The biggest event for children and young people in Southeast Europe will be held in Sarajevo from 10 to 14 June. The KID’s Festival, which this year carries the slogan „Europe for every child”, is co-funded by the European Union and UNICEF.

The Festival will be opened with a KID’s Parade through the centre of Sarajevo, which will start at 4 pm on 10 June in front of the Cathedral and proceed to the Monument to the Children of Sarajevo and then to Zetra Olympic Hall.

This will be the 8th KID’s Festival, and it is expected it will gather more than 40,000 young people from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The first Honorary Ambassador of the Festival, the Member of the European Parliament Doris Pack, will open the forum „Europe for all“. Participants in the Festival will include representatives from the Embassies of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Turkey, Japan, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, the Czech Republic, the United States of America, Malaysia, France, Spain and Italy.

Each day will be specially designed so 11 June will be „Wake up Day”, dedicated to children with disabilities, 12 June will be a day spent live with the RSG Radio, 13 June will be „Rafa Žirafa Day” with Raiffeisen Bank and 14 June will be dedicated to the police and to the crime prevention.

„This is a unique opportunity for children to make friendships, show their talents, and to participate in a week of films, workshops and entertainment, so to  better appreciate and understand  the other cultures,“ said Natalia Dianiskova, Head of the Operations Section for Social Development, Civil Society and Cross-Border Cooperation in BiH, at the EU Delegation to BiH.

She stressed that the EU is firmly committed to supporting children’s rights and responding to their basic needs.

„It is important for Bosnia and Herzegovina to build systems that will ensure adequate social protection policies, social protection and social inclusion of children and families,” she said.

UNICEF Representative Florence Bauer described the KID’s Festival as an „amazing” event that allows young people to express their own wishes. 

„It’s important for children to gather, to learn and to play,” she said.

Raiffeisen Director Michael Müller said the Festival was an opportunity for children to learn about saving.

General Bernhard Bair, the EUFOR Commander in BiH, announced that a special EUFOR parachute team will entertain children with parachute jumps. NATO officer Moira Carpenter added that children are the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

„We believe that the smile on children’s faces today creates a better tomorrow,” said Anita Cosse, Director of the „Out of Area” Foundation, which will bring 160 volunteers from the Netherlands to participate in the Festival. EUPM also participates in program with Children traffic school and Cyber crime workshop.

Canton Sarajevo Police Spokesperson Irfan Nefić said police officers would participate in the Festival with a view to giving children a positive sense of the role that police play in society.