St Cuthbert’s students help open Bosnia survivor exhibition

A group of students from St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School in Newcastle were among the guest speakers at the opening of an exhibition commemorating a family’s journey from war-torn Bosnia to a new life in Tyneside.

From Bosnia to Tyneside shares the story of Smajo Bešo OBE and his family, told through film, photographs, and personal belongings, and explores themes of displacement and belonging.

It opened at the Destination Tyneside Gallery at the Discovery Museum on Friday 10 July, where the 11 Year 9 students had been invited to make a presentation, having been introduced to Mr Bešo through an educational initiative.

Ashley Ruscoe is Head of History at St Cuthbert’s, and explained the school’s involvement.

“The invitation was in recognition of the outstanding work the pupils have completed as part of the We Are: Memory into Action – Holocaust and Genocide Education Programme, where they have worked closely with Smajo Bešo OBE, and develped a strong understanding of his experiences and testimony,” he said.

“As a result of this work, the pupils were personally invited by Smajo to be his guests at the opening of his exhibition, which shares the story of Smajo and his family’s journey of escaping the Bosnian War and rebuilding their lives on Tyneside.”

Evan Killeen, Safwat Hussain, Jignes Bhandari, Golden Igoru, Tristan O’Neill, Shenan Liyanage Don, Leo Ratliff, Harry Cain, Luke Brown, Alex Bogdan, and Harris Ahmed made up the group, and had previously presented at two Learning Day Conferences at Newcastle Civic Centre, and an Empowering Young People to Change the World event, as well as appearing on ITV Tyne Tees News.

Mr Ruscoe continued: “The boys said they felt honoured and privileged to take part in the From Bosnia to Tyneside launch event. They expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be involved in an occasion focused on remembrance, education, and reflection, and to stand alongside others committed to preserving survivor testimony.

“They also shared that they were excited to have been invited to present at the event, and saw it as a meaningful opportunity to continue their relationship with Smajo. They recognised the importance of helping to ensure that individual voices and lived experience continue to be heard, remembered, and shared with others.”

He added: “Events such as this are incredibly important, as they provide students with the opportunity to engage directly with survivor testimony, deepen their understanding of history, and reflect on the impact of past events.

“They help bring history to life, by connecting students with personal experiences and stories that go beyond the classroom.

“For our students, taking part helps them to develop confidence, critical thinking, and a greater sense of responsibility in preserving and sharing the experiences of others.

“Through programmes such as Memory Into Action, students are given the opportunity to become active participants in keeping these important stories alive for future generations.”