Hello and welcome to this edition of our newsletter / Blog Post, from Čardačani, in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina, written by an immigrant (me), as I am neither a tourist or a citizen here.

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I am not really sure as to what your first see each week, when our latest posts, videos or podcasts drop into your email inboxes.

Maybe this week you’ve seen our new logo?

I have been mulling over some design changes to the blog for sometime now. How to give it a unique identity of its own.

During a scroll through my instagram feed recently, I was really taken by some work published by a local, Laktaši based designer, Maja Radinovic

I just loved how she portrayed both people and locations.

**The Main Church in Banja Luka - Maja Radinović**

So I commissioned Maja to “tidy us up” so to speak.

I like the result, as does Tamara and a small focus group I put together at this end.

Next will be a new look for our other blog Living in Bosnia and Herzegovina

What do you think of the new look?

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With the world still turning upside down, it’s been somewhat of a struggle to find Good News stories. I like Good News stories. We really do need more. If for no other reason that it helps with our mental health.

A Good News Story from Banja Luka

When I first arrived in Banja Luka two decades ago, I had many things to get used to from language, through food, through culture and much more.

It really was, I have to say, a world I hadn’t got a clue about.

Everyday was a new experience or should I say adventure.

One of the things that was immediately noticeable, was the absence of people with disabilities out on the street. I don’t mean people suffering with horrific injuries from the devastating fighting that occurred in the country

When I asked local members of my team at the time, it seemed that families might have been embarrassed to have disabled children, and that they stayed at homes, indoors, away from sight. Some people apparently (alledgedly) grew up with hardly ever leaving the house.

The more people I asked the same answer was given.

I felt rather sad on learning that but maybe it was a cultural thing?

As the years have progressed life has changed and gradually you see more and more disabled people in public spaces.

So it brought a smile to my face on reading that Banja Luka has launched (opened) its first café for vocational training of young people with intellectual disabilities, located at the youth centre in the centre of the city.

The concept of the cafe is part of the "Work training of young people with intellectual disabilities" project.

The importance of the project was shown by the opening of the café at the youth centre, being made by the Mayor of the City, Mr Drasko Stanivuković, who said that he was proud that the City of Banja Luka was a partner in such a project.

The beauty is not that we are all the same, the beauty lies in the differences, that is why the opening of this cafe actually gives the space of the Youth Center a completely new meaning. I am happy that young people gather in this area, who carry out various socially responsible activities here every day. Now they will be joined by a group of young people with certain intellectual disabilities, who will get a chance for job training in this cafe, which will contribute to a greater degree of inclusion but also a more equal position of these children in our society - said the mayor of Banja Luka.

Marica Premasunac, the mother of a young man with Down syndrome, said that the opening of this cafe is extremely important for these children, who spend most of their time at home and do not have enough activities, so every activity is extremely important to them.

She pointed out that the reactions of the children are really great, which is visible through their smiles, and that she hopes that this will come to life, as well as that greater understanding and support of people who do not have this problem is needed.

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Coming Soon to the Podcast

We talk to Banja Luka based Singer/Songwriter, Vanja Mišić.

And Finally

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THANKS SO MUCH ❤️

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 An Englishman in the Balkans 🇧🇦

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