Primary School Branko Radicevic, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

HOW CAN WE CREATE PEACE TOGETHER?

We are Ivana and Jovan. I, Ivana, am 14 years old and Jovan is 13 years old. Every day when we wake up, we admire life and everything that surrounds us because the Earth is full of miraculous landscapes and beautiful human constructions. Flora and fauna make the Earth wonderful, while religions and ethnic groups make it special. However, the adults don’t realize that. While advocating peace and love, they make wars every now and again. We are aware of consequences of war which leaves behind many victims and families without their homes. The weapons used in wars are extremely dangerous to plants, animals and human beings. Because of that more and more plants and animals are becoming extinct, more new-born children are born with anomalies, and rare diseases, for which there is no cure, appear more often.

Even the country where we live has gone through horrors of civil war. There is still problem with unexploded mines in our country, even though 19 years have passed since the end of the war. A lot of people have been injured and died. Children were victims of unexploded mines, too. A lot of people still live in a collective accommodation. While other kids in America, Canada and other more developed countries live comfortably, many children in our country live in poverty. Children in the third world countries die from starvation and of various illnesses.

We’ve got the feeling that the more science and technology are developing, the more our planet is being destroyed, and that leads to the growing natural disasters one of which has recently struck our country. Is nature sending us a message? Does it want to show us that we are stronger when we unite, when we are together regardless of skin colour, religion or nation?

We want to tell something to the adults: Let’s stop fighting! Be kind to each other! Be warm-hearted and generous! Is it so hard to be an adult and comply with what you teach your children? Is greed stronger than generosity? We would also like to ask them: What will you leave in heritage to the world? Can we save the planet for future generations? What will you leave us – seeds of love or seeds of hate?

So, this way we declare: our generation chooses love and peace because we want childhood without fear. And to our peers we say – explore! Your weapon must be knowledge! Don’t fear the unknown, because ignorance creates fear, fear creates hatred and hatred creates violence. You must explore! Don’t have any prejudice. In order to save this beautiful planet, we should decorate it like a film stage for us and future generations.

We choose love and peace. We can create peace in the world. We are the power!

Written by Ivana, 14 years old, and Jovan, 13 years old, class VIII₄, Primary school Branko Radičević, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

HOW CAN WE CREATE PEACE TOGETHER?

              I see this world crushing down and I think how it must be beautiful to have peace in your soul. When you are in peace, you feel like a bird in flight – free! Your freedom is wide as the sky. However, peace is just a pause between two wars. I hate wars. Innocent people loose their lives. When I think about how much blood has been spilled, my soul breaks up. My heart cries. If we want to change the world, so that everything and everyone is at peace, so that we can even hear the chirp of birds on branches, let’s start with ourselves.

              How many times have we stomped on an ant? And it is a living being and has the equal right to live. People fight amongst them, rather than help each other. I believe that every person has a good and a bad side in themselves. The only question is which way of life they will choose. In life, the only important thing is to be a good person – nothing else matters. We are all the same, whatever colour our skin is, whatever language we speak. We all have one life and we should live it. We should always be happy. Life is too short to live in hatred.

Let flowers replace swords and smiles cover tears. With willingness, everything is possible. If we all have the will and desire to create peace in the world, if everyone should put a little effort in it, then we’ll succeed. We would fly united like a flock of birds.

Written by Anastasija, 13 years old, class VIII₄, Primary school Branko Radičević, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

HOW CAN WE CREATE PEACE TOGETHER?

              The world has always been burdened with problems among the people and countries. Finally, the time has come for people to come together and help each other. Kids in schools need to learn to love people, and one day the world will be more beautiful and better than it is nowadays. An important thing is mutual relation and love, regardless one’s origin. It is also important to love and respect the nature and environment we live in. this way, children and others will live in peace generated from home and school.

              Peace needs everybody and that’s why we must keep it and develop on all levels.

Written by Dajana, 14 years old, class IX₃, Primary school Branko Radičević, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Coordinated by Mr. Sasha Lukic, Primary School Branko Radicevic, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina