FT Maloney High School, Meriden CT
Observe in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia the causes, experiences, and results of the Yugoslav Wars to document how these countries and citizens deal with the memory and modern reintegration post-conflict and apply findings to improve inclusive practices across a diverse student population.
Many museums had visitors leave behind messages of hope and remembrance. 'Never Again'
This sign greeted us at the entrance to the Homeland War museum in Karlovac, Croatia
Zadar "Little Italy" Croatia. I felt as if I was walking around ancient ruins in Italy- the impact and influence of the Roman empire was evident.
Welcome to the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. A deep sense of pride still lingers in the city.
A museum dedicated to the children who died, the children who survived, and the families that will never forget.
A memorial at Srebrenica- the shoes of the victims and the shadows of the future that never came to be.
We visited a photo gallery highlighting the massacre and genocide at Srebrenica in Bosnia. As you walked into the exhibit, there was a wall covered in photos of identified victims. As you walked through the exhibit, you heard the stories from survivors and loved ones, sharing first-hand accounts. There were amazing propaganda posters that were altered from WWII to highlight ‘Sarajevo’ This gave me a sense of the magnitude of the events at Srebrenica.
I learned that I have so much to learn and that the desire to continue my education is even greater. I realize that I can take risks and put myself in new situations that will challenge me physically and mentally. I was humbled by my “lack” of knowledge, but grateful for the kindness and generosity shown to me by the people of Bosnia and Croatia. They were willing to share their stories and encouraged us to share with our students and families.
I truly believe that the trip was better than the plan. We did the research, set the itinerary but when we arrived in each city, we decided to walk around for a few hours to get our bearings and immerse ourselves in the culture and day to day activity of the city. If we saw a museum we went, if we wanted to stop for a snack at a local restaurant or cafe, we did. We accomplished all of our goals and found hidden gems in each place
As the school year began, I showed my Crimes Against Humanity class a few of the photos from our trip and briefly highlighted my goals for bringing my experience to the classroom. I am working on a unit that will cover the Siege of Sarajevo, Srebrenica Genocide, and the Homeland War in Croatia. I am looking forward to learning with the students because even though I was aware of the conflict in Bosnia in the 1990’s, I had no idea how catastrophically the war affected Bosnia and Croatia.
I am going to show my class the re-imagined propaganda posters and photo gallery exhibit and ask them to recreate a similar project. I would ask them to choose another conflict and create a memorial photo exhibit or propaganda poster that reflects their understanding. I want them to honor the event, the victims, and survivors, while incorporating the theme from our trip, ‘Justice after Genocide’.
We posted to our social media accounts daily and it was wonderful seeing students, family, friends, and colleagues liking and commenting on our posts. It felt like they were on the trip with us. We have already run into parents and other educators who have asked about our trip and how they can apply in the future. I am excited to present at our Cultural Night, and share with community members our experiences. It is a wonderful way to make strong, personal, and lasting connections.