Firefly International

Cross-cultural creative projects combating social division worldwide

April 2008 – March 2009 Annual Report

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Introduction During 2008-2009 Firefly International continued to support Svitac with its important long-term work in Brcko district, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with young people from all ethnic groups. For at least four months in this period Brcko’s only municipal youth centre (where Svitac holds workshops) was only open during the day and not on weekends. There are two ethnically seperated teaching shifts in the local schools, so this arrangement made it all but impossible to hold multi-ethnic workshops there. No one knew if and when this situation would change. In addition, erratic youth centre opening times and last minute appropriation of the rooms by government departments made it extremely difficult for workshop leaders to plan ahead or be confident of workshops being able to happen. Some classes could be held in Svitac’s small office, but not all. This was demoralising for staff and volunteers and hampered their work. Despite this, the Svitac staff and volunteers continued to do a terrific job in frustrating circumstances.

The newly named ”Sambas?” samba band amazed onlookers and made everyone involved justifiably proud. Huge amounts of work went into the summer camps, which took place again and were arguably better than ever. Many other, quieter but no less important projects, continued to educate and empower young people in an atmosphere without bigotry and encourage reconciliation and communication. Svitac also continued to provide opportunities for young people to develop professional and creative skills, and to allowed them to develop and lead their own projects.

During this year Firefly founder and director Ellie Maxwell became very ill.

The following report has been compiled from individual reports from Svitac and Firefly staff and volunteers. Jack Richold April 2010

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Svitac Svitac continued to be managed by Gordana Varcakovic who also acted as administrator and gave English classes. Gordana worked with Edina Vosanovic (piano lessons, volunteer coordinator, samba band) and Sanjin Vosanovic (samba band and guitar lessons). Other ongoing workshop programmes were run by local volunteers: Denis (Spanish and Latino and American Dance), Masa (dance) and Arman (sound engineering). Nine volunteers, some with the European Voluntary Service (EVS), ran their own workshop programmes with Svitac during this year. Kristina Varcakovic, who used to teach Spanish for Svitac, acted as staff on the summer camp.

Training and Seminars Gordana represented Svitac on the management board of Forum for Citizens Security. Arman represented Svitac at the seminar ”Young People Erased Borders” (Mladi Brisu Grancice) in Sarajevo, Jajce and Banja Luka.

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EVENTS

The Summer Camps Held again at Veli Joze in Savudrija in Istria, Croatia, Firefly’s summer camps were a chance for some of the poorest and most vulnerable children to have a holiday away from the political and social tensions of their home area. Most of these children had not travelled outside Bosnia, or even Brcko District. The camps provided a neutral space for children away from continuing tensions. They also allowed time and space for children from different ethnic groups to spend time together, making friends and creating cross-community links - it is vital that these links are created so that children do not grow up thinking it is normal for different ethnicities to live separately. This year’s summer camps were again a success and again an improvement on previous years. Innovations like english lessons and film-screenings were tried out, old practices, like the morning circle and were continued. Staff from Svitac and Firefly International, volunteers, participants and parents were all very satisfied with the experience.

Planning began in the Spring, and took much organisation. Parents met with Svitac staff in mid July and on August 10th, international volunteers came to Brcko for a pre-camp planning session and to see the town. The coach left for the coast on August 12th and returned on August 20th. Both the Music Camp and the English and Creative Camp stayed and ate together at the campsite, but took part in different activities.

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The Music Camp, led by Sanjin and Edina, worked with young people aged between 15 and 18. The aim was to learn how to play samba drums, shakers, agogos and toambourines and how to work in a team or group and to perform in public. All the group had experience of percussion, but they took the chance to change instruments and try out new things, such as encouraging participants to try out the leading ”maestreing” role. The group performed twice to the whole of Veli Joze. A daily evaluation by all participants of how the workshops went (out of 5) gave an average of 4.39.

The English and Creative camp, led by Kristina and Alen Kovavcic worked with children aged between 9 and 12. They made masks and painted pictures as well as having English classes and homework, which the international volunteers were delighted to help them with and surprised by their enthusiasm for.

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Joint activities, such as a treasure hunt and ’secret friend’ game were organised and enjoyed and people also took part in activities organised by Veli Joze. All participants had either been involved in Svitac’s activities during the year or those of ”Kuca Prijateljstva” Amica, another NGO in Brodusa, a suburb of Brcko. The camps consisted of 21 participants: 2 young local volunteers - Arman and Milica (who applied for the position), 5 Svitac staff (Gordana, Kristina Varcakovic, Alen Kovacic, Sanjin and Edina), 6 international volunteers (Ben Maxwell, Liz Maxwell, James Gloyn, Jan, Sarah and Lionel) and Ellie Maxwell of Firefly International.

This year, because of the rise in costs, we were forced to ask parents to contribute 150KM (approx. 75 Euros) towards costs and also to to bear the price and responsibility of getting passports and court stamps for their children. The government of Brcko District generously covered the costs of transport to the camps, health insurance, materials, and refreshments. The international volunteers raised money towards the camps. Firefly International raised the money to cover additional food and accomodation costs on the camps. Transport was organised through Dinamo Tours.

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Children’s Day and the New Year’s Party Held on August 11th, just before the summer camps, this year’s children’s day gave participants a chance to meet the international volunteers and the international volunteers a chance to see what Svitac does. There was also a new years party, with Sambas? performing and the dance group also, making it a Latino Dance party. Denis was the leader of the party and there was karaoke too.

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CONTINUING PROJECTS

English Classes Gordana continued to run her established English classes this year and began with a new class in October. EVS volunteers assisted Gordana and gave the students some new activities and exposure to native English speakers. The students also were in contact with American pen-pals.

Most students did well in written and verbal tests in June and received certificates from Svitac with their marks.

German Classes

Edina began German language classes in early 2009.

Spanish Classes This class in beginner level Spanish language and Spanish culture ran until July, when Denis began the Latino and American Dance group instead.

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Media / Sound Engineering Arman’s group continued to train weekly in using and maintaining sound equipment and recording. They also technically assisted other workshops and performances at the local secondary school.

Dance The dance group, led by Masa, continued to work hard to develop and practise new choreography, and even found time to record a CD of Spanish songs. They also tried out belly dancing, and arranged a visit from a professional belly dancer.

Masa and Denis began a Latino and American Dance group, which had its first performance at the New Year party. Masa was also able to begin a new group with younger girls this year, and is working through the many routines she has developed with them.

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Guitar Sanjin’s classes in classical and contemporary guitar have proved very popular and there is a waiting list of students.

He has been teaching his students to sight read and to compose. They have also been working in groups on duets and three part pieces. He was able to move some lessons to the office when the Youth Centre was closed in the evenings and weekends, but it was a little cramped.

Piano Edina steadily increased the numbers of her students over this year, despite problems with the Youth Centre opening hours. She was happy with her students and how they are progressed, learning new scales and improving their music reading

Samba Band ”Sambas?” Led by Sanjin and Edina, the Samba group (formally named ”Sambas?” in June!) has been a very successful and popular project. The group of 14 practised seriously and consistently, learning arrangements and writing their own compositions.

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In June, wearing newly printed green and yellow Sambas? / Svitac t-shirts they performed on the 22nd for PRONI’s1 10 year celebration, parading and playing through the town and down to Ficibayer (on the bank of the Sava river). Then they opened Proi’s ”Fight Drugs With Music” event on the 26th. The concerts were very well received and the participants and project leaders justifiably proud of themselves. They also performed at the childrens day in August, on the summer camps and at the Svitac new year’s party. In August Sambas formed the core of the Music camp and the participants had the opportunity to develop their expertise and feed on fresh musical gifts from the UK volunteers. It was a very frustrating year for the group who were unable to practise during September, October, February and March, because the youth centre was shut in the evenings and on weekends during this time, despite the groups cohesion and excitement generated by achievements in the summer. It was a great shame that time and momentum had been lost in this way. As Sanjin said – ”These constant interruptions make work with music (and learning any aspect of music is an accumulating process) really hard.”

1 An NGO in Brcko

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International Volunteers

This year, as well as the summer camp volunteers already mentioned, Svitac hosted volunteers from Canada, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands the UK and the USA. They stayed in Brcko between two weeks and three months Heather Vermeulin Yoga, English and Arts and Crafts David Hume French, Games Rose Wintergreen-Arthur Singing, Arts and Crafts Diane Wu Chinese, French, Yoga Games, Volunteer Guide. Ida Rapp Assisted other workshops Camille Chaix French, English and ”The Photo Story” Antti Siponen Renaissance Dance, Computer Animation Jessica Stein Yoga, Arts and Crafts, English, ”The Photo Story” Celesta Duivenvoorde Arts and Crafts, the Summer Camps and website The problems of working in new language and culture (in some cases for less than a month) were greatly eased by the efforts and consideration of the Svitac staff and the international volunteers’ paired local volunteers, who also benefited from the experience. The international volunteers organised and ran workshops in the youth centre, when they were able to stay long enough, and assisted other volunteers and Svitac staff. Many also ran workshops with the Amica NGO in Brodusa. Several taught English at the local Bimal oil factory, building community links, and joined a local choir. They were mostly resourceful, respectful and hard working, and of real benefit to Svtac’s and Firefly’s work.

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UK Projects

Firefly was a coordinating partner of Reel Afghanistan 2008 and Reel Iraq 2009. These festivals were the first of their kind in the UK and brought people from across the UK to learn more about these areas behind the headlines. Firefly also hosting 'Framing Gaza' highlighting 40 years of the Palestinian people living under occupation and hosted the Palestinian Cultural Festival, in association with Edinburgh University Settlement.