On December 10, 2020, on the International Human Rights Day, the Network for Building Peace, despite the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, announced the winners of the Peace Award, and the award ceremony itself was postponed for some safer and happier moments. Since 2020, the Network’s Peace Award bears the name of Goran Bubalo, in memory of a great man, his great merits, selfless work and sharing with which he has indebted us all and built for all of us the path of peace and nonviolence, which we now walk and live and will continue to walk in the future.
The Peace Award is awarded in several categories, and the Public Institution “General Gymnasium Bosanska Krupa” received the Peace Award “Goran Bubalo” in the category of schools that stand out for their work on promoting tolerance, peace building, inclusiveness and human rights. The peace Award “Goran Bubalo” was presented to the Public Institution “General Gymnasium Bosanska Krupa” on May 27, 2021, symbolically in front of the new building of the Gymnasium, where students will continue their education from the next school year.
The Gymnasium in Bosanska Krupa was formed in 1960 and existed as a secondary school until the reform of secondary education in terms of the application of the ZUR, when secondary education (gymnasium, technical school and business school) was integrated into the secondary school center. At that time, the Gymnasium was considered a school with a strong tradition on a national scale. As an independent high school, with the change of legal regulations and the reform of education, the school was re-established in 1991/1992. The schooling of the generation in 1992 was interrupted by the war. During the war, students continued their education in the schools of the then district of Bihać in Cazin, Velika Kladuša and Bihać, where this generation completed its secondary education in 1994/1995. Already at the end of January 1996, in very difficult conditions, the high school students continued with the teaching process, and on July 1, 1996, the first post-war generation finished the fourth grade.
During the school year 2009/2010, the Parents’ Council reactivated the project of building a new building. All activities related to the demolition of the existing facility and the construction of a new one were taken over by the Municipality of Bosanska Krupa. The old building was demolished in August 2010. Since then, classes have been held in the Second Elementary School, during the second shift. A special feature of this school are the achievements of students: in recent years they have managed to win numerous awards in various disciplines at world, regional and national competitions. It is important to note that Public Institution General Gymnasium is one of 1800 schools worldwide and one of 18 schools from BiH, which is a permanent member of the PASCH initiative. PASCH stands for the slogan “Schools: partners of the future”. It is a network of 1800 schools around the world, where the German language is of particular importance. PASCH is a joint initiative of the Federal Office of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Central Office for Schools Abroad, the Goethe-Institut, the German School Exchange Service, the Pedagogical Exchange Service and are part of the international learning community.
Promoting language in schools is a particularly sustainable measure of foreign cultural policy because it strengthens intercultural dialogue, encourages understanding, openness to cultural diversity and tolerance. PASCH is an international learning community. Only through PASCH did the school receive modern, multimedia teaching materials and technical equipment, such as a phono-laboratory. ZfA, GI and PAD provide support to the school in ensuring high quality teaching, student exchange programs and the International Awards Program (PAD).
Gymnasium in Bosanska Krupa is a school that respects and nurtures diversity. Tolerance is present every day at this school, because there is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the richness of diversity of world cultures, forms of expression and ways of communicating with people. It is also a school that regularly participates in projects and competitions on the topic of diversity and tolerance.
Watch the message of the students of the Public Institution “General Gymnasium Bosanska Krupa” at the following link:
Watch the message of the director of the “General Gymnasium Bosanska Krupa” at the following link:
About the award
The Peace Award of the Network for Building Peace, which has been named after Goran Bubalo since 2020, was established in 2013 as an award for individuals and schools that stand out in their work on peacebuilding and the promotion of human rights issues. The purpose of the award is to recognize outstanding creative achievements in promoting tolerance, human rights and peacebuilding. The emphasis is on achievement. The ultimate goal is to draw attention to successful people and schools that can serve as role models for others in the areas of tolerance and peacebuilding. The award thus recognizes efficiency as well as vision. The Peace Award is awarded to people who stand on the defense of human rights and work to spread the principles of peace and solidarity in the world, and who have made an outstanding contribution to international social justice and peace, and interreligious cooperation. The award is dedicated to the effective implementation of the principle of tolerance in the public and private spheres, especially in activities that contribute to peace building in the fields of arts, education, culture and science.
Laureates in 2020
– In the category of schools, the expert jury decided that the Peace Award in 2020 belongs to the Public Institution General Grammar School “Bosanska Krupa”.
– In the category of individual/activist, it was decided that the Peace Award will be awarded posthumously to our deceased colleague Goran Bubalo.
– A special award/certificate of appreciation this year was awarded to the kindergarten “Sunčani most” from Mostar
– In the individual category, the award was given to Zehida Bihorac Odobašić, from the First Elementary School in Velika Kladuša
The following persons were part of the expert jury:
- Vahidin Omanović – Center for Peacebuilding Sanski Most
- Aleksandar Žolja – Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka
- Nataša Maksimović – Network for Building Peace
- Nerzuk Ćurak – Faculty of Political Sciences Sarajevo
- Azra Pita Parente – PUBLIKA
- Damir Šaćiragić – Riječi mira
- Dženana Alađuz – Info House
Sead Đulić – Mostar Youth Theater
