BUILDING CONFIDENCE AMONG COMMUNITIES WITH BILINGUAL CHILDREN’S BOOK

Utalaya Foundation has published it’s second Children’s Book, with the help and support of UNMIK.

This project aims to encourage reading among children, by producing localized multilingual children’s books that will promote trust, reading comprehension, and the consumption of intelligent entertainment produced in Kosovo. The book is highly visual and could be read simultaneously in two languages Albanian and Serbian. The project hopes to contribute to building dialogue and empathy in the next generation through reading while promoting inter-ethnic cooperation between writers and artists in the present-day.

The book ‘Colors of Nature with Uta and Miljana’ narrates the story of a spontaneous friendship born between Uta-an alpinist from the Albanian community and Miljana- an artist from the Serbian community. The whole story highlights our shared humanity and conveys educational and peace-loving messages for Kosovo, the environment, and the communities and children that inhabit it.

Utalaya Foundation gathered 30 children, along with care-takers, teachers from NGO’s and other centers from different communities and categories living in Kosova, in an event held at North Mitrovica and introducing each community with successful women from both communities to create a bond and break the barrier of ethical judgement.

During the Event Uta and Miljana gave their motivational speeches in front of the children, read the story of the book “Colors of nature with Uta and Miljana” for them, answered their questions, and donated the book along with colorful postcards, bookmarks and stickers to each child with their autograph.

We thank all the participants, volunteers, and staff of Aquarius Gallery who helped us in the event with their tireless service and smiling faces.

In the end, we just want to say that, sometimes it takes just one speech, one book or one hour of activity with a child to trigger thousands of new brain connections that shape their life in a positive way. Utalaya Foundation is determined to be a nest of joy, education and shared values with everyone and especially children.