OSCE Mission to Croatia and Education Ministry award winners of art contest in multicultural schools

VUKOVAR/OSIJEK, 12 December 2006 - The winners of an art contest for children, organized by the OSCE Mission to Croatia and the country's Education Ministry for multicultural schools in Vukovar-Sirmium and Osijek-Baranja counties, received their awards today.

Some 900 children from 30 elementary schools entered their art and literary works in the "Children Together" contest, which was aimed to promote friendship and co-existence in the Danube region.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Head of the OSCE Mission, Ambassador Jorge Fuentes, said he hoped that this project would contribute to the growing atmosphere of trust and friendship developing among children of this formerly troubled region.

"As Croatia moves towards European integration, it is important to recognize the mutual benefits of interaction, co-operation and exchange, and to avoid separation, division and isolation between communities," he said.

State Secretary Zelimir Janjic from the Croatian Education Ministry said the project was one of many ways in which the Ministry supported activities meant to enhance friendly interaction between children from minority and majority groups.

"Children that took part in this contest had a chance to know each other better and to develop friendships that will put them on the right path to mature together joyfully."
The art contest complements Croatia's celebration in 2006 of a well-known inventor, Nikola Tesla, an ethnic Serb born in Croatia.