“All Together to stop violence against children” was the name of the DPAC celebration in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was organized by the GNRC Bosnia and Herzegovina and the “All Together” youth group of the Interreligious Council in B&H. The main topic of this year celebration was to Stop Violence against Children and the focus was on Promoting Positive Parenting.
“All Together to Stop Violence Against Children“
Bosnia and Herzegovina
“If we are to teach real peace in this world,
and if we are to carry on a real war against war,
we shall have to begin with the children.”
(Mohandas Ghandi)
Celebration at the Children’s Square in Sarajevo!
The celebration took place in the main city square “Trg djece Sarajeva“(Sarajevo children square). The participants were coming from different faiths and organizations. Several members of “All Together Youth”, GNRC Bosnia-Herzegovina, actors from the “Confero” theater group, make-up artists and more than 50 children; took part in this whole day celebration. The young people and children interacted with the general public that engaged enthusiastically with the activities they were implementing. 
The celebration started in the main square with an opening performed by the ‘Confero’ theater group. The performance focused on the importance of promoting peace from a perspective of abused children and also to send peaceful messages insisting on the DPAC theme ‘Stopping Violence against Children’.
Peaceful Messages at the “Peace Wall”!
Peaceful messages written by religious leaders were shared with a special focus the importance of joining efforts from religious communities to stop violence against children. The climax of the event was the ‘Peace Wall’. It consisted of a special moment when children and adults would gather and write peaceful message on a big wall. Flyers were distributed in order to promote positive parenting. Information was given to the parents describing the different kind of violence, and the need to stop it.
The Learning to Live Together at the DPAC Celebration!
A workshop for children was held and allowed children to draw, make origami, meet with children from other faiths, act in role play and learn in an artistic way about the different kind of violence and the ways to stop it. The Learning to Live Together manual was used as a methodology to organize and facilitate the workshop. The draws and messages were then shared on the city square.
The celebration ended with a spiritual moment composed of prayers and the following poem:
Deep are the thoughts of a child: Quiet them.
Sharp is the grief of a child: Take it from him.
Soft is the heart of a child: Do not harden it.”
(Pamela Glenconner)
