Since 2006, we have been actively involved in the global Tapori project, which aims to combat poverty and social exclusion of children in the world.

In 2013, we became actively involved in the Eurochips campaign, the European Committee for Children whose Parents Are in Prison, under the slogan: “The crime is not mine, but the punishment is.”

At the 17th Meetings of the Children’s Forums of Croatia, 2014, we launched a campaign called “Choose to be – Champion of Children’s Rights” launched by 14 international and European associations for children’s rights (Eurochild, SOS Children’s Village kako) to encourage Members of the European Parliament to accept and sign the Manifesto of Children’s Rights.

In 2019, we launched the Vote for Children campaign, in which a number of international organizations for the protection of children’s rights and interests participate, such as Eurochild, Save the Children, Terre des Hommes, and UNICEF. The campaign advocates that issues of interest to children be a priority in the election programs of future members of the European Parliament, and calls on candidates to become fighters for children’s rights, or Child Rights Champion.

Three children of SOC Opatija were elected to the first convocation of the Network of Young Advisors of the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, a member of the Children’s Forum and CCC Opatija in 2012, 2019 and 2021 became representatives of children in the Council for children of the Republic of Croatia.

As of 2018, we have our small representatives on the UNICEF Children’s Participation Advisory Board and three children on the Eurochild Children’s Council.

In partnership with the Union of SOC Croatia, we became the coordinators of the National Eurochild Forum of Children’s Councils of Croatia (NEF Croatia).

At the end of 2015, the Society “Our Children” Opatija received at the House of Lords in London the high world recognition of the organization Child and Youth Finance International in the category “leadership in civil society”. The awards ceremony promoted the most successful individuals, government institutions, financial organizations and associations that have worked to educate and improve the financial inclusion of children and youth.

The Society “Our Children” Opatija was awarded the County of Primorsko-goranska Award for outstanding contribution and achievements in promoting children’s rights and children’s participation and supporting the development of civil society and volunteering in 2015.

Thanks to the Children’s City Council of Opatija and Children’s Forums, the City of Opatija became the first city in Croatia to have a Map of Children’s Playgrounds-a guide to 31 playgrounds for children drawn on the city map, with a brief description and photo and rules of conduct on children’s playgrounds for children and adults. For this project, we received a grand award from the Association of Croatian Security Managers in the category “Social Responsibilities – Initiative of the Year”.

In 2018, we participated in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Declaration on Human Rights, the Day of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Day of Children’s Rights, and participated in the work of the European Youth Parliament (Brussels, Belgium).

In 2018, we hosted the Eurochild conference: Building a better Europe with children: all aboard! (July, October 2018, Opatija, Croatia).

Petra Josipović and Lucija Brajković with mentor Sanja Škorić participated in the 12th European Forum on Children’s Rights “Where we are and where we want to go?” organized by the European Commission (2019, Brussels, Belgium).

In 2019, three councilors (Rafael Matacin, Vedrana Mihaljević and Lucija Brajković) and their mentors participated in the EU Children’s Summit Europe we want: Bucharest Declaration on children’s participation in decision-making and policy-making (May 2019, Bucharest, Romania).

In 2019, we participated in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (November 2019, Brussels, Belgium) with three councilors (Rafael Matacin, Lucija Brajković and Matea Bučković).

At the Child Rights Connect organization, based in Geneva, a global network of non-governmental organizations that advocate and ensure that all children fully have their rights as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 8 children out of 114 were selected registered, and Iria Galić, a 6th grade student, was chosen as a member of the Child Rights Advisory team. The mandate was one year. Iria, as an advocate of children’s rights, represented the rights and interests of children around the world.

In the 2nd convocation of the Child Rights Advisory team, Fran Rubeša was selected as one of eight children from around the world.

The Child Advisory Team started its work in 2020, and the role of the team is to improve the recognition, protection and empowerment of advocates of children’s human rights, including the participation of children at the national, regional and international levels.

Since 2022, Fran Rubeša has been a member of the Mediterranean Movement for Children’s Participation, an organization that deals with the fight against poverty and social exclusion and the realization of active children’s participation in the Mediterranean.

Through their work, effort and commitment, our councilors have become members of the most important international and national bodies involved in improving the lives of children in our country and the EU.

Lana Golubović, a 4th grade student was elected to the 3rd convocation (term 2022-2024),  of the Children’s Council of the Eurochild organization (umbrella organization based in Brussels with 200 members, an organization from 35 European countries) with 12 other peers from European countries).

Fran Rubeša, 7th grade, Viktoria Dovođa, 7th grade, Dea Orlić, 7th grade, Iria Galić, 6th grade, Helena Katalinić, 6th grade, Lana Golubović, 4th grade, were elected to the 2nd convocation of the National Forum of the Children’s Council of the Eurochild organization Croatia (NEF Croatia), coordinated by SOC Opatija in partnership with the Union of Societies „Our children“ Croatia. The term of the elected councilors is two years (2022-2024).

At the Geneva-based Child Rights Connect, a global network of NGOs that advocate for and ensure that all children have their full rights as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 8 out of 114 children have been selected. Iria Galić, a 6th grade student, was elected as a member of the Child Advisory team. The mandate is one year (2022-2023). As an advocate for children’s rights, Iria will represent the rights and interests of children around the world.

8th grade student Dominik Brnčić is one of the two children’s representatives in the Children’s Council of the Republic of Croatia, which is an advisory body to the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

Jan Galić, child member of the Advisory Board for Children’s Participation of UNICEF Croatia.

Councilors of the 12th convocation of the Children’s City Council of the City of Opatija participated in the 13th European Forum on the Rights of the Child Delivering for children: towards the European strategy on the rights of the child, an annual conference platform for dialogue between EU institutions and other stakeholders on the rights of the child (2020, Brussels, Belgium).

Petra Josipović participated in the adoption of the Strategy on Children’s Rights, and the meeting with representatives of the European Parliament via the online platform, 2021.

SOC Opatija was invited to the UN Working Group against Discrimination against Women and Girls “Virtual Consultation with Girls and Young Activists”. Petra Josipović, a former student of the elementary school “RK Jeretov” Opatija, today a graduate of the gymnasium “A. Mohorovičić “Rijeka, now a student at ERF. The results of the consultations will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in June. Our Petra also received praise for her contribution in the consultations from Mrs. Upreti, chair of the rapporteur of the UN Working Group on the Rights of Girls and Women.

Councilors Lana and Fran participated in the 14th European Forum on Children’s Rights Bringing children to the center: empowering, protecting and including children (2022, Brussels, Belgium).

Councilors Fran and Lejla participated in the International Solidarity Meeting that brought together children from all over the world (2022, Paris, France) at the invitation of the organization Secours Populaire Francais and the City of Paris.