What a way to finish! From September 25th-27th, our incredible MUZICAD (music/autism) project held its final gathering in the beautiful city of Zagreb, Croatia. Partners from Turkey, Ireland, Germany, and Croatia came together one last time to put the finishing touches on the resources we’ve spent this wonderful year creating.
The goal? To design a collection of music-based games and tools. These resources will help teachers—in both mainstream and special education—boost communication, social skills, and interactive learning for students with autism and other additional needs.
Here’s how our final chapter unfolded:
Day 1: Welcomes & Workshop Wonders
We kicked things off on Wednesday as our international teams arrived. On Thursday, our hosts at Srednja Skola gave us a warm welcome and a tour of their fantastic facilities. The highlight was a musical instrument making workshop, where we got our hands busy turning recycled materials into unique instruments. It was inspiring to see how decorating and experimenting with these creations can unlock so much creativity for students of all levels and abilities.
After a delicious lunch prepared and served by the school’s culinary students, we started rehearsals for our public performance, using the very instruments we had just made!
Day 2: Updates & A Public Performance
Friday began with a project update from our coordinator, Hilal, who congratulated the team on a year of hard work. We then got a update from our Irish partners on the project’s website, social media, and—most excitingly—the finished MUZICAD Game Ideas Handbook!
Then came the main event: taking our act to the streets of Zagreb! We performed a lively rendition of “Stand By Me” for the public in two landmark locations. (Check out the videos below to see us in action!).
Day 3: Exploring Croatian Culture
For our final day, we ventured outside the city to soak up some Croatian culture. Our first stop was the mind-bending Park Znanosti (Science Park), an incredible and educational experience for all of us.
Next, we visited the Old Village Museum in Kumrovec, a fascinating step back in time and the birthplace of former Yugoslavian president Josip Broz Tito.
We capped off the project with a wonderful farewell dinner at the scenic Villa Zelenjak, a perfect end to an unforgettable journey.
What’s Next?
The journey isn’t over! The official launch of the MUZICAD Game Ideas Handbook is just around the corner. Stay tuned for the big announcement!
Check out our public performance videos