UNIMA Puppetry Collaboratorium – Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina

UNIMA (Union Internationale de la marionette) is the oldest theatre organisation in the world, affiliated with UNESCO. Its member all over the world, contribute to the development of Puppetry Art.
I am the elected Councillor of the Irish national centre (Irish UNIMA).
UNIMA PC, is a community engaging platform which I co-developed that connects various national centres and representatives to promote noble human values.
Irish and Croatian UNIMA centres organised three major events engaging the local community of Mostar and UNIMA members from over 12 countries around the globe. UNIMA PC’s mission was awarded recognition and patronage from UNESCO NGO Liasson Committee and its President, Mr. Nick Newland.

I facilitated “Relation – ships” , a puppet making workshop designed for children and families in Mostar, in collaboration with Ms. Tiina Sohonen from Norway and assistance from TJ Lynn from USA and Sean Morrissey from Norway. The community workshop culminated in the Ship Launching ceremony, an emotional outdoor spectacle where we assisted children and their parents release the ships into the Neretva river, under Mostar’s iconic Old Bridge, UNESCO Heritage site. Finally, I curated an art installation to display the puppet ships crafted by the children as a gift to the people of Mostar. Mr. TJ Lynn created the music from the sounds of the Neretva river and the city’s traditional music. 

Articles:

https://bljesak.info/kultura/kazaliste/u-mostaru-zapoceo-medunarodni-festival-lutkarske-umjetnosti/433274

https://www.unima.org/en/puppetrycollaboratorium-mostar/