prijava
SARAJEVO, June 25 (FENA) - An exhibition of works entitled "Speaking out", dedicated to the experiences of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and experiences of children born of war, opened today at the New Temple Gallery on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
The exhibition is entirely dedicated to the experiences of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, who were children or young people at the time, and experiences of children born of war, with the aim of raising awareness about the issues that these women and men face in everyday life.
Executive Director of the War Childhood Museum Sarajevo, Amina Krvavac, said that the Museum has so far documented thousands of personal experiences of children and youth from different countries, which testify to childhood and growing up in the war.
“What prompted us to invite survivors and children born of war to share their experiences is the fact that at one point we realized that no personal story, object or video material in our collection speaks of any kind of conflict-related sexual violence,” she pointed out.
The exhibition, she added, also presents the artworks of survivors created during a body mapping workshop that uses the language of art for transmitting various life experiences and in the process contributes to strengthening the values of each person.
Representative of survivors and participant in the body mapping workshop Midheta Kaloper Oruli said that she was angry that she could not start the speech with words of gratitude to the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are obliged to address their issues and needs.
Chargé d'Affaires of the British Embassy in BiH Ruth Wiseman expressed satisfaction that she had the opportunity to work with project partners.
"Resolving the issue of sexual violence is very important for the UK and we are working hard with the BiH authorities to provide victims with compensation for the pain they suffered," she said, adding that local communities should also support survivors of sexual violence.
Chief of the Mission of the International Organization for Migration in BiH, Laura Lungarotti, said that they are making great efforts to ensure that children who were born of war are adequately cared for and that they are guaranteed the right to compensation.
"The key message is that such human rights violations must be eradicated," she concluded.
Representatives of the Association "Forgotten Children of War" Ajna Jusić and Lejla Demon, who bravely and tirelessly raise their voices for the rights of children born of war, also addressed the audience.
The exhibition features excerpts from video testimonies of survivors and children born of war, documented in cooperation with the Forgotten Children of War Association and the Wings of Hope Foundation, as well as artwork created during a body mapping workshop carried out in cooperation with the Psiholab Association. During the said workshop, survivors found alternative means to speak out about their experiences, but also their hopes for the future.
The exhibition is one of the results of the project "Seeking Care, Support and Justice for Survivors of Conflict Related Sexual Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina" implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and supported by the UK Government, which aims to improve quality of life survivors, ensure that survivors are not discriminated against and have easier access to rights and services.
(FENA) A. B.
