Alma and Mara: Breaking Down Prejudices in Post-War Society
Alma Numić and Mara Milanković-Daradan are peace activists who have shared their wartime stories with others and, by listening to the stories of other survivors, they promote the idea of peace among young people. For years, they have been working to build sustainable peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are an example of multi-ethnic friendship that breaks down the prejudices of post-war society.
The International Commission on Missing Persons: The Search for Bosnia’s Missing is Key to Positive Peace
On July 11th, 2023, thousands of mourners arrived at the Srebrenica Memorial Center in Potočari to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. This ever-expanding cemetery serves as a final resting place for many of the approximately 8,000 Bosniak men and boys who were killed in the civilian massacres of 1995. Although nearly three decades have passed since the genocide, 30 victims were buried this year, the youngest of whom was a 15-year-old boy. Additionally, the year witnessed 71 re-associations, referring to the burial of newly found remains of victims who have already been identified and partially interred.
Blue Telephone: Surge in Reports of Alleged Violence
The Plavi Telefon [Blue Telephone] counseling helpline was established by the Nova Generacija association primarily to provide psychological support to children and young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over the course of a decade, they have received approximately 60,000 calls, most of which have come from children and teenagers between the ages of ten and 18
Jasmina and Siniša: “When Certain Things Click, There’s Not Much More to Think About”
Jasmina Alić-Zec and Siniša Zec met through Facebook. By the end of their first coffee date, which lasted for five or six hours, they realized they have a lot in common, from their clothing style to the kind of music they listen to and their love for nature. Although society defines them as Bosniak and Croat, they don’t identify that way. Their different ethnic backgrounds did not stand in the way of their love story, which culminated with their marriage in Tuzla, where they now live with their daughter Iris.
Bosnian-Herzegovinian Talent on the ‘Emerald Isle’
Fedja Zahirovich, a talented Bosnian-Herzegovinian performer, has been involved in acting since his early childhood and pursuing this passion professionally for a decade. He completed his studies in screen acting at the Bow Street Academy - the National Screen Acting School of Ireland, where he had the opportunity to learn from distinguished Hollywood professionals such as Gerry Grennell as well as Oscar and Golden Globe nominated directors and writers. In addition to acting, Fedja’s interests include writing poetry and screenplays and studying psychology, which has fascinated him for years.
Artistic Responses to the Past and Present
As part of the interdisciplinary project “PRESENT PAST” organized this year by the Goethe Institute in Zagreb, Belgrade, Sarajevo, and Skopje, a group of artists crafted an artistic response to the cultural and political neighborly relations among their respective countries—past and present. The initiative included four authors from Croatia, five cartoonists from Serbia, two photographers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and one performance artist from North Macedonia.