Mine Risk Education in Slavonia
In the week from 3 to 6 May, there were mine risk education activities held in Osijek-Baranja County (Laslovo, Vinkovci and Bilje) and Vukovar-Srijem County (Vinkovci and Mirkovci). Due to the fact that Vinkovci and Osijek are at the top of the list of most frequent occurrences of mine incidents, this fact is a reason why special efforts are being put into informing as many students as possible about mine danger.
Around 900 junior class students saw a theatre play of the Daska theatre entitled ‘’No, no, MINES!’’ this week. This play has been performed over 220 times in the past ten years. Mine risk education activities were organized for ca. 300 senior grade students in Bilje and Mirkovci. They attended the lecture held by representatives of the Croatian Mine Action Centre and County Police Administration – Anti-explosion department. After the lecture in the elementary school in Mirkovci, several students informed the employee of the Ministry of Interior Mr. Josip Colarić about the existence of an explosive ordinance near the ethno house. They went together to the location to investigate. Children became friends with Mr. Colarić and promised to inform the police in the future if they find any suspicious object.
Marta Kovačić from CROMAC informed the students about the use of CROMAC MISportal and showed them how to find the locations of mine warning signs placed in the field on the portal so that they could compare it to the actual situation in the field, on the locations they pass by on a daily basis. All students were given educative brochures and bracelets with messages about mine warning signs. School libraries received educative picture books ‘’Watch out-MINES!’’ and a DVD ‘’Bembo and friends’’. Mine risk education in Vinkovci and Mirkovci was organized by the Town Society of Red Cross from Vinkovci. They also invented the project ‘’Playgrounds for children in mine surrounded areas’’. Until today, they have donated safe oasis for children’s play in 48 towns and municipalities equipped with toboggan, seesaw, merry-go-round, pyramid, step iron, wastepaper baskets and benches. Out of 48 playgrounds on the territory under the jurisdiction of TSRC Vinkovci in Vukovar-Srijem County, 18 playgrounds are in the Town of Vinkovci.
