INTRODUCTION

This year's Spring Day activities at Osnovna šola Pivka proved to be educational and fun for all concerned. We focused on solidarity as one of the most important values for the future of Europe and tried bringing the problem of poverty closer to our children. They got to know one of the schools in Ghana, which we are planning to continue staying in touch with in the future.

Our guests included Samo Kosnik, geodisist and world traveller, Incio Bintchenda, citizen of African Guyana and Adi Smolar, a well-known Slovenian chanconier. The guests and pupils took part in a workshop and video conference with schools in London and Turkey dedicated to the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) with a particular focus on poverty and ways of eradicating it not only in third world countries, but also in Europe until the year 2015.

Other workshops included making posters and leaflets, which were then hung up in libraries, bookshops, banks and shopping centers to remind people of poverty in the world. Some workshops prepared rag dolls and other hand-made toys to be sent to the children of the new African school. We didn't forget about our local heroes and the pupils with a poetic touch, put their thoughts on paper and expressed their feelings about Peace. Living in a world of diversity is something very new for the little ones. After a short presentation, they drew people of different races living together in one world.

We ended the day with a cultural programme prepared for representatives from our municipal office and other regional representatives as well as other people from the local community.

We hope that bringing solidarity closer to the hearts of our children will enable them to learn more about the world, cherish what they have and in their own way make a difference.

Magdalena Bobek