The arrival of spring in Zenica has brought new energy and momentum to educational initiatives. For the students and teachers of the Second Gymnasium Zenica, this period marks the beginning of a new chapter, as the school has become part of the network of Resource Centres for Democratic School Culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The ceremonial opening, held at the school, brought together students, the teaching staff, as well as representatives of the education authorities.

The Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Zenica-Doboj Canton, Mirza Mušija, expressed his expectations that resource centres reflect the shared commitment to ensuring that this and other schools can develop a culture that nurtures “both traditional and modern pedagogical and democratic values and norms consistent with human dignity. Democracy is learned and lived through open dialogue. It is our responsibility to provide students with the opportunity to become responsible, active, and honest citizens."

The schools’ Principal Sumedin Arnaut highlighted several initiatives carried out during the implementation of project activities, including the establishment of the Critical Thinking Club, humanitarian actions, visits to homes and centres for children with special educational needs, workshops, and more. “As a result of the training on the competences for democratic school culture, completed by our teaching staff, the Second Gymnasium in Zenica has become a Resource Centre for Democratic School Culture, aiming to provide mutual mentorship among teachers from primary and secondary schools,” Arnaut added.

Nedim Krajišnik, Executive Director of the Centre for Educational Initiatives Step by Step, a key partner in implementing this initiative, stated that resource centres clearly show teachers have “incredible capacity for professional growth and rethinking education. Education rests on the shoulders of these professionals, and they are an irreplaceable wheel – the only way to grow is to learn from one another. Ultimately, democratic culture is neither a subject nor free time, but a teaching attitude, conviction, and a way to translate abstract concepts into everyday classroom practice. We are proud to be a partner of the teachers and the Council of Europe in this process."

Before the official opening, the team of teachers from the school who completed the Council of Europe training conducted a workshop on competences for democratic school culture for their peers - which is one of the core roles of the resource centre.

As a new Resource Centre, the school will serve as a hub for democratic values and inclusive learning - supporting other schools in the community in promoting respect, dialogue, participation, and equality, through the exchange of knowledge, skills, tools, and practices that help teachers and schools strengthen democratic culture in everyday life and contribute to systemic change. The experience of Resource Centres confirms that education has a strong potential to drive positive social change - not only within schools but also in the wider community.

This activity was implemented under the Action “Quality Education for All – Bosnia and Herzegovina,” which is part of the Council of Europe and the European Union’s joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.”