“I never had a better coffee than this one,” “Great job, man, congratulations,” “Wow, your coffee was so good, congratulations!” These words can be heard often in Zmajevo Srce [Dragon’s Heart], the only café in Tuzla where people with Down syndrome and other disabilities work as waiters. Such words and praise mean a lot to them. They understand everything very well and they always remember what you order.
Once they reach 18 and leave the orphanages in which they grew up, children without parental care as well as those with developmental difficulties are left on their own and, in the process, they face rejection by their communities.
A regional example of positive practices is the Croatian LGBTIQ + association ZA-Pravo, which was founded two years ago at the University of Zagreb Law Faculty. This association fights against discrimination and works to promote the visibility of queer people in the university environment.
To spread awareness and empathy toward children who are struggling with autism, Ivona Grbešić, from Opuzen with a Dubrovnik address, started the blog “No Ordinary Mom.” There, she describes everyday life with her children, of whom two boys are from autism spectrum disorder.
People with disabilities face many difficulties on a daily basis, and the system often neglects them. Despite the many challenges she faces as a person with hearing impairment, Alma Mujanović has managed to take part in social and professional life, through a hard work and great effort. She says that it is extremely important to work on ourselves, but that our country must take greater responsibility in order to build a more inclusive society.
In the days marking the 30th anniversary of the longest siege of a capital city in modern history, hundreds of Sarajevo citizens came out to protest Russia's aggression against Ukraine, sending a unique message of sympathy to the people of Ukraine. In addition, Sarajevans urged BiH authorities to enable Ukrainian refugees to stay legally in our country for more than 30 days.