As part of the Together4Change project, a solidarity action titled Bouquets of friendship – Flowers as a common language was organized together with Technical school Drvo Art, bringing together students of the school and young people from refugee backgrounds through a joint creative workshop on flower arrangement design.
The activity gathered third-year students from the landscape architecture department alongside young refugees attending several schools in Belgrade. Through collaborative work, conversation, and the creative process, participants had the opportunity to get to know one another, exchange experiences and build mutual trust in an environment that encouraged cooperation and togetherness.
Under the guidance of one of the school’s teachers, students shared their knowledge and practical skills with their peers while jointly designing and creating floral installations. Although the workshop focused on learning concrete techniques, its significance extended far beyond that: it became a space of encounter where young people could connect through creativity, regardless of their different backgrounds, languages or life experiences.
The solidarity action was implemented within the Together4Change project, which aims to encourage civic engagement among students, foster critical thinking, and actively involve young people in initiatives promoting solidarity, social responsibility, and inclusion. A special focus of the project is creating opportunities for young people to recognize challenges within their communities and contribute to positive change through concrete actions.
The workshop at Drvo Art school demonstrated how creativity can become a shared language that transcends differences and opens space for new friendships. Through the simple act of creating floral arrangements together, participants built bridges of trust, learned from one another, and showed that even small initiatives can have a meaningful impact on fostering belonging and mutual understanding.
This initiative gained additional importance as it was organized during the European Youth Week and featured on the online activity map of the European Youth Portal, giving the students’ experience and message of solidarity from Belgrade wider visibility as part of a broader European network of youth initiatives.
We would like to thank the teachers, students, and Drvo Art school for their openness, support, and dedication in implementing this inspiring initiative. „Bouquets of Friendship“ once again reminded us that small shared actions can play an important role in building more open and connected communities.
