On October 12^th, 2016, the Bucharest Court opened its doors to a group of 17 students of the “George Calinescu” School No. 148, currently participating in the “Children’s Rights Court” project.

Similarly to their peers’ visit at the Prosecutors’ Office, this documentation visit enabled the young people to learn how the legal bodies work in Romania and to engage in an open dialogue with experts in the legal field.

Through the courtesy of Mrs. Paula Iacob, First Registrar of the Court of Bucharest, the young students received a guided tour through the court facility, discovering with great interest its various departments and understanding how different cases come into trial, including those relating to children and youth.

Towards the end of the visit, the students had the privilege to meet with Mrs. Laura Andrei, President of the Court and to discuss with her in the Council Room. In a very friendly atmosphere, Mrs. President of the Court encouraged youngsters to ask question and provided them with answers about the Court’s history, the formation of judges, the specific problematic of trials involving children and many others.

At the end of the visit, the youngsters felt one step closer to understanding how children’s rights are protected and insured by the courts in Romania. At the same time, by discovering that they are supported in their inquiries, their confidence in their own ability to participate in the project has increased.

Further, the young students from School No. 148 will use the information they’ve acquired following the visit and transfer it into game scenarios, which are in the process of being developed within the project.

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Children’s Rights Court is a project funded by the European Commission (JUST / 2014 / Action Grants), gathering six partners at transnational level – Terre des Hommes Lausanne Hungary (applicant), National Network for Children in Bulgaria, Brave Phone Croatia, Terre des hommes Italy, Terre des hommes Romania and Victim Support UK – who aim to develop an online simulation game, informing children and youth about their rights during various civil, administrative and criminal legal proceedings. The game will be conceptualized and adapted to the specific context of each partner country, benefiting from the expertise of national experts, and will empower the future  young  users to fulfill their rights and obligations in order to avoid risky situations.