18.4.2019. – Yesterday in Gymnasium Živinice in presence of over 100 students, the solar festival was held, at which the awards won by the Gymnasium Žvinice at the competition of schools in energy saving through behavioural changes held in period 01.12.2017 – 31.03.2018. titled „Change the habits – equip the school“ were presented. The solar laboratory was presented at the festival, which was ceremonially opened in presence of the Gymnasium Živinice students, with support of the mentor from the Centre for Development and Support Tuzla and the Green Action from Zagreb. The students made 7 exhibits utilizing the Sun as energy source.

The photovoltaic solar system that will supply the informatics cabinet with the produced electricity was commissioned in presence of the representatives of the Government of Tuzla Canton, Brod Posavina County from Croatia, Živinice city, non-governmental organisations, local community and students. The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Economy of Tuzla Canton Osman Puškar and the Head of Department for education of Brod-Posavina County Anica Vukašinović.

“I expect new generations enrolling this school to be more innovative, although we are very satisfied with the attitude of the Gymnasium towards renewable energy sources. To illustrate, we studied together for nine hours a day instead of planned six hours ” – said Ismet Salihović, Head of the Department for Renewable Energy Sources in the Centre for Development and Support Tuzla, and educator for students of the Gymnasium Živinice, whom he worked with on equipping the solar laboratory.

In addition to solar laboratory and photovoltaic system, the innovations of the students, young innovators made within the project SMART SCHOOLS were also exhibited. The visitors to the solar festival had the opportunity to see the products made by primary and high school students from Tuzla Canton and Brod-Posavina County, the winners at the competition of innovators in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.

Equipping solar laboratory, young innovators’ camp and schools competition in energy saving were implemented within the 3,2 million worth crossborder project titled „Innovative minds for smart schools“ or abbreviated SMART SCHOOLS. The project is funded within INTERREG IPA CBC Crossborder Cooperation Programme Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Monte Negro 2014-2020. The project is co-funded by the Government of Tuzla Canton and implemented by the Centre for Development and Support (CRP) from Tuzla, the Government of Tuzla Canton, the Government of Brod-Posavina County, the association Green Action from Zagreb and Brod Ecological Association – BED from Slavonski Brod.

See the photos from solar festival HERE.

The leaflet about solar laboratory and photovoltaic system for electricity production is available HERE.