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FIREFLY INTERNATIONAL
Congratulations to everyone involved in the Firefly charity bike ride
which has now raised £10,242!
Many thanks to:
Virginia & Peter Maxwell, Jen McDougal, Sandra Willingham, Harriet
Bridgeman, Candy Walton, Charlie Fitzherbert, Jane Chisholm, Anthony Walford,
Anita Walford, Patsy Hickman, Sally Fitzharris, Ben Maxwell
All money raised will go through Justgiving
to Firefly to finance the equipment for the firefly centre in Brcko. The
Justgiving page is still open for donations, please go to:
www.justgiving.com/cycle4firefly
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Firefly International is very sad to announce that Firefly Founder and
Director Ellie Maxwell died of of lung cancer on Monday, April 6th 2009.
She will be greatly missed by all who knew her and all who know the impact
and importance of her work.
To DONATE to support Firefly's continuing work, please
click here.
Firefly works to build peace in divided communities around the world
by supporting children and young people from different backgrounds to
form friendships and mutual respect. It brings young people together
in positive, fun and life-affirming activities ranging from music-making
to theatre groups. These young people go on to become ambassadors for
peace within their own families and communities both today and as adults.
In this way Firefly is tackling conflict now as well as planting the
seeds of peace for the future.
Children and young people play a vital role in preventing violent conflict
and building peaceful societies. Where young people form friendships
that cut across social, political or religious boundaries, they can
and do help to avert conflict and assist societies to recover from war.
Where young people from different backgrounds are supported to celebrate
what they have in common this can and does break down tensions and distrust
and help warring communities to reconcile and unite.
Without Firefly thousands more children would be growing up in conflict.
Many communities would still be at war with each other. Lives would
have been lost and futures condemned to poverty and lack of opportunity.
Here is a letter written by Bojana Lugonja, one of many young
people who have been involved with Firefly in Bosnia;
For Ellie
The very first time I met Ellie I was just a kid in elementary
school, so nervous because of the show we were planning to do.
A little did I know! Ellie was one of the main reasons we were
able to do that show in Brcko, and any show for that matter. She
was one of the main reasons why I remember my early life with
such joy and one of the main reasons why I have so many great
friends from that period.
With her enthusiasm and strength she did wonders for many kids
in Bosnia. As you all know, Bosnia wasn’t very friendly
country to live or work in, after the war. The situation for us,
for kids, wasn’t so bright. But she helped us. Because of
her I was able to meet kids from other religion backgrounds and
play with them like there was no war and no boundaries. Because
of Ellie we (members of theatre project “Jupiter”)
got our first chance to travel to Croatia, to go to camps, hang
out, and create great performances.
It just makes me wondering if she had ever realized how many lives
she had touched all around the world. That is the main reason
why we should celebrate her life and hope that somewhere above
she can see everything she has accomplished and anyone of us who
think very highly of her and love her.
Thank you Ellie for helping us become the people we are today!
Bojana Lugonja with the rest of the theatre group “Jupiter”
Slavica Simic, Sanja Krajisnik, Vesna Ivanovic, Janka Kovacevic,
Jovana Kojic, Zvjezdana Crnogorac, Sanjin, Biljana Ristic, Mihajla
Pantelic, Boki, Ljubisa Lazarevic |
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Scottish Charity Number: SC 028744 
