“The Gift of Diversity” is one of the most successful and attractive inclusive projects, for teenagers with autism spectrum disorder and developmental difficulties, and teenagers without health problems, through integrative art practices, which was fulfilled thanks to the Australian Embassy in Belgrade
We published “Accepting Diversity Handbook”, as a result of a project, with the participation of top experts: Dr. Vedrana Milić Rašić, neuropsychiatrist (Clinic of Neurology and Psychiatry for Children and Youth, Faculty of Medicine in Belgrade), Dr. Biljana Pirgić, a specialist in child psychiatry, child and adolescent psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, Jana Popović, master of special education, Mirjana Mihailović, accordion teacher (MS “Kosta Manojlović”, Zemun and coordinator of the Association “Inclusive Network”) and Gordana Videnović, English teacher “School for the education of visually impaired students “Veljko Ramadanović ”, Zemun), Ivana Kovačević, teacher of Serbian language and literature (Elementary School“ Dr. Dragan Hercog ”, Belgrade), Natalija Lazić, theater producer and mother of a girl with autism.
We owe great gratitude to our friends from City Municipality Stari Grad and Museum of Thetaer Art of Serbia who recognized the importance of this project and allowed us to use their premises for workshops.
Our beneficiaries have shown what they have learned for the past few months with their mentors. We had a pleasure to see the exhibition of art works, and enjoying the performance of playing and singing various musical numbers which were prepared by mentors Prof. Magdalena Rančić, Prof. Ljiljana Đorđević and also with young artists from our organization. .
We were honored with the presence of the Australian Ambassador, HE Mr. Daniel Emery and Mrs. Ana Redžić, who greeted the participants and awarded them with interesting gifts.
Pupils of the fourth grade of the Elementary school “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj” from Pančevo did us a special honor, with their teacher Predrag Starčević.
The project “The Gift of Diversity” is five years in existence now, and it is a pure example of combating the stigma and prejudice, respect for diversity and promoting human rights through the arts.