Did you know that 68% of children in Montenegro aged 9–18 did not visit the theatre in the past year?
The above data was indicated in a recent survey on children, parents and the media, conducted by AEM and UNICEF. Many children, young people and adults do not have the chance to attend cultural events, as there are no theatres or culture centres in their towns and cities where plays and similar content would be offered.
This needs to change and is something I want to hear about from “decision makers”.
Are you also wondering who the “decision makers” are?
I want us, young people, to be among them, because, as Balša, one of UNICEF’s young reporter volunteers, put it nicely: “I am nobody’s future. I am the present. I live now.”
I recently heard a statement made by our famous artist Rambo Amadeus: “Why are children spending so much time on the internet? Because it’s free of charge. All other content, all other means of entertainment cost something. The state has to provide sports, recreation, culture and art for children for free.”
I really like this statement and I hope it does not stop there. I want to hear similar views from the “decision makers”.
Every child should have this opportunity.
I know that art has a major role to play in children’s development.
I attend the first grade of ballet high school and am therefore fond of theatre, stage and art. To me, ballet is art and sport and much more. It is our way of expressing our attitudes and emotions without words. We learn how to be team players and, more importantly, to show creativity and uniqueness. There are also friendships – we support each other in our falls, but we also celebrate our successes together. And yes, we have learned that failure is not constant – when we fall, we know how to get up and try again. Ballet has helped us in many unfortunate situations, just as it did for that sheep from Andrić’s story Aska and the Wolf. We have learned to deal with unpredictable situations through improvisation.
As much as I enjoy moments on stage, I like being in the audience as well.
I am not saying we should all be artists, but we should all have the opportunity to enjoy art.
Every child should have this opportunity.
Do you, the “decision makers”, hear us?
Dunja Sekulović is a 16-year-old UNICEF volunteer from Podgorica, Montenegro. Apart from the regular Gymnasium high school, she is also a student of the ballet high school in Podgorica. Dunja is member of the first team of 'UNICEF Volunteers – Young Reporters' formed in 2018 within the media literacy campaign “Let’s Choose What We Watch”
