Vukovar field trips for pupils from Bosnia and Herzegovina agreement signed

Vukovar

ZAGREB, 29 Jan (Hina) – Croatia’s Ministry of Veterans Affairs signed an agreement with authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to continue field trips to Vukovar for pupils from BiH, a project that has so far brought around 9,000 pupils from the neighbouring country to the city.

The agreement extends the project under which eighth-grade pupils visit Vukovar as part of compulsory field teaching organised by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Ministry of Science and Education since 2016.

In 2022, the programme was expanded to include pupils from BiH following the Croatian curriculum.

Veterans Affairs Minister Tomo Medved said more than 50,000 eighth-grade pupils from across Croatia visit Vukovar each year, with over 335,000 pupils having taken part so far.

The programme is implemented by the Homeland War Memorial Centre and also includes visits to Pakrac, Lipik, Karlovac, Knin and Okučani.

Medved said pupils learn about the role of these areas in the defence and liberation of Croatia, adding that it is particularly moving when young people born after the war write about their impressions in the visitors’ book.

The agreement is valid until the end of the next school year. All costs are covered by the ministry, except transport for pupils from BiH, which is paid by the co-signatories.

West Herzegovina Canton Education Minister Daniela Perić said the project builds bridges between children, history and the future, allowing young people to encounter the truth about the Homeland War through people, places and collective memory.

Following the signing, Medved presented awards to pupils from Croatia and BiH for the best short stories on the Homeland War.

A total of 21 stories from the 2024 and 2025 calls were awarded, while the next call will be published in early February.