Tišina Study Circle from Tišina

(Head of group: Mihaela Flisar)
Proposer: Murska Sobota Adult Education Centre

The study circle Tišina is the meeting point for women from 12 villages. They opted for getting together over nonformal learning because in different areas they want to contribute as much as possible to the quality of life in the municipality. By familiarising themselves with and acquiring various skills they wish to save from oblivion the old, folk wisdom, and by raising awareness among people they are attempting to preserve certain natural environments that provide a habitat for some rare examples of endangered plant and animal species. In planning and carrying out the study programmes, they cooperate very successfully with the primary school, the society of farm women and with other societies, while increasing consideration is being given to them in the municipality, since through their new knowledge and experiences they are promoting development and the creative participation of local residents. "Putting together tiny pieces in a mosaic of happiness, satisfaction, new knowledge, meetings and preserving the natural and cultural heritage, all this is interwoven through the learning, work and socialising in the Tišina Study Circle," notes circle mentor Mihaela Flisar. And precisely because of this, last school year they termed their activity a "life mosaic". They did indeed learn techniques for fabricating mosaics, and alongside this they also collected old photographs and recipes from their grandmothers and great-grandmothers. They learned how to prepare dishes from these recipes, and presented them during the LLW event. When they socialise they like to make tea, which spurred their curiosity to the extent that they started familiarising themselves with therapeutic herbs in the meadows and gardens of Tišina. The fruit of their handiwork and their newly acquired skills can be seen in the products of old crafts, especially objects made from corn husk, which have become a component part of the local range of gifts and souvenirs. In the study circle they discovered that the important heritage from their grandparents was also wisdom for life, and above all the realisation that inner joy is more important than abundance, so they also wish to hand down to the younger generation cheerfulness and laughter. But not just at special events. Members of the circle act as a tireless generator for creative coexistence of local people and for intergenerational learning. In this they have great support from the principal of Tišina Primary School, who has enabled them to hold part of their study circle activities in school premises. The forgotten skills of grandparents are also brought to school by the children and grandchildren of circle members; this also leads to an enrichment of knowledge and concern for preserving their heritage. For its successful operation thus far the circle has already received a municipal award and an award from the Murska Sobota Adult Education Centre, and it also ranks on the national level as one of the most successful study circles.