next generation through preparing camp programs for children:
Valuable because exploring and tapping into one's hopes and dreams for future through planning and implementing a camp program for the "next generation" we have the tangible experience of building a better world for the children of today and the generations to come, building confidence that we can contribute to making a better world for ourselves and for others.
who?
Feđa Kulenović (from Sarajevo) will direct the first part of the program, working with the college students, a group consisting of the students Abraham’s Vision brings (Jewish American, Palestinian American, Israeli, and Palestinian university students) and a group of students selected by GCO from around BIH.
Alma Elezović (from Mostar) will direct the second week, which will be a summer camp for children of diverse ethnic, religious and geographic backgrounds from BIH.
Who are the program participants? In the first week, the participants invited by GCO will include college age students from Gorazde, Banja Luka, Srebrenica, Sarajevo and Mostar. They will be joined by the college students Abraham’s Vision brings who are Jewish American, Muslim American, Israeli and Palestinian.
Children attending the children’s camp will come from Gorazde, Banja Luka, Srebrenica, Sarajevo and Mostar. The GCO and AV students participating in the first week will make up the camp staff for the children’s camp.
where/when?
Where and when will the program take place?
Our summer 2011 program will take place in Mostar, BIH during the last two weeks of July, 2011.
Both parts of the program will be held at a lovely facility set in the mountainous rural surroundings of Mostar. Here’s a link that shows some photos of the site (scroll down to see the campsite areas. . .includes swimming pool and dormitories and a replica of the famous Mostar bridge--Stari Most):
http://www.tourbosnia.com/en/obilazak_hercegovine.php
What is special about this new setting?
Many of you will remember Ninja, from GCO’s camps on Badija from the mid-1990’s through 2004 and from the summer camps at Land of Friendship and Peace, near Sarajevo, 2005-2009. Ninja, now better known as Dr. Adnan Konjhodžić, has finished medical school and is a pediatrician in Mostar. His uncle, Mehmed Kovačić, MD, a physician specializing in psychiatry, developed this camping and retreat center over the past few years. How remarkable is that bit of synchronicity? Dr. Adnan Konjhodžić (Ninja!) will be our visiting physician during camp. Look for the photos on our website.
and then. . .
What will happen as follow up after the summer program? Inspired by AV's excellent model of on-going and follow-up programming in which students remain in active interaction (on line and in person) during the months following their summer experiences together, GCO will develop a comparable structure and program for the participants from BIH that will provide follow up and networking after the summer program.
How can you learn more about the program and its success?
Watch for updates on our website over the summer and in early fall. We’ll post photos, descriptions and details.
What is GCO’s ongoing legacy?
The 1990's war in the Bosnia-Herzegovina (BIH) has long since left the front pages, but the hard work of healing and rebuilding remains a challenge in this battered and fractured region. Since 1993, Global Children's Organization (GCO) has steadfastly made a difference by providing programs to children and youth whose lives have been impacted by war and post-war hardship, community violence and ethnic strife. GCO brings together children and young adults of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds in engaging and active programs that emphasize 1) enjoyable and responsible participation in a diverse multi-ethnic community, 2) learning new skills, 3) appreciation of the contributions of self and others and 4) capacity for constructive and meaningful initiative. The enduring mission of GCO is to help leaders of the next generation envision and build a better and a peaceful future for themselves, their communities and the larger world around them.
Will you help support this initiative?
This is a pilot program. We are excited about it and will be looking for sustainable funding if the evaluation of the program is positive. . .we are confident it will be. Our current funding needs, for this summer’s program, are modest, but we do need some help to cover costs of program supplies (art and sport materials primarily) and in-country transportation. Can you help with a small donation? $10/$25/$50? And of course, we’d be thrilled if you wish to underwrite the participation of a participant from Banja Luka, Srebrenica, Sarajevo, Gorazde or Mostar ($125 per participant).
If you can help, please send donation to:
Global Children’s Organization
3580 Wilshire # 1800
Los Angeles, California 90010
USA
All the best,
Karen Fagerstrom
Global Children’s Organization
SUMMER
PROGRAM 2009
Our Summer 2009 program brings together a group of young adults from the Balkans (many who are part of the GCO community there) and the Jewish American, Palestinian American, Israeli, and Palestinian university students from Abraham's Vision's 10-month Vision Program (who begin their experience together embarking on a four week summer educational program in the Balkans).
GCO and Abraham's Vision will partner to provide this talented and enthusiastic multi-cultural group of participants with a program that includes the following activities:
- peace building workshops
- discussion groups
- community building activities
- creative self expression using art, music and theater
- recreational and sports events and outings
March 2006
GCO In-Country Workshop
Highlights: sharing creative conversations, connecting as a communty, and envsioning GCO into the furture. Plenty of serious prep work aimed at making Summer 2006 an unprecedented success. And, an abundance of fabulous music!
Who was there?
From GCO camps from past summers:
Rene, Djeka, Vanja, Juga, Lea, Fedja, Zagi, Miro, Toni, Ninja, Zlatan, Adnan, Tarik, Nino, Sisa, Jaso, Ermin, Alma, Antonio
From Land of Friendship and Peace Foundation:
Ramija, Sanja, Emina, Ena
Welcoming to GCO for the first time:
Nemanja (Banja Luka), Kristina, (Tuzla) and Elvedina (Gorazde)
Here are some photos. BRAVO and THANKS to you all.
January 2006
GCO Hosts First Winter Camp in the Balkans
The children at the Winter Camp enjoyed horseback riding, sledding and other snow games in the cold and snowy January weather. Warming up in the cozy indoors, their activities included table tennis, chess, checkers, bowling, and indoor soccer.
Every evening included guitar playing and singing, and different special events were scheduled for each night (disco, game, talent, and movie nights).
Here are the observations from Vildana, the volunteer who accompanied the children from Mihatovici:
"The first children's contact with horses was a beautiful experience. Children from Mihatovici had opportunity for the first time to be close to them. Even little bit afraid in the beginning, they lost their fear when they started to ride them. Zijo and Ramija helped them a lot to be much more confident in themselves. At the end they became real riders who could clean and saddle the horses without anyone's help.
At the end, we had a Wish Tree ceremony which was organized by Alma as we began the closing of winter camp. The first signs of sadness where visible.
As an overall impression I can say that I have never seen so much positive energy at one place. According the feedback received from children from Mihatovici, they were more than satisfied with their stay in Kakrinje and in spite of their tears before departing to home they were happy to gain new friends from Mostar, Sarajevo and especially from Banja Luka.
They all expressed hope that they would return to Kakrinje in summer."
Congratulations to Alma and the GCO volunteers from Bosnia-Herzegovina who organized and lead this Winter Camp program!
JANUARY 15, 2006-----BALKAN COUNCIL MEETS AT LAND OF FRIENDSHIP AND PEACE (LFP)
This report from Alma Elezovic, GCO Coordinator, Balkans:
"On Sunday, January 15, 2006 the GCO Balkan Board had a meeting at the LPF. Our volunteers came for a lunch: Fedja Kulenovic, Tarik Terzic – Zagi, Tony Pesikan, Miro Pesikan, Lea Gotovusa, Jasmin Elezovic and me. We spent some time with (the) children and joined them for lunch. Afterwards we had a meeting where we discussed this winter camp and some GCO's plans for future. We are planning for three sessions of camp in summer 2006."
March 2005
A great group of GCO in-country volunteers, as well as new friends who are members of the Land of Friendship and Peace Foundation, joined together for the March 19 and 20th meetings.
Here is the list of people who attended this retreat:
In-Country Volunteers:
Rene Rajkovic, Fedja Kulenovic, Zinaida Kulenovic, Marko Peric, Miro Pesikan, Jas Elezovic, Mahamed Sisic, Robert (Robo) Kranjcic, Gordan (Gogo) Kranjcic, Lea Gotovusa, Zagi Terzic, Dino Durokovic, Vladimir Vajagic, Nikola Vagagic, Nino Ninic, Lana Ferovic, Adi Turkusic, Vanja Matic, Faruk Alisehovic, Emin Muratovic, Ermin and Alma Elezovic.
From the Foundation:
Jean-Claude Carreau, Nermina Halkic, Barry Cleland, Amra Zupcevic, Ramija Mujic, Sanja Burlovic, Maja Burlovic, Mona Muratovic, Sanjin Durakovic.
From the US:
Irv and Kathy Buck, Angela Mazer, Karen Fagerstrom and David Glenn.
A Camp Planning Committee, composed of in-country volunteers, will be taking on major leadership roles in planning camp this summer.
This committee will be working on many tasks in preparation for our summer program, including, helping to plan the program, getting publicity for the program, updating the volunteer manual and translating it into local language, preparing budget for the program, planning and coordinating with others to make the evening program a great success, getting donations for items we need for camp, making contributions to GCO website, in local language, and more..
Members of the Planning Committee are: Zagi Terzic, Fedja Kulenovic, Gordan Kranjcic, Antonio (Toni) Pesikan, Marija Vagagic, Dragan Jugovic, Lea Gotvusa, Jasmin Elezovic.
A "taste" of plans for summer include:
---Sarajevo Drum Orchestra will do regular workshops during camp, as well as work on providing our evening programs. They will be bringing some exceptional musical colleagues to camp from Musicians Without Borders. Here are the websites for the Sarajevo Drum Orchestra and Musicians Without Borders:
http://www.drum-orchestra.co.ba/bio.html
http://www.musicianswithoutborders.nl/
---Hamed Sisic (well-known Bosnian mountain climber and outdoorsman), will be providing climbing wall and ropes activities at camp, and will be leading hiking trips.
---In-country and international volunteers will spend three days together before camp to get to know one another and plan for camp.
Art and Healing
Program
Headed by GCO Art Director, Carol Tanenbaum, The Art and Healing Program is showing its art to the nation. In this program, the children are able to begin the healing process by expressing their feelings, dreams and fears creatively while building relationships that help return the trust lost by the devastation of war and political violence. Beginning in 1996, Carol has collected the children's artwork. Together with the photographs of volunteer McGregor Bullard, the pictures, masks, and photographic projects are a compilation of the children's experience of the Bosnian war.
Children of War, a pictorial essay by Julie Dennis Brothers, professional photographer and volunteer is now finished. This moving photo art piece will be on exhibition in Santa Barbara and be available for purchase.
The exhibit will be displayed throughout the United States with the help and expertise of Jane ten Brink of Rembrandt Museum & Exhibition Services. The inaugural exhibition was at the Los Angeles Children's Museum in October 1999, followed by an exhibition at the Santa Barbara Jewish Community Center in February and March 2000.
3580 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 1800
Los Angeles Ca 90010
Phone: (310) 581-2234
Fax: (213) 389-1237
gco@globalchild.org