Today we celebrated World Down Syndrome Day! We raised awareness, promoted inclusion, and celebrated the unique strengths and abilities of people with Down syndrome in the way we know best - we created unique creations with our own hands. 

Rock your socks and show your support! #Togetherwearestronger #WorldDownSyndromeDay #InclusionMatters #RockYourSocks

Welcome friends from Poland, Portugal, Romania and Turkey! 

We started our joint adventure in Vukovar on 28th of March 2025. cheerfully - with musical numbers by Josip Matos PS student Aleksandar Mirko Klajić and a group of drummers and a joint traditional dance - Šokački kolo. And continued with creative workshops for students, but also for teachers.

People say that we learn best when we enjoy what we are learning and when we know that it will be useful to us in life. So we enjoyed and learned how to develop our skills and imagination through workshops on making candles, soap, felt paintings and silk scarves.

We continued our socializing at the Vukovar Sports Facilities. Through games and sports activities in the pool, but also outside it, we strengthened our friendship and togetherness. We also enjoyed practicing judo and a drumming workshop. Sports and music playing are not only physical activities, but are key tools for the overall development of a child.

Vkovar is a city rich in historical, cultural and natural attractions, so we showed the guests some of them, we started our walk together by visiting the Vukovar Water Tower, where we enjoyed the beautiful view, then we visited the Church of St. Filip and Jakov, the Bećar Cross, the Memorial Cross at the mouth of the Vuka into the Danube, Eltz Castle...

By learning from each other and sharing our own traditions and customs, we enrich our lives and open our minds!

#Togetherwearestronger #Erasmusplus 

After a warm welcome at the host school on 13th of May 2025., with a welcome program that brought to mind the warmth and hospitality of Portuguese culture, we toured the school and the picturesque Castro Marim – a place of rich history and unique beauty. We had the honor of meeting the deputy mayor and visiting the impressive fortress that dominates the place. Through an interactive lecture, we learned more about the history, culture and traditions of this magical region.

We enjoyed digital animation workshops in the school, where students showed their imagination and technical skills, danced in a dance workshop and enjoyed the rhythm and movement, and a particularly impressive experience was the football workshop for the blind, where we learned more about inclusion, team spirit and the importance of equal opportunities for all through play. We painted with invisible ink, created art with salt and had fun playing with bocce balls. 

We also visited a family farm that produces organic products, where we had the opportunity to see what sustainable agriculture looks like firsthand. We participated in ecological, sports and creative activities on the beach - we made imaginative sand structures, competed in a friendly football match, and paid special attention to preserving the environment by collecting waste. A special experience was the unforgettable dolphin show at the Zoomarine water park - a moment that we will carry in our hearts forever. 

We spent the afternoons at the pool, enjoying the sun and company, walking through the beautiful city and having dinners together with local specialties.

#Togetherwearestronger #Portugal #Erasmusplus

Polish Week in our schools has started with great excitement – as a preparation for the mobility of students and teachers who will soon travel to Krakow. Through interesting and creative activities, students got to know:

🔸 the symbols of Poland – the flag, coat of arms and anthem,

🔸 the natural beauty of Poland and magical Krakow,

🔸 traditional folk costumes and cultural motifs that they painted themselves.

We also immersed ourselves in the magical world of Polish mythology and learned about the legend of the Krakow Dragon (Wawel Dragon), which has awakened the imagination and inspired stories for centuries. According to legend, under Wawel Hill, in a cave by the Vistula River, lived a terrible dragon that the inhabitants of Krakow feared. No one could defeat it, until a resourceful young shoemaker named Skuba appeared. Instead of force, he used his wits and tricked the dragon into giving him a sheep filled with sulfur. When the dragon ate the sheep, the sulfur caused his throat to hurt and burn, so he drank water from the Vistula River until he finally burst! The city was saved, and Skuba became a hero. After listening to this exciting story, we tried our hand at a creative challenge – we made our own Wawel dragons out of paper! We showed imagination and dexterity. And of course, our dragons are cheerful and fun, not as dangerous as the original! At the end of the week, we decided to sweeten ourselves with something familiar, yet special – Polish apple pancakes.

And the online Polish language lesson was a perfect opportunity for students who are going to Poland next week to learn a few basic expressions in Polish! 

Do zobaczenia wkrótce w Krakowie!

The mobility started on 10th of June with a warm welcome at the host school, after which the students enjoyed creatively painting dragons, using the colors of their country’s flags on a large canvas. We then toured our host school and enjoyed a performance in which the school’s students participated.

We visited the Wieliczka Salt Mine, one of the oldest salt mines in the world. Beneath the surface, we discovered impressive corridors, salt sculptures and magnificent underground chapels that take your breath away. The students had the opportunity to learn about the history of mining, but also to feel the special atmosphere of this unique place, which is under UNESCO protection.

We enjoyed an art workshop on making magnets, a creative workshop on making stained glass and sports activities on the magic wall! We also tried our hand at gardening, where we developed skills and a love for nature.

We also visited several of Krakow's most famous landmarks: the Main Square (Rynek Główny), the Town Hall Tower, the underground museum (Rynek Underground), and the magnificent Wawel, a royal castle that has symbolized Polish statehood and history for centuries. Located above the Vistula River, Wawel was the residence of Polish kings and the religious and political center of the country.

On the last day, we visited Experience Park, a place that delighted us all with its diverse activities and content. The park is designed to encourage teamwork, logical thinking, and physical activity, and offers numerous interactive stations, escape room challenges, fun games, and educational tasks that allowed us to learn through play. Each activity was an opportunity for cooperation, laughter, and better connection among the participants.

We would like to thank the host for the hospitality and excellent organization, as well as for the opportunity to be a part of such an unforgettable experience!

#Togetherwearestronger #Erasmusplus

Turkish Week in our schools has started with great excitement – as a preparation for the mobility of students and teachers who will soon travel to Erdemli. Through interesting and creative activities, students:

🔸 got to know the symbols of Turkiye – the flag, Turkish history and geographical features,

🔸 made dolls with traditional Turkish costumes and dance traditional Turkish dances,

🔸 prepared typical Turkish dishes - menemen and Turkish tea and coffe.

And the online Turkish language lesson was a perfect opportunity for students who are going to Turkiye next week to learn a few basic expressions in Turkish! 

Selamlar, yakında görüşmek üzere sevgili arkadaşlar!

The mobility in Erdemli began on 22nd of September 2025 with a wonderful welcome at the host school, Erdemli Özel Eğitim Uygulama Okulu II. Kademe, where we felt a piece of Turkish tradition with dance and song. We toured the archaeological museum and the Kizkalesi castle and discovered the rich cultural and historical heritage of Mersin region. 

A special experience was the visit to Cappadocia, a historical region of Turkey where we visit fascinating Derinkuyu Underground City, boat ride and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea .

We are proud to have learned traditional Turkish techniques of painting on water - ebru technique, weaving and making decorative objects from wicker and clay. For the first time, we also had the opportunity to see a banana plantation, where we received a whole branch of bananas as a reward.

The mobility ended in the best possible way, with a tour of the city of Erdemli and flying kites together.

We returned home happy and satisfied, full of memories and gifts, curiously awaiting our next mobility in Romania.

The Romanian week has begun as a preparation for the mobility of students and teachers in Oradea, Romania.

On the first day, as is tradition, students learned about the Romanian flag and listened to the Romanian anthem "Deșteaptă-te, române!".

This was a week filled with discovering the beauties of Romania – its sights, rich culture and tradition. Students also learned the basic steps of Romanian folk dance, and prepared Romanian specialties.

Finally, we had an online Romanian language lesson. Now we can proudly say that we know some words in 4 European languages.

🎉 Bine ași venit la weekana românească, bugrați vă danuşi de noi! 🎉

Mobility in Oradea began on November 4, 2025. with a ceremonial reception and a performance by the students of the host school, Centrul scolar de educatie incluziva Orizont .

During five wonderful days, we enjoyed workshops with the therapy dog ​​Adam, theater and psychodrama workshops, and experiential learning on the theme of autumn. We participated in a treasure hunt and painted water lily flowers in the colors of our flags.

We also visited the dislocated departments of the school in Tileagd, a juice factory, and an ethnographic museum.

A special experience was a visit to the Bear (Cave Peștera Urșilor) and the monastery Izbuc, known for its wooden church and spring, as well as a tour of the city center with the Basilica of St. Mary, a park, and a museum. 

We left Oradea with a handful of gifts and souvenirs that we bought at the local market.

These days, classes in schools were a little different, because we celebrated Erasmus days. Instead of class, our students and teachers presented our project to their friends and colleagues from other schools.

We are especially proud because 8th grade students from Josip Matos PS, Mariela Jukić and Dražen Uvalić, shared with school friends their impressions of mobility as part of the project “Together we are stronger”. 💪

With their experience, they certainly encouraged students from ours and other schools to get involved in project activities – because together we are stronger! 🌟🇪🇺

On the 3rd of December 2025, The International Day of People with Disabilities, C.S.E.I. ,,Orizont" Oradea in colaboration with the partner schools  in the Erasmus KA220 "Together We Are Stronger" organised the international conference "Education for Inclusion: Perspectives and Practices" at ,,Gh. Sincai" Bihor County Library.

The aim of Conference was to promote a better understanding of the problems of people with disabilities in the society. In addition to the invited lecturers, all project partners presented their experiences in working with people with disabilities. The conference was also available for direct participation and online viewing.

Today, on 21st of March 2026. we celebrated World Down Syndrome Day - through different activities, we raised awareness, promoted inclusion, and celebrated the unique strengths and abilities of people with Down syndrome.

 Being the creative people we are, we created a handful of beautiful works that we exhibited in our schools - unique creations made with our own hands. 

No Barriers in the Sky! 

As part of the April 2nd World Autism Awareness Day, our schools organized a variety of activities aimed at raising awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and promoting understanding, acceptance, and inclusion.

Through workshops, creative and educational activities, students learned about the importance of respecting diversity among individuals. Special emphasis was placed on developing empathy and understanding towards people with autism, as well as fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment.

As a sign of support, students and staff wore blue, the color associated with autism awareness.

Remember; autism is not a deficiency, it is a different voice. Thank you for listening to this voice! 💙💙💙

We are delighted to announce the publication of "The Journey of the Blue Bead," a special storybook created within our Erasmus+ project, "Together We Are Stronger." 💙✨

This heart-touching story of Bilal and an injured bird brings together friends from all over Europe—Kasia (Poland), Andrei (Romania), Luka (Croatia), and Sofia (Portugal)—to celebrate kindness and the unifying power of our project.

🌍 What’s Included?

Multilingual Storybook: Available in English, Turkish, Polish, Romanian, Croatian, and Portuguese.

Special Coloring Book: Creative illustrations for children to bring the story to life with their own colors.

These materials are designed to support the education of our special children while fostering cross-cultural friendship.

🔗 Access all documents here: "The Journey of the Blue Bead" – Google disk 

Together we are stronger! 🕊️🌟

#ErasmusPlus #TogetherWeAreStronger #TheJourneyOfTheBlueBead #SpecialEducation #InclusiveEducation 

"Education for Future" National Symposium with International Participation was conducted on 26th of May 2026. At the conference, among others, the experiences of our schools in the implementation of Erasmus projects were presented.

Conference was organised by Mrs Elena Erdeli, School Inspector on Special Education at Bihor County School Inspectorate.