Differences we’ve made
Differences we’ve made
Education
- Children’s summer club built up over 9 summers to an attendance of 500 children with 30 volunteer leaders.
- Collection, donation and installation of IT for schools: 190 computers with additional printers, storage devices etc.
- IT training for 20 teachers.
- Peace Camps for 30 teenagers (with IKR).
- Art materials for 5 schools and filled school bags for 50 school children.
- Support for 20 evacuated Kosovar children in UK schools.
- Experience and support for 40 young volunteers including references for higher education and employment when requested.
- A young, British, wild life photographer captured what is going on in the Peace Park garden, the Park woodland and Podujevë countryside. He presented his own wildlife film to highly enthusiatic pupils in the schools of Podujeva.
- MA support (Peace and Development – Leeds Met) for MaK representative/Kosova.
Manchester Peace Park
- 22 acre park created used by the whole community
- over 120 volunteers have visited Kosova to work with MaK
- garden of peace and remembrance designed and created
- dedication of trees and plants in memoriam
- horticultural training provided
- support given to young ecologists
- play and sports facilities built
- ‘art in the park’ installed
- drama in the park performed
Justice and human rights
- child witness support provided for war crimes trials (UK, Kosova, Canada)
- embassy liaison
- 10 year remembrance day programme (28.3.09) Podujevë, Kosova
- practical support for Handikos and for its inclusion policies
- encouragement and support for young people and the wide sharing of responsibilities in MaK leadership, projects and summer school
- support for IKR youth Peace Camp and projects
- launch of women’s business initiative
Music
- ‘Cohesion’ album
- ‘Ten’ album
- ‘Manchester MaK I’ vinyl
- concerts and festivals in the UK and Kosova
- collaboration with Kosovar musicians
- regular MaK Manchester stage at Great Manchester Run
Art
- 25 British artists have worked in Kosova with MaK, many returning regularly
- art has been central to 7 annual children’s summer clubs including: painting, design, clay, the creation of a ‘Wild Zone’ using stone and natural materials in the Peace Park, dance, drama and movement
- children’s art competitions
- £43,000 raised for MaK art projects
- sculpture and art flag installed on Manchester Peace Park
- 14 exhibitions organized in Kosova and U.K including ‘Fragile State – Art from Kosova’
- formation of Vizioni i Paqes – a collective of young artists
- support for ‘Bogujevci – Visual History’ a UK led exhibition shown in the National Galleries of Kosova and Albania
- 8 visits of groups of Kosovar artists to U.K including residencies at Castle Fine Art Foundry, Eden Project and Yorkshire Sculpture Park
- 16 series of workshops organised in Kosova and U.K
- support for ‘Bogujevci – Visual History’, a UK led exhibition shown in the National Galleries of Kosova and Albania
- ceramic poetry project including the construction and successful firing of a wood fired kiln
- murals by David Shillinglaw in Peace Park and hospital
- strengthening of arts bridges and networks
Aid
- 1000 tonnes of humanitarian aid
- 5,000 books collected in the UK, including from Manchester University, distributed to libraries in Kosova
- medical aid
- IT for schools
- financial support for mines clearance / mines awareness by MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
- 1,000 footballs for children transported and distributed (Truce International donation to MaK)
- New baby clothes donated
Sport
- introduction of Manchester Peace Park Run, Kosova, which over 5 years has evolved into the Kosova half marathon
- support for athletics leaders including training on the Great Manchester Run with Nova International
- sport and athletics integral to the children’s summer club programme
- invitation and hosting of lead Kosovar athletes to run with the international elite in the UK
- visit to Manchester United training ground for Kosovar leaders
- over 100 MaK runners from the UK, Kosova and Canada in the Great Manchester Run (10K), Great North Run (half marathon) and London Marathon raising over £20,000 sponsorship.
