Why is it important to the children of Pula that they learn about their shared history through football?
Pula is a Mediterranean and multicultural city that during its turbulent history also had a four-language (German, Italian, Slovenian and Croatian language) daily communication. Influences and three cultural (Roman, Central European and Slavic) layers that have left their mark on everyday life and tradition but also flow through Pula. In Pula, children are taught from an early age in different ways about accepting diversity, tolerance and peace. One of the ways of such teaching is through sports, football in particular because football is multicultural and international. That is why it is important to participate in projects of this kind in which, with the help of a very powerful tool (football), children learns about the common history of certain nations. For children from Pula, examples from practice such as this project are just a confirmation of sharing the common history of the peoples living in this area. In this way, Pula children connect their theoretical and practical knowledge about spreading peace and tolerance.
The story of Ivan Šorić is wonderful. How was this information received by your school and your colleagues?
The very emotional story about teacher Ivan Šorić touched many colleagues (but also the wider community) and lots of them almost cried. Ivan Šorić is a typical example of a good, ordinary „small“ man who found himself in the whirlwind of war, and in addition to all the horrors of war, he remained a goodman and a benefactor. He is proof that the job of a teacher is a mission not a profession. Many colleagues identified with him because they do their job with heart.
What will the legacy of the Peace Pitch provide for the children of Pula in the future?
The legacy of the pitch field has brought the children of Pula very big tasks that will need to be fulfilled in the future, and these are: awareness of a common history, football as a sport that unites, not separates people, responsible behavior, spreading peace and tolerance, accepting diversity, understanding the past through the lives of ordinary „small“ people.
How will Veli Vrh Pula elementary school use the pitch in terms of education?
The school will continue with the project, but also with further education related to local history. Education will be divided into field work (research in archives, libraries, museums, oral history methods); practical work (making student presentations and articles), but also expanding the pitch field because we will try to find other schools in Istria that have similar stories as ours, so that together we learn, share history and play football.