A True Olympics in Trnovo: Students With and Without Developmental Difficulties Showed They Can Win Together

Students from the Elementary School „Trnovo“ in Trnovo, with the support of the INFOHOUSE Association and UNICEF, organized a one-day gathering yesterday called „Games Without Borders“ for 70 students with and without developmental difficulties, announced by the INFOHOUSE Association, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP).

The students from the Elementary School in Trnovo wanted to use this project to raise awareness about social inclusion of peers, development of tolerance and inter-student cooperation.

- With this activity, the students wanted to show that through joint action they can contribute and help bring together children with and without developmental difficulties, and reduce prejudice and doubts – states the announcement of the INFOHOUSE Association.

The children competed in several competitive disciplines, all under the name „Games Without Borders and Prejudices“.

Gathered in three mixed teams, the students competed in disciplines: sack jumping, tug of war, carrying eggs on spoons, running in pairs with tied legs, apple bobbing, etc.

Small and big people learned that the winners are all those who want to be true friends. Through play, students learned to respect rules and differences. Both competitors and the audience cheered only for true values. Students learned that the winners are all those who want to be true friends and that when there are no borders, they play much better.

At the end of the event, all competitors received diplomas.

The project of the Elementary School „Trnovo“ is implemented within the project of the INFOHOUSE Association called “Take Us Seriously – Children Send a Message to Adults” which is part of the campaign Let's Talk About Opportunities, Join Us, and is implemented by UNICEF in partnership with USAID and EUD in BiH, and local partners since the summer of 2013.

The campaign is also part of the project Strengthening the Social Protection and Inclusion System for Children in BiH (SPIS), which the European Union has been financing since 2008 through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in the amount of 4.1 million euros, with the aim of helping to build a system that will ensure adequate social protection policy and social protection and inclusion of children and their families.

All relevant ministries and numerous partners from the non-governmental sector and civil society participate in the implementation of the project, reports NAP.