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Description
The aim of the project is to improve the quality of informing young people about the anti-fascist resistance (1941-1945) and peace initiatives (1990s), improve the education for democratic and active citizenship, and recognize the rights of civilian victims of the Second World War in Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. The project connects the development of the educational program with memorial walks in Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, and the production of small exhibitions, artistic interventions, as well as consultations on the possibility of developing museum exhibitions and educational/cultural routes dedicated to important historical events of the twentieth century. The project will contribute to the strengthening of democratic culture, civic awareness and civic engagement, as well as transparency in the allocation of public funding. The activities of the project include: - 4 memorial walks (Vodnjan, Mrkopalj) - 2 film screenings - 1 exhibition - 1 online presentation of the educational program for primary and secondary school teachers and people working with young people - 1 publication with educational materials - 4 consultations with interested subjects in Pula and Rijeka - 4 meetings with local authorities - 4 public lectures - 1 analysis of transparency and presentation of recommendations for improving transparency in decision-making on the allocation of grants for public needs in culture - 4 online campaigns The action is focused on young people, national minorities, and witnesses of the Second World War. The added value of the action is related to the intensification of intergenerational dialogue through the inclusion of participants and survivors of the Second World War in memorial walks, lectures and consultations. The actions will be accompanied by advocacy for the rights of civilian victims of World War II, whose rights are not adequately regulated by the law.
Summary of project results
The project was aimed at better quality and content informing young people and the general public about the heritage of anti-fascism and anti-fascist resistance (1941-1945), about peace initiatives in the 1990s, about improving education in the context of work on the topics of fascist crimes and anti-fascism, and about recognizing the rights of civilian victims of the Second World War of the war on the territory of Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
Motivated by the systematic marginalization and suppression of the memory of anti-fascism, anti-fascist resistance and the heritage of anti-fascism and peace initiatives of the 90s, as well as the non-recognition of the rights of civilian victims of the Second World War, the project has developed and implemented a complex set of activities that combine different methods, media and practices with the aim of developing and strengthening visibility , revaluation and didactic-educational work in the thematic context of anti-fascism, anti-fascist resistance, its heritage, peace initiatives 90s and civilian victims of the Second World War. The project was structured around the connection and interaction of educational, scientific, civil society, cultural and artistic fields. Thus, a multi-layered program framework was created that resulted in heterogeneous activities aimed at solving separate sets of questions and problems.
Through the project, 6 groups of activities were carried out. The first part of the activity was carried out in the town of Vodnjan. 3 memorial walks were organized and conducted, which were dedicated to the city''s anti-fascist past and anti-fascist graffiti from the Second World War. Through the memorial walk, the participants were introduced to the key events of the city''s anti-fascist past, its anti-fascist tangible and intangible heritage, the fascist crimes committed in the city, and the key events, movements and people of Istria''s anti-fascist past. Also, as part of this activity, material for the memorial walk was created, in the format of a digital booklet, which in a structured way, visually and textually, presents and summarizes the key elements, guidelines and goals of the memorial walk and presents the key determinants, events and subjects in a concise way history of Istrian anti-fascism. 4 public lectures, two film screenings and an exhibition were also organized in Vodnjan.
The implementation of the second set of activities refers to the analysis of transparency, which was carried out interdisciplinary through several different activities. The analysis of the transparency of the allocation of grants was made within the project team, while the analysis of the importance and transparency in the implementation of field teaching was additionally included.
The third package of activities was focused on better quality and more meaningful information for young people about the anti-fascist resistance of 41-45'' and the peace initiatives of the 90s in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. The aforementioned activities were also aimed at supporting education for civil and human rights, and at promoting the mobilization and engagement of citizens. As part of this activity, materials were prepared for memorial walks. Through this activity, a prize trip for young students was also organized. All planned and implemented activities aimed to show the importance of field teaching, to hold an award trip as a successful demonstration of the same, to motivate young students and their mentors for the topics of anti-fascism and peace initiatives in the 90s, and ultimately to visit places of memory and show their social, cultural and historical importance.
The fourth set of activities was dedicated to organizing and conducting public consultations on better quality and more substantial information and presentation of material on anti-fascist resistance from the Second World War and peace initiatives in the 1990s in the counties of Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar.
As part of project activities related to the fifth package of activities, entitled "Preparation, presentation and promotion of educational materials", the plan was to improve education for democratic and active citizenship. This package of activities includes several target groups that were directly or indirectly involved in the activities, or the results of the activities influenced them, such as students, teachers and people who work with young people and witnesses of the times.
The activity of work package 6 entitled "Public campaign for the rights of civilian victims of the Second World War" focused on a set of activities and events dedicated to the civilian victims of the Second World War.
As one of the important results of this project, the restarting of the issue and the opening of a public dialogue related to the civilian victims of the Second World War with special emphasis on their invisibility and non-recognition of suffering by the institutions, but also on the lack of information of the general public or persons working in the educational system. This was achieved through a series of activities that included advocacy, public and informational aspects. One of the main results is certainly the great interest and reactions to the campaign that included the civilian victims of the Second World War. The campaign reached 7,946 people, making the general public sensitized and familiar with the issue of civilian victims, and was additionally encouraged to view the recorded personal memories, which contributes to a stronger recognition of their suffering. Also, during a public event in Gerovo where young teachers and members of the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters participated in the intergenerational dialogue. During the dialogue it was concluded that there is a strong need for more intensive inclusion of witnesses of the time (civilian victims) in the education system. The conclusion is that young people learn more easily and with better quality if they are enabled to listen and talk with surviving witnesses of the time.
During the planning of the project, one of the target groups was a group of professors, teachers and people who work with young people. The goal was to further educate, motivate and offer prepared materials that can be used in classes. Educational didactic materials on the topic of fascist camps on the Adriatic coast was prepared, which was presented to interested employees in educational sector. People who work with young people in the educational system were additionally motivated and informed by the results of this project, they were offered working tools and methods (such as personal memories or workshop examples) and were invited to use the prepared materials in their teaching.
In the context of education and youth, the contest "Homeland is defended with beauty" was organized and implemented, a contest for literary works of primary school students. After the competition, an award visit was organized to Mrkoplje and Matić Poljana, where a memorial walk was held. The trip and memorial walk were attended by teachers and students from primary schools. The tour of the places of memory in the mentioned localities is accompanied by a history class in the form of field lessons. Through the commemorative walk and tour of the place of remembrance, the students of primary schools, as well as their teachers, were additionally informed and sensitized to the topics of peace initiatives, anti-fascism and fascist crimes, and additionally informed about key historical events and facts related to peace initiatives, anti-fascist resistance and fascist crimes in their local homeland and regional environment.
Activities for young people and the wider cultural public in Vodnjan, was structured around the integration of a scientific, field-didactic and artistic approach to anti-fascism and the heritage of anti-fascism. By organizing public lectures (4), commemorative walks (3), screening films (2) and setting up an exhibition in the Pharmacy, the target group was informed about new scientific, cultural and artistic approaches to anti-fascism and the heritage of anti-fascism. By carrying out memorial walks, public was informed and additionally educated about the unrecognized and undervalued heritage represented by anti-fascist graffiti from the Second World War. In a broader sense, the activities in Vodnjan (installation of exhibitions, film screenings, public lectures and commemorative walks) contributed to the development and enrichment of the cultural offer of the city of Vodnjan.
Implementation of public consultations on better information for young people in Pula, Pazin, Rijeka, Opatija, focused on better inclusion of anti-fascism and the heritage of anti-fascism in museum exhibitions, as well as on the discussion on better development of field teaching for schools. The public consultations included representatives of museum, educational and cultural institutions and representatives of local and county authorities. At the consultations, it was possible to publicly present the work, research and exhibitions of the involved museums and participants, which contributed to the increased visibility of the work of the involved entities on the topic of anti-fascism and its heritage. At the consultations, it was possible to establish a broader dialogue and start a discussion between museum employees and representatives of local/county authorities.