The fourth Theatre Weekend for Children and Young People concluded on Wednesday, 4 November, after three days of programming in Zadar. The festival was organised by the theatre association Igrajmo se, and over the three days, it brought together children and young people from Zadar, Tuzla, Zagreb, Bjelovar and Šibenik.
The slogan for this year's edition was "You and I create by playing", which was devised jointly by the young participants themselves. The festival was opened on Monday at the Zadar Puppet Theatre by the organiser and president of the theatre association Igrajmo se, Matija Šango Šimurina, who welcomed all those present, and particularly the dear guests from other cities. The opening was marked by the performance "Out of the Frame", an original project by the students of the oldest secondary school group of Igrajmo se Zadar, which the audience received with delight.
The second day brought "The Wizard of Oz" by the Bjelovar Theatre, storytelling by Sanja Grgin, and the forum theatre "White Coat" by the Tuzla Youth Theatre, in which the audience actively participated in re-examining the characters' decisions. The final day began with the performance "The Abandoned House" by the Zagreb Youth Theatre School "Zvjezdana Ladika", which delighted the audience, after which the participants headed to the Zadar Forum.
At the Zadar Forum, more than 200 participants took part in dramatic games. This was followed by two workshops at the Zadar Youth Centre — a clown workshop by Toni Leaković from the artistic organisation GIG Teatar, and a stage speech and voice workshop by Lovro Krsnik from the Croatian Centre for Dramatic Education.
Particular attention was drawn to the performance "Children of Paradise" by the Dramatic Studio "Ivana Jelić" of the Croatian National Theatre in Šibenik, which addressed peer bullying. The audience was moved to tears, and the young actors earned a standing ovation and several minutes of applause.
The festival concluded with a roundtable titled "Voice of the Young", moderated by the pedagogue Antonija Kero. Participants in the discussion included Dora Šimurina from the theatre association Igrajmo se, Anja Bulić from the Tuzla Youth Theatre, Lovro Paić from the Dramatic Studio of the Croatian National Theatre in Šibenik, and Frane Barović from the Zagreb Youth Theatre School "Zvjezdana Ladika".
The young people spoke openly about peer bullying, the mental health of young people, the need for belonging and acceptance, and the pressures placed on them by society, family and their surroundings. It was highlighted that feelings of insecurity, fear of judgement and a lack of quality communication often leave consequences for young people, as well as that unspoken words and repressed feelings can become a source of additional problems. An important topic was the individual's responsibility in recognising and stopping violence, with the message that change begins with each of us — from the willingness to react, listen to others and try to understand different perspectives.
The importance of empathy was emphasised, not only towards victims of violence but also in understanding the circumstances that can lead to inappropriate behaviour. The discussion also covered imposed expectations and traditional behavioural patterns that sometimes limit the freedom of young people to find their own path, as well as communication within the family and the need for a space where young people can freely express their opinions, fears and insecurities without fear of judgement.
The role of theatre occupied a special place in the discussion. The theatrical process provides young people with a safe environment for exploring their own feelings, confronting personal experiences and developing mutual trust, and through collaborative work on performances, young people speak about topics that concern them, learn to listen to one another, reflect on the society in which they live and recognise their own responsibility for change. The conclusion of the discussion was not a search for one universal message or perfect answers, but a reminder that none of us needs to have answers to all questions, but everyone can take a step towards a society with more understanding, respect and mutual support.
