On Wednesday 15.03. an exhibition was held in the "Simeon Piščević" library in Šid. The exhibited works were created within the framework of the project "Humanitarian Assistance and Protection Related Interventions to People on the Move in Serbia", in the reception center in Šid. 

This exhibition is the result of psycho-social assistance in the refugee-center-station-waitingroom where opportunities to continue the journey to the desired destinations await.

Art works, messages and photographs created during the artistic occupation workshops held in the Šid Reception Center from August 2022 to March 2023 are on display. 

Art occupation workshops - led by independent artist Aleksandra Mirimanov, who is also the author of the exhibition concept. 

Before the official opening of the exhibition, Demir Mekić, a sociologist and youth worker, led a workshop in which the students of the "Sava Šumanović" high school participated.

Through informal methods as well as the theater of the oppressed, workshops were realized with the following goals: Sensitizing young people from Serbia to diversity, intercultural sensitization, mapping social distance and working on it, accepting different cultural narratives. Sensitization of young people on the topic of refugees, migration and understanding the journey of refugees and migrants, as well as the challenges they face in their place of residence through creative products. Empowering a group of young people to express their thoughts, attitudes and fears regarding the acceptance of the "Other". Work on changing xenophobic attitudes towards greater acceptance of diversity. 

The opening of the exhibition of works by people from the reception centers, in addition to representatives of the EHO project holders, collaborators and the library, was also attended by several young people, refugees and migrants from the Reception Center in Šid, as well as representatives of the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia and representatives of the "Sava Šumanović" high school. 

It is important to understand that we all came from somewhere and that due to various reasons we may willingly go, but unfortunately we may be forced to go to other places in search of better living conditions. Wars, unfavorable political, social or economic situations, climate change, natural disasters were and remain the most common reasons for migration. Refugee centers for migrants in Serbia are stations for people on the move. By definition, a station is a place of residence, a room, a chamber, but it also means the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms, it also means a place related to transport where a means of transport regularly or temporarily stops so that passengers can enter in or come out of it.

"If it weren't for these workshops, it would be hard for me to get through the long, cold and tense waiting days." Thank you." (George, 28, Syria) 

The project was implemented by the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization with the financial support of the Swiss partner HEKS/EPER, Switzerland.