Following its first presentation in 2019, the BREAKING FREE exhibition is returning to Sarajevo, once again creating space for the stories, experiences, and voices of children born of war and their mothers.
Inspired by their struggle, strength, and courage, the exhibition sheds light on experiences that were suppressed, silenced, and hidden for decades behind stigma, discrimination, and social invisibility. Today, children born of war are breaking that silence together, speaking publicly about their experiences, the injustices they have faced, and their long-standing struggle for dignity, equality, and recognition.
Since the exhibition was first presented, the Association Forgotten Children of War has continuously advocated for the legal and social recognition of children born as a result of wartime sexual violence, as well as for the protection of their rights.
Following years of advocacy, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina recognised children born as a result of wartime sexual violence as a specific category of civilian victims of war. With these developments, Bosnia and Herzegovina became the first country in the world to specifically recognise this category of children through legislation, granting them the right to legal status and certain forms of reparations.
However, the struggle for justice is far from over.
The BREAKING FREE exhibition is a reminder that rights which exist only on paper are not enough. It calls for institutional accountability, concrete action, and the development of long-term systemic solutions that will enable children born of war to fully exercise their rights and live free from stigma and discrimination.
Through art, personal stories, and public dialogue, the exhibition brings visibility to experiences that have remained on the margins of society for far too long. It speaks about solidarity, empathy, freedom, equality, and the right to choose, but above all, about the need for a society that refuses to turn away from injustice.
The Forgotten Children of War Association invites citizens to attend the opening of the BREAKING FREE exhibition, which will take place on 22 September 2026 at 7:00 PM at the Bosnian Cultural Centre Sarajevo.
The exhibition will remain open from 22 to 26 September 2026 and can be visited every day from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
Join us in creating a space where stories that have been silenced for years can finally be heard.
