On Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 6 pm on Wilson’s Promenade (gathering at the Ars Aevi Bridge at 5 pm) a charity race “What color is my heart”? will be held with the aim to raise money for the production of the first 3D printed tactile picture book for blind children in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The track is three kilometers long, and the race will be inclusive. People with visual and hearing impairments will also participate.
The organizers, Lions Club Olympic City Sarajevo, with the support of NGO Marathon Sarajevo and the author of the picture book Jasmina Kos, invite all runners, recreationists and citizens to join them in the race (running, walking, encouraging participants) and to help by paying registration fee/donation of 15 BAM. The funds will be used for children with visual impairments and modern content that will help them learn Braille and develop tactile perception.
The 3D printed picture book project is supported by the Ministry of Education of the Sarajevo Canton and a number of institutions and associations such as the Association of the Blind of Canton of Sarajevo and the Public Institution Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Edina Husejnović from the Lions Club says: “Lions Club the Olympic City of Sarajevo, as part of the largest, international service organization, Lions Clubs International, continuously helps the blind and visually impaired. In almost 30 years of operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Lions have had many successful projects, so the charity race “What color is my heart?” is a natural sequence of our actions, and we are extremely happy to have been given the opportunity to organize it. The goal is, in addition to raising funds for the production of the first printed 3D picture book, to raise the awareness of our citizens about the problems of this population, and the social inclusion of blind and visually impaired persons.”
The author Jasmina Kos explains: “Tactile picture books are extremely useful and equally rare content, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the countries of the region. The traditional way of making is time-consuming and expensive, but by creating the first 3D printed picture book, we are introducing an innovation that will allow this to be only the first in a series of modern educational materials. I am developing the content with experienced Braille experts, typhlopedagogues, illustrator Filip Andronik and architect Emir Salkić, for the benefit not only of the blind and visually impaired, but also for all children, their parents and teachers. The 3D printed picture book will be accompanied by other forms, such as a picture book in sign language. “
Selma Kukić from the NGO “Marathon Sarajevo” says: “The mission of the Association for Sports and Development “Marathon Sarajevo” is to build positive personal and social values through sports, and the most important are tolerance, respect and care for others.
On one hand, we want this unique educational tool to be available to as many children and their loved ones as possible in order to build through self-confidence and courage for the participation of blind and visually impaired persons in all segments of society, including participation in sports events such as Sarajevo half marathon and other races in our city. On the other hand, our goal is to use our own example to invite as many citizens, companies and other organizations as possible to help vulnerable groups in society, because only through joint engagement we can achieve lasting positive changes.”
For all additional information about the project “What color is my heart?”, as well as about the charity race with the same title and media appearances, please contact the author of the picture book Jasmina Kos – 062 897 345.
