Mostar is famous for its Old Bridge, but also, sadly, for ethnic divisions and a dysfunctional government that hasn’t held elections for 12 years. Now is the time for Mostar to stand up and show that something can be changed. With local elections scheduled for 20 December 2020, one of the 14 priorities for the country’s application for European Union (EU) membership has finally been satisfied.
Sisters Ćamka, Kadira, Fatima and Đeneta Bektić from the village of Jasenova became famous because of a photo of them galloping on horses through the snow-covered forests of Srebrenica. They say that they do not remember whether they first learned to walk or to ride.
In Bugojno, a town in central Bosnia, war-time divisions remain strong even twenty-five years after the war. Although it is not an administratively divided city, Bosniaks and Croats live almost completely separate lives. Schools are divided, but also catering facilities. Everyone knows exactly who can come in and who cannot.
It all started three years ago in Sarajevo, when a group of young activists got the opportunity to make a documentary. That's when the name of the activist movement “District Team” was created. Although they are still an informal group, wanting to become a formal association, young activists from Brčko are finding opportunities. And their activities are numerous.
The departure of young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in recent years is one of the most pressing topics, and though talked about often, no solutions are offered. When speaking about leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina, the focus should not only be on young people, but on all generations. The idea that the most educated and capable people are leaving the country is also no longer representative.
Subjugation, inequality, revolution, and protests have marked and continue to mark the world history of activism. For thousands of years, people have fought against oppression and subjugation – whether by force or peace. And women have always been part of that fight.