Special certificates were given to elementary schoolers Darija Vusic, Doroteja Horvat and Nada Stjepanovic, and high schoolers Patricija Ivankovic and Ljiljana Beljan.
Speaking at the award ceremony at the Science and Education Ministry, Minister Blazenka Divjak said this was a day of combating violence and that today's winners were heroes just like Luka Ritz, who she said would have been a grown man in his prime today had there been no violence.
Divjak thanked the parents, families and schools of the recipients. We need such beacons for spreading tolerance, humanitarian work and non-violent conflict resolution, she said, adding that the ministry would give 26 schools HRK 10,000 each for developing non-violent conflict resolution programes.
The minister also underlined the need to raise one's voice against verbal violence and tolerance of hate speech.
Action plan for preventing violence in schools put up for public consultation
An action plan for preventing violence in schools in the 2019-24 period was presented at the ceremony and put up for public consultation today, with Divjak announcing more state funds for the prevention of school violence.
A report shows that crisis team had to intervene in schools 24 times in 2016, 19 in 2017 and 52 in 2018, for which HRK 218,000 was spent in 2016, HRK 104,000 in 2017 and HRK 418,000 in 2018.
The number of prevention programmes rose from eight (8) in 2016 to 38 last year, it was said at the action plan presentation.
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.4)