Sports and recreation complex in Pale near Potočari
Meeting house of youth in Srebrenica
The jewel of new generations is still going to shine near Potočari through educational, sports and recreational activities aimed at helping young returnees. IFS-EMMAUS has begun implementation of the project building the Pale Sports and Recreation Centre near Potočari, not far from the Memorial Centre. On the plot owned by IFS-EMMAUS, on a former farm is planned the construction of various sports fields, adrenaline parks, children’s playgrounds, swimming pools and ski resorts. In addition to sports activities, walks on forest roads and on the route “March of Peace” are also envisioned. A great role in the construction was certainly taken by our volunteers and employees with the support of foreign donors. It will be a place of entertainment and various gatherings of our beneficiaries and events from traditional working camps to marking the orphan days and other similar occasions.
Within the complex, it was envisioned to create a mini-settlement for the meetings of youth in Srebrenica that would be characterized by contemporary bungalows for accommodation and a conference room of a size 150 m2. The final stages in equipping are already at the very end and the bungalows were recently built by the Foundation The House of Good Tones. The executive director of the Foundation, The House of Good Tones, Namir Porić, told for the media earlier that the Meeting House would be an opportunity for young people to explore for the needs of their scientific and academic projects, to question, but also to promote values which are a proof of quality and bright future.
“Young people will have the opportunity to get to know each other, learn from each other, point each other to those discoveries and knowledge that are in the service of social progress, adopt skills on how to live the best versions of themselves and how to become active citizens who will serve the best interests of the community in which they live. The Meeting House will be open to all young people who are ready to learn and share knowledge, and will take on their international character by opening the door to students, young researchers and lecturers from abroad,” said Porić.
A full day’s stay and accommodation for up to 30 people is just one in a series of possibilities that this complex will provide. We have no doubt that very soon it will become synonym of good relation of community towards young people and the crown of the humanitarian work of our organization when it comes to care for young people, their safe and perspective return, as well as strong and credible ideas about the progress of this area.
“Our goal is that our projects have long-term results. After building The Meeting House, we have plans for different activities that will be organized. We are devoted in investing in the future of this area and helping young people in order to enrich their daily lives,” said the Assistant Director of IFS-EMMAUS Elmedin Škrebo.
There is still a lot of construction to be undertaken for the Complex to gain its identity, for which it was originally intended. The work will also be based on peer education principles that imply that young people learn from their peers, which will be especially important during meeting participants from abroad. The aim of the project is that young people develop a sense of belonging to the world of universal human values, regardless of ethnic, national, religious, social and other affiliations, through quality educational, cultural and artistic content.
