Chiswick School Students Make Cultural Exchange Visit to Sarajevo
Internation friendships and music ties forged
Chiswick School students in Bosnia and Herzegovina
April 16, 2026
Students from Chiswick School have returned from an inspiring week-long cultural and musical exchange in Sarajevo, forging new international friendships and performing alongside young musicians from the Pop Rock School of Sarajevo.
The visit opened with a powerful introduction to the city’s recent history. The group attended a screening of Scream for Me Sarajevo, the documentary recounting Iron Maiden frontman and former Chiswick resident Bruce Dickinson’s extraordinary decision to perform in the besieged city during the Bosnian War. The experience was made even more vivid when the film’s producer joined the students for a live Q&A, offering first-hand insight into Sarajevo’s resilience and the role music played in sustaining hope.
Students also stepped inside the professional world of music production during a visit to the studio of acclaimed guitarist and producer Dino Šukalo, where they explored industry-standard equipment and learned how tracks are recorded and shaped.
Music remained at the heart of the exchange. One of the most memorable moments came when students from both schools gathered in the grand surroundings of Sarajevo City Hall to perform Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall, a collaboration that captured the spirit of creativity and connection running through the trip.
Beyond rehearsals and performances, the group explored the city’s cultural landscape, walking along the Miljacka River and visiting the Planet Sarajevo museum to learn about the region’s rich musical heritage.
The exchange even attracted media attention. Journalists from N1 News Network made a surprise visit to report on the growing cultural links between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the UK. Their arrival coincided with national celebrations following Bosnia and Herzegovina’s football victory over Italy, securing a place in the World Cup and adding to the lively atmosphere.
Evenings were filled with live music and shared performances. A standout event was the final show at AG Club, where students from both schools performed a dynamic setlist that included spontaneous collaborations and new material developed during the week. The exchange culminated in a large-scale joint concert on a major stage, played to a packed audience that included a representative from the British Embassy.
Evenings were filled with live music and shared performances
Throughout the visit, students formed lasting friendships, bonding over shared musical interests, late-night jam sessions and the experience of discovering a new culture through music.
Chiswick School said the exchange not only strengthened students’ musical skills and confidence but also broadened their global awareness. Many returned with a deeper understanding of Sarajevo’s history — and with connections that, they say, will last a lifetime.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We’ve always done that and won’t be changing, in fact we’d like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we’d be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least two articles a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you’d like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |