Last Saturday, 26 May in Zagreb, saw the continuation of a spectacular humanitarian sports event in aid of charitable fundraising for the building of a playing field at child care centre in Vukovar (PO Mitnica). Last year it was a rowing marathon and this year a soccer/football match Dinamo Fans Vs Dinamo Legends in Zagreb.

The humanitarian match was organized by the Bad Blue Boys Dinamo fans and their “Blue Heart for Children of Vukovar” initiative as well as citizens’ initiative “Together for Dinamo”.  The event was announced at a press conference 23 May by Tomislav Glusic and the president of the Zagreb organization of veterans of Vukovar, Mr Damir Jasarevic, who is also involved in the organization of these events.

Tomislav Glusic, representing the fans of Dinamo, said that the actions started after a letter by Dubravka Sabo, manager of the Vukovar child care centre, was read publicly. The football match in Zagreb saw the legends of Dinamo, including Zvonimir Boban play against a team of Dinamo’s fans.

Dinamo legends making up this “humanitarian match team” included Zvonimir Boban. Dario Simic, Silvio Maric, Goran Vlaovic, Mario Stanic, Slavko Istvanic, Srdan Zujo Mladinic, Tomislav Butina.

Croatian Vecernji List news portal (as well as other media outlets) say that anyone can donate funds into a special bank account set up for this purpose and below is the IBAN required to have funds transferred from outside Croatia:

Bank Account: 2360000-1501086307

 IBAN HR-6623600001501086307

Blue Heart for Children of Vukovar is a feel good story. To ordinary people ensuring children have playgrounds in a city ravaged by war is a priority. Perhaps, when it comes to limited government budgets, priorities go elsewhere in the reviving of Vukovar. Creating jobs would be one of those priorities but playgrounds mean life, signify joy and camaraderie. It seems charitable fundraising will make playgrounds happen quicker for children of Vukovar and certainly my thumb’s up for this worthwhile cause.

I hope many will see the enormous significance of having a playground near a child care centre in Vukovar and donate funds towards the building of one. It’s a project of humble proportions money-wise, but of skyscraping heights when it comes to joy that playgrounds bring to children.

The fact that the nation of Croatia was counting down the days to the football championship Euro and that Dinamo’s fans organised an especially attractive match  with leading football names and stars is a shinning feather in the organisers’ cap. Not everyone can pull that one off, not when the air is filled with anticipation for the Euro championship. That fact in itself speaks volumes as to how very important a playground is in a child’s life, especially when all former playgrounds had been destroyed in a horrible war and murderous aggression.   Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)