Every now and then we like to pause and look back on what has happened over the past few months. While our Blog and Facebook pages are where we post more regular updates, this space is reserved for a broader reflection and summary of our activities.

During the first half of the year, we remained faithful to the projects that have become the heart of our work. We continued our clown therapy visits, spent time with people in need, delivered much-appreciated food packages, and, even more importantly, offered encouragement, friendship, and hope. We returned to the earthquake-affected area around Glina and visited families in the Vojnić region. We also invested time in helping coordinate a Peace Walk that travels through various parts of Europe before eventually passing through the Balkans and towards the Middle East.

Several large murals were completed during this period. One of them was painted at a safe house in Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where we spent a few days not only creating the mural but also playing with the children staying there. It was a privilege to spend time with them and remind them that the world can be a beautiful place when people choose love, kindness, and respect. The other two murals were created together with students from two elementary schools in the Verona area. Seeing children and young people express creativity while learning to work together and care for one another was a very beautiful experience.

In this update, we would also like to mention some of the quieter moments that rarely make it into a post of their own, yet are just as meaningful. They are the countless acts of kindness that happen in everyday life: offering a listening ear to someone who is struggling, helping a person pack up their home after the loss of a loved one, supporting a single mother on a difficult journey to reconnect with her family, visiting a friend undergoing chemotherapy or facing the final months of life, or simply walking alongside someone trapped in an unhappy relationship who needs to know they are not alone.

These are the moments we cannot always share publicly because they are deeply personal. Yet they are often the moments that matter most. They may never make headlines, but they quietly change lives—one conversation, one act of compassion, one heart at a time.

These days, much of the world’s attention is focused on wars and conflict. Many people feel worried, discouraged, or overwhelmed by the suffering they see. Yet each of us has the opportunity to become a peacemaker right where we are. Peace does not begin only in conference rooms or between governments. It begins in our homes, our neighbourhoods, our workplaces, and our friendships. It begins whenever someone chooses compassion over indifference, forgiveness over resentment, and generosity over self-interest.

If we learn to notice the needs of the people around us and take every opportunity to reach out in love to our neighbours, we become part of something much bigger than ourselves. Every kind word, every helping hand, every visit, every shared meal, and every moment spent standing with another person is a small step toward a more peaceful world.

Thank you to everyone who has walked alongside us, volunteered, donated, or simply encouraged us this year. None of these stories would be possible without you. We look forward to continuing this journey together, believing that love is never wasted and that even the smallest act of kindness can become the beginning of lasting change.