On this day in 2019, the exhibition Once Upon a Time and Never Again opened to commemorate the 1,133 children killed as a result of the war in Kosova between 1998 and 2000. This powerful exhibition serves as an invitation for reflection, dialogue, and healing by initiating a collective memory through the display of personal objects belonging to the children.

These objects, reminders of everyday life and the small precious moments often taken for granted, tell the stories of innocent lives lost during the conflict. Some of them silently continue the games once played by the children they belonged to. More than just an exhibition, this memorial is dedicated to all the children killed and missing in the war, honoring their memories, acknowledging the survivors, and seeking the truth about their fates.

This exhibition was organized by the Humanitarian Law Center Kosovo (HLCK) and curated by Blerta Hoçia. 

HLCK was established in Prishtina in May 1997 by renowned human rights activist Nataša Kandić.  This exhibition is part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to contribute to Kosova’s ability to establish the rule of law and implement transitional justice mechanisms. By doing so, HLCK aims to develop a just society that faces the past and respects the rights of each citizen. 

Through the exhibition Once Upon a Time and Never Again the heartbreaking stories of these children live on, inspiring a sense of collective responsibility, reflection, and healing for the people of Kosova and beyond.