Sports festival: Bujanovac is a place for all of us
By: I. Jovanović

Bujanovac, May 26, 2025—On Monday, the BSK Stadium in Bujanovac hosted a large inclusive sports festival for migrants, students from local elementary schools, and members of football clubs. The festival aimed to promote equality, nonviolence, and social inclusion through sports.

“Our goal is for children to socialize, make new friends and acquaintances, and for migrants and refugees to feel accepted within the local community. At the same time, we want to encourage Bujanovac as a multiethnic environment to organize more events like this, so that children can grow closer and perhaps build better relationships and cooperation from the very beginning,” said Bojana Nakić from the NGO Atina for our portal.

Participants in this tournament include children from the Bujanovac Reception Center, the Vranje Asylum Center, elementary schools “Branko Radičević” and “Naim Frashëri,” as well as children from football clubs BSK Bujanovac and Dinamo Vranje.

Two multipliers designed the event, inspired by a previous training session held in Belgrade.

“The children first got to know each other and then created their flags based on how they see themselves on the field. They received T-shirts in different colors according to their teams, which they wear all day. There are five stations where they will train, followed by a football tournament. We’ve provided food, chocolate bars, and juices, and at the end, everyone will receive medals, while the clubs and schools will receive certificates of appreciation. Additionally, all the sports equipment used today will be donated to schools and clubs after the event,” added Nakić.

NGO Atina organized the festival in cooperation with FK BSK, ŽSU Dinamo, ŽFSU Meraki, the elementary schools “Branko Radičević” and “Naim Frashëri,” along with over 30 coaches, sports workers, civil society organizations, and institutions. The festival's exceptional value is the participation of children from the Vranje Asylum Center and the Bujanovac Reception Center, with support from the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration.

“Sport gives us what society often cannot — a space to be accepted. We believe in a world where the winners are not the strongest, but those who don’t leave others behind. We erase boundaries among children, communities, and worlds on the sports field. We believe in sport as a space where every child can be equal, seen, and accepted. The playground knows no differences — and neither do we,” Nakić previously stated for our portal.

The event is being held as part of the “Sport Together” project, funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program. The project promotes social inclusion and reconciliation through sports activities in the Western Balkans. It is implemented by partners from Serbia (NGO Atina), Austria (Fairplay Initiative-VIDC), Croatia (NK Zagreb 041), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Let’s Play Together Initiative – IZI), Montenegro (Youth Initiative for Human Rights), and Kosovo* (Girls Soccer Club Prishtina).

Text in the original could be read at the following link: Sportski festival: Bujanovac je mesto za sve nas (FOTO) - Bujanovačke