Children’s playground a meeting place for cultures

A children’s playground built in Donji Hadzici, near the Ušivak reception center, challenges stereotypes and creates opportunities for interaction between refugees, asylum seekers, migrants and BiH citizens in Hadžići municipality to encourage mutual understanding, it was said at the opening ceremony.

“Our municipality has shown a big heart towards the people who are in the camp and in general towards people who are different, and with this playground we are proving it once again,” said Hamdo Ejubović, Mayor of Hadžići.

It is expected that this playground, built according to international standards and containing elements adapted to the needs of children with disabilities, will create an inclusive environment and facilitate interaction not only among children but also among parents from the local community and the Ušivak centre.

The playground was built within the project “Enhancing Social Cohesion in Communities Hosting People on the Move” co-financed by the European Union – Foreign Policy Instruments, and jointly implemented by UNHCR and IOM. The focus of the project was on social cohesion and support to local communities and institutions that host/help refugees and migrants and need financial support for projects that can benefit both local communities and UNHCR persons of concern.

“Citizens of Hadžići, civil society and the authorities have shown a high level of understanding, humanity and solidarity with people on the move, and this playground is now a symbol of the hospitality of the local community,” said Lucie Gagné, UNHCR Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The opening of the playground precedes the marking of the World Refugee Day on 20 June, when we all look back at the suffering, but also at the strength and resilience of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons around the world.