Rovinj: a bilingual picture book:
Ana Kolic Markovic, Arijana Dobrila Barbaro and Igor Dobraca describe how an Erasmus+ project became something really special in their town.
Through the eyes of students
Students of the Juraj Dobrila Elementary School in Rovinj, together with their teachers, have created a unique project with a shared idea, resulting in a bilingual picture book – a true little guide through their home- town. The work involved was not only an opportunity for students to use their imagination, but also an excellent example of interdisciplinary collaboration that not only connected various areas of learning into one cohesive educational experience, but also built bridges in our community.
A special town
Readers who are not familiar with the town of Rovinj may wonder why creating a picture book about a small coastal town in Croatia is something worth doing. Rovinj is a picturesque town located on the western coast of Istria, one of the Croatian regions on the Adriatic Sea, known for its rich cultural heritage and tradition. The medieval old town, with its narrow stone streets and vibrant square, reflects the history of Venetian rule and the influence of Mediterranean culture. The town is home to many historical monuments, including the old town center with the impressive Church of St. Euphemia, which dominates the horizon. Rovinj is also renowned for its fishing tradition, and its harbor: boats have always been the heart of local life.
More importantly for the students, it is their town, but we also wanted them to see it through the eyes of a visitor. It is precisely for this reason that the theme of the picture book was chosen – a description of Rovinj in verses, accompanied by children’s colourful illustrations of each described location in the town.
As teachers we are also proud of our town, and at the beginning of the project, classroom teacher Milena Šolić Zvocak worked with her students to write a poem that serves as a guide through Rovinj, with each stanza describing a significant location in the town. The poem takes us on a walk through Rovinj, describing its beauty and history of famous city landmarks in verse – the lively streets of Carera, Švalbe, the Church of St. Euphemia, and many others. Through this poem, the children re-discovered their town in a new way, while also developing their creativity and literary skills when working on the poem together with Mrs Milena.
Inter-disciplinary project
Seeing the town in different ways became an important theme for the project which involved many other teachers who contributed with their expertise. Information technology and history teachers, Igor Dobrača and Jasmina Tanović, designed QR codes that accompany each location mentioned in the poem. By scanning these codes, readers can access brief historical information about each of the places mentioned in the poem. These codes allow students and visitors to quickly gain an insight about the town’s history and its important sites, turning the picture book into an interactive guide.
Art teacher Arijana Dobrila Barbaro and her students painted each part of the picture book, creating illustrations that follow the verses of the poem. Through the drawings, the children could express their experience of the town, creating visual representations that capture the beauty of Rovinj, its landmarks, and its spiritual atmosphere. Each illustration carries special emotional value, as it was made by the students themselves, who brought the town and its stories to life through art.
Bilingual outcomes
Furthermore, the project is bilingual, as the poem was translated into English by teacher Ana Kolić Marković and her students, enabling foreign visitors to enjoy the charms of Rovinj through the eyes of children. This aspect of the project is particularly important because it shows how students can acquire and develop language skills in a real context, learning about their cultural heritage and enabling its presentation to a wider global audience.
This project is not only an example of successful collaboration across different subjects but also a great example of how education can be connected to the life of the community. Through it, students have learned not only a great deal about their town, but also about teamwork, how to use modern technologies, develop creative skills, and how to use their language and art to create something that will have a long-term impact.
An emotional connection with our heritage
The picture book is not just an educational tool but also becomes a symbol of love for the town of Rovinj. Through the eyes and drawings of children, the town comes to life in a way that is sincere, creative, and full of enthusiasm. This bilingual picture book thus becomes not only a guide through Rovinj but also a bridge connecting the past and the present, students and the community, and people of all generations. Through this project, students have gained valuable knowledge and skills that go beyond the classroom, but they also became active participants in preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of their town.
The value of Erasmus+
By participating in the creation of the picture book about Rovinj, the purpose of the students and teachers of Rovinj school was not merely to complete yet another activity. Our school has been involved in Erasmus+ cooperation projects with numerous European schools for many years, thereby enriching the school and educational life of the students and helping them develop invaluable skills such as language communication, respect for other cultures, digital competencies, while developing an awareness of their own culture and its significcance
Inter-generational
The bilingual picture book is one of the activities of this year’s accredited Erasmus+ project CULTU(G)REEN, in which we aimed to raise students’ language and IT skills while creatively encouraging their interest in the cultural heritage of the town they live in. At the same time, it is an excellent example of how education can connect a school with people in the community, laying strong foundations for its future by connecting different generations, and a beautiful and original gift which we will present to our friends and partners.
Ana Kolic Markovic, Arijana Dobrila Barbaro and Igor Dobraca all teach at Juraj Dobrila Elementary School in Rovinj.
