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Sarajevo Canton: Gender-based Violence Remains Stigmatized | Balkan Diskurs
Adelisa Mašić
December 30th, 2021
Domestic violence and violence against women are global problems and violations of basic human rights. Women around the world are exposed to various forms of violence that are often prevalent in the family. This problem is pronounced in our country, despite measures adopted to prevent it.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is committed to respecting international and regional human rights laws, including those prescribing the protection of women from all forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence.
Violence against women remains a major problem in BiH society, and the Sarajevo Canton is at the forefront of the number of reports of violence over all other cantons. However, Sarajevo Canton is the first local community in BiH to define those exposed to abuse and domestic violence as beneficiaries in the law in 2002, thus providing them with rights and services.
In Sarajevo Canton, as part of the Foundation of Local Democracy’s initiative, a Coordination Body for Prevention and Protection against Domestic Violence was formed in 2005, which established cooperation and prescribed procedures for all institutions to assist victims of violence. The collaboration includes cantonal ministries, police, health workers, social workers, educational institutions, the judiciary, and NGOs.
Two well-known methods for helping victims find support include the Safe House and SOS hotlines run by the Foundation of Local Democracy.
“The Safe house was founded in 2000, and since then, 772 women have found refuge, and we have registered 2139 users, which includes not only women but also their children. In the last few years, we have seen an increase in the number of women seeking a place to stay and the number of SOS calls. The Sarajevo Canton SOS hotline is active 24 hours a day, and you can report violence or get information about the procedure for reporting violence and accommodation in the Safe House,” explains Jasmina Buljić, a psychologist from the Foundation of Local Democracy.
As Buljić confirms, this house is the only shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence in the Sarajevo Canton.
“The total accommodation capacity of the Safe House run by the Foundation of Local Democracy is 35. The house is generally between 70 and 80 percent full. We have never sent any woman back home, regardless of our occupancy. We find some other option for a couple of days until our premises are vacated,” says Buljić.
In the Safe House, victims’ physical protection and safety are ensured.
“Within the work of the Safe House, psychosocial assistance and support is provided, including psychotherapeutic treatment, medical assistance, specialist examinations, support in rehabilitation and resocialization, and support for finding an exit strategy, in cooperation with the competent centers for social work,” says Buljić.
Police cooperation in providing services and protection to victims of violence is of the utmost importance. Belmin Zazan, a police officer, explains the procedures for reporting bullies and what the police do in such cases.
“After the victim of domestic violence enters the premises of the local police station and submits a report of domestic violence, police officers inform the duty prosecutor about the crime and take further measures following the Criminal Procedure Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). In the case of bodily injuries, the person is instructed to get medical assistance and obtain medical documentation,” Zazan says.
Zazan also points out that in case of deprivation of liberty of the perpetrator, a request is sent to the competent court to impose certain protective measures following the provisions of the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence. The court may impose several types of protective measures.
“These measures can include removal from housing and a ban on returning, a ban on approaching victims of violence, a ban on harassment and stalking, mandatory psychosocial treatment, mandatory treatment for addiction, temporary deprivation of liberty, and detention. Thus, the purpose of deprivation of liberty is to ensure the necessary protection of those exposed to violence, prevent violence, and take measures to educate violent persons. If the victim notices that the person does not respect the measures imposed on the perpetrator, then they can report it to the police,” he said.
Also, victims of gender-based violence are provided with free legal aid and health care. In the FBiH Employment Bureau, victims of domestic violence are listed as one of the target groups for various incentives and co-financing programs.
Violence against women remains a major problem. The pandemic has contributed to increased domestic violence due to social isolation and more time spent in residential areas. In families where violence was already present, violence tended to escalate due to the stress and challenges the pandemic brought.
However, in addition to the Safe House, there are many NGOs, such as Udružene žene Banja Luka, Budućnost, Žena BiH, Žene sa Une, Žene ženama, and Lara Bijeljina, which provide services and support the fight against domestic violence. Both private donors and government grants fund their activities.

created: December 30th, 2021

author: Adelisa Mašić


text:
Educators During the War: A Struggle They Lead with Pencils and Words | Balkan Diskurs
Enes Tihak
January 5th, 2022
The citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) know well that war is the worst circumstance that can befall a nation. The people of BiH could not avoid the unfortunate events from 1992 to 1995.
However, these events did not extinguish the drive of educators to work together in the most difficult moments and to imagine a better future again, despite all the hardships of war.
In Bugojno, educators were local heroes. Instead of weapons, they were armed with pencils. They are the “heroes from the shadows” because, during the war, they tried to establish a way for children to have access to education and lead those young people affected by the war down the right path.
One such teacher from Bugojno is Edin Bevrnja, who first started working in the school in 1991/1992 in the nearby village, Vučipolje.
“At the beginning of the war, I was about to start my second year, when I was hired to finish the 1991/92 school year in the village of Vučipolje in Bugojno due to the sudden school’s lack of teachers. After almost a year without teaching during the war, in April 1993, the teaching process began again, which was held in the so-called ‘checkpoints,’ i.e., houses or business premises. This situation lasted until 1994 when the students finally moved back into the school building,” Edin describes.
He says that it was very difficult to work during the war, and it was particularly challenging because everyone was full of patriotism because of their struggles. Therefore, classes were organized by the teachers and people from the local communities where the checkpoints were located.
“We were also janitors. We took care of heating, cleanliness, locking the rooms, putting foil on the windows if the glass was broken. Coming and going from the school building was in and of itself extremely demanding, as there was often a danger of shelling. As few people had a car and fuel, we mostly went by foot or bicycle. Of course, there was no talk about the school board. The only thing we sometimes got were certain foods, like flour, oil, and the like.”
In addition to the rural school in Vučipolje, Edin also worked in the rural schools in Odžak, Hum, and Gračanica. After the war, he graduated from the Pedagogical Academy in Mostar. He continued to work in the village school in Odžak until 1998 when he transferred to the Third Primary School in Bugojno, where he still works today. When asked how he coped with fear for his life and the lives of his students, he answered: “Fear was present at every moment during the war, but while teaching you do not feel it, you defy war with your work.”
He also recalled some anecdotes from his teaching days at Odžak. During that time, first graders would come to school alone and give information about their names and the name of their parents. So, when one boy was asked, “What’s your mom’s name?” he answered, “Mujo’s wife” (BCS: Mujinica; most often in rural areas, women were not called by their names but by the name of their husband in female form). He says today, he meets his students every day on the streets of Bugojno and that he remembers many beautiful moments with them.
“These meetings are always cordial, with a smile, and when I meet those who are no longer in Bugojno, there are hugs.”
Another Bugojno woman who has dedicated her life to education is Dušanka Bujak, a now-retired teacher. Dušanka graduated from the Teachers’ High School in Sarajevo in 1971, which is now the Obala High School.
“After 16 years of working in Lug (local community), I moved to Vojin Paleksić School, which is now the First Elementary School in Bugojno, where I worked for 41 years and then retired.”
She recalls difficult times for teachers and how they were forced to make textbooks from “notebooks” because they did not have any textbooks.
“I’ve always thought about how the children will go home. I can protect them in the building, but how can I send them home and make sure that nothing happens to them? I was just waiting for an hour or two to see if a grenade would fall. That would be the hardest thing for me. I was not afraid for my life because no one ever warned me about anything,” says Dušanka.
She says the children would carry a log in their backpacks next to the books to burn at school for warmth, and the director would bring chalk in his pocket. Classes were interrupted for three, five, or ten days while the shelling lasted and then resumed, and they always tried to make it through a year so that the students could pass on to the next grade.
“During the war, I quit when two schools were formed in one school because I could not decide which school I would teach in. Both schools requested that I work for them, but I refused until after the war when the Bosniak school remained,” Dušanka recounts.
Dušanka emphasizes that she has never had any problems with anyone based on their ethnic and religious affiliation.
When asked about the most difficult moment in her teaching career, she singles out when they were ordered to make a list of students by nationality in 1992.
“I couldn’t force myself to write down the number of Serbs, of Croats, of Muslims. Someone from the school administration wanted to have the list. That’s when I saw that something ugly was happening.”
She left Bugojno for Novi Sad in 1994 to follow her parents since classes were suspended for five to six months due to the bombing. She ended up only staying there for one month when she heard that her colleagues had started working again. She immediately contacted the school principal to ask if she could return to work. She returned in April 1994 and worked until September 2012.
Today, she sees more parents than the students themselves because, as she says, they got “lost.”
“They usually greet me when they see me because I’ve always taught them that and asked them to do that. If you are a cleaner, a merchant, you are still a child to me, just like my own. There is Dr. Jusić, who never missed calling me on a holiday, asking if I needed anything. There are such examples.”
She also tells us how a young Croat boy she babysat saved them during the war. Since his family is from Split, they came to Bugojno to the funeral, but in the meantime, a war broke out, and she stayed to look after him.
“We collected sugar and flour, and I made syrup-drenched pastries [BCS: hurmašice] because it was his birthday. We were all in the same apartment because it made us feel safer. I put the cooking pan on the table, and we sat down. When the shelling started, he shouted, ‘quick, to the basement!’ We all went down right away, and nothing was left of the apartment because of  the destructive shrapnel shells. Today, he is married and lives in Vienna,” says Dušanka.
“I did not feel like the ‘other.’ I am a human and nothing more,” concludes Dušanka, who had a class book, but could not find it after the war. Nevertheless, what remains are memories, heartfelt goodbyes, and school desks full of history.

source: news-balkandiskurs

created: January 5th, 2022

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Enes Tihak


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How the Pandemic Led to an Increase in Gender-Based Violence | Balkan Diskurs
Mirza Mujdžić-Jojić
January 10th, 2022
During the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions such as quarantine, curfew, and other forms of movement restriction are considered one of the necessary health measures that can save millions of lives. For women and girls, however, they can increase the risk of violence or even death.
According to the representatives of eight non-governmental organizations that run safe houses throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the number of reported cases of violence against women increased by almost 50% from 2019 to 2020.
A 20-year-old student from Brčko is one of the victims of attempted sexual assault and incest, and in her desire to send a message to society, she decided to share her experience, despite feeling pangs of guilt.
“As the pandemic began, most of our college responsibilities took place online. I became even closer to my sister, who began to trust me more and more and ended up telling me the darkest secret of her life. The secret was mine as well, and one that I have kept for a long time – we are both victims of attempted sexual violence by the same person,” says A.V. on what it was like to face the truth and discover that she was not the only one with this secret.
We spoke with psychologist and activist Ajna Jusić, the president of the Association “Forgotten Children of War.” Ajna describes her commitment to gender equality as advocacy for people who are systematically and socially neglected.
“I do not consider myself a radical feminist, but I will allow myself the freedom to say that the COVID-19 virus pandemic is an excellent indicator of the renewed expansion of violent patriarchal oppression. This time, however, it is during peace. And in all of this, we forget that our community today, unfortunately, still survives in the shadow of separatist war rhetoric that remains blind to violence. Blind then and blind today,” says Ajna.
Even in 2021, hundreds of millions of women and girls worldwide will be victims of gender-based violence. Although frightening, this figure represents only domestic violence cases that are reported, excluding many others that fall by the wayside. Quarantine and isolation were measures that were necessary to reduce the spread of coronavirus in the community. This has led to drastic changes in individuals’ daily lives. However, the positive effort in the fight against the pandemic has created serious psychological and socially devastating consequences.
“We must be aware that we have been living in a pandemic of violence against women even before the Covid-19. The “Nisam tražila” [“I Didn’t Ask For It”] movement and the amount of painful testimonies of violence confirms the previous statement. However, during the pandemic itself, the system of Bosnia and Herzegovina ignored statistics that show an enormous increase in violence against women during the pandemic,” said Ajna.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, violence against women tended to increase. In quarantine, women were constantly in the vicinity of potential abusers, with a limited right to leave, increasing domestic violence in homes. In addition, everyday stress, loss of income, and lack of socialization have led to negative effects, most often between partners.
“Such atrocities happened even before the introduction of quarantine. A pandemic, a sense of loneliness, or anything else, for that matter, should not be an excuse for any kind of violence. I can hardly convince myself that such excuses exist, given the pain and the impact this situation has left on me,” adds A.V.
“Most choose to remain silent because we live in a system that condemns any talk of surviving violence. We currently live in a society where myths exist that claim women are victims because they are promiscuous, or because they wore short skirts and the like,” says Ajna.
We have created a community where physical violence and verbal conflicts are completely “normal” parts of a partnership. That is why harassment from people on the street, like men yelling “pussy” or “hot chick,” in Balkan society is acceptable. Most will say, “well, she asked for it, look how she is dressed.” However, what is the “justification” for violence within the four walls of the home? Is it also caused by an incorrect assessment of one’s clothes? Or does it just happen because you are a woman?
“I was silent about it for a long time. I tried to forget and erase it from my memory. I lied to myself that what happened was not true. There was also a sense of fear of others’ opinions and a lack of security. All this was made even worse because he was my cousin, and I didn’t know whether others would believe me. We only hear about incest elsewhere in the world; there is no such thing in our country,” says A.V.
Ajna explains how society can influence these issues and whether society is willing to acknowledge and discuss the presence of gender-based violence openly.
“Knowledge is power: the more young people know, the more control they have over their lives; the less they know, the more control other people have who take advantage of the circumstances. From an early age, children are interested in the differences between girls and boys and how they came into the world. Their questions should be answered honestly, age-appropriately, and when they can understand the conversation,” explains Ajna.
Social stigma and insufficient support for victims present a great burden. Victims constantly struggle with thoughts about whether they are to blame for everything that happened to them. Only some opt for professional help, while the rest live through trauma for which they are not to blame.
“The first step is to talk about it. From psychologists’ point of view, talking about violence opens other paths for dealing with such trauma. If someone is silent about the violence they have survived, then that person is denied the opportunity to receive support,” adds Ajna.
A.V. explains how important family support is and the process of accepting the truth.
“I went to a psychologist only after I found out that my sister had experienced the same thing because I didn’t, and I still can’t forgive myself for not speaking up in time – because if I had, she wouldn’t have experienced it. Our family’s reaction was unfortunately divided, although the perpetrator admitted his guilt. It took me a while to get my life back to normal. The hardest part was interacting with other people again. If someone approached me and tried to hug me, I would twitch because I would feel threatened in any person’s presence.”
Through her work, Ajna has had the opportunity to deal with the problem of gender-based violence.
“All survivors of any form of violence are often left alone. Alone in the struggle to accept what they have survived, alone in the struggle for existence, alone in the struggle to build a better life for themselves and possibly for their children,” says Ajna.
There is no stopping for this young woman, even though every day is a new challenge for her. The burden she carries is heavy, but she realizes that she is not alone. That has encouraged her to talk publicly about everything so that hopefully, fewer women find themselves in her situation.
“Be brave and don’t lose hope because we are not guilty, we did not ask for it, and we are not alone in this,” says A.V.
Gender-based violence is omnipresent, and society needs to tackle this problem and provide victims with a safe space to talk about it. There are no excuses, not even the Covid-19 pandemic, for the increasing number of gender-based violence cases and the inhumane treatment of women and girls.
“I am a woman, I am my mother’s child, I am an activist, feminist, and human rights advocate. As I live and breathe, I dedicate my struggle to creating a non-violent and inclusive society that dares to face a war and say, ‘No, I don’t want that.’ Let’s break free from all these war chains,” says Ajna.

created: January 10th, 2022

author: Mirza Mujdžić-Jojić


text:
Nisam Tražila: Four Girls Who Fought Against Gender-Based Violence | Balkan Diskurs
Samira Trešnjo
January 12th, 2022
The “Nisam tražila” initiative ([‘I didn’t ask for it’]) began with four art students’ reactions to rape cases in Serbia: Mateja Mavrak, Asja Krsmanović, Ana Tikvić, and Nadina Mičić.
Actress Milena Radulović and several other girls reported the owner of the Belgrade acting school, Miroslav Mike Aleksić, for rape and sexual harassment. Since then, the initiative has garnered support from women and men alike. They now publish cases of violence against women on their Facebook page and post reactions to injustice daily.
“It was interesting how surprised everyone was and how much they see the rape of this actress as an isolated case— but these things are happening to a much greater extent than we think. Of course, rape is somehow the last degree of sexual abuse and the most extreme, but there are many levels of sexual abuse and harassment that lead to that last most heinous act,” says Ana Tikvić, one of the leaders of the initiative.
When the four of them started talking and sharing their private experiences, they concluded that each of them had been in at least one situation in which they were victims of sexual abuse. They decided to launch the Facebook page “Nisam tražila” at three hours in the morning.
“That Facebook page is just proof that victims have more confidence on an anonymous Facebook page than in the system and organizations that are responsible for dealing with this problem. We received hundreds and hundreds of messages in the first few days. Victims are not ready to report sexual abuse because they do not trust the system, because they do not feel protected, and because they do not think that would solve anything. They don’t trust that the perpetrator would be properly punished, that they will eventually be protected and get justice and at least a little peace that they absolutely deserve,” says Ana.
She points out that it was a very stressful time for them because they began the page spontaneously without thinking about how it could escalate.
“At some point, we really thought, ‘what do we need this for?’ and then a person messaged us and said, ‘you encouraged me, I feel better, I decided to report my abuser.’ These kinds of messages gave us strength—if we even help one woman, everything is absolutely worth it.”
UN Women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of the “Violence is not a private matter” campaign, emphasizes that half of all women and girls over the age of 15 in BiH have experienced serious violence, most often at home, and that the perpetrator is almost always a man. All this becomes a serious problem because there is no adequate psychological help for victims of violence.
“There is no legally regulated form of psychological help that a person can receive when reporting sexual violence. Many organizations provide free legal and psychological advice, but again, nothing is regulated at the state level. Our Facebook page has about 40,000 followers, and we also have a closed group on FB that has about 13,000 members where people continue to write about their experiences with sexual abuse. Finally, at least a space has been created, even if it’s only online, where a person can really write about what bothers them without being judged by others,” she explains, emphasizing that they report every form of discrimination shared on their website.
Apart from the citizens of BiH, the initiative was supported by numerous politicians and public figures, but, as she says, that is not enough for change.
“We need to start solving concrete problems. We have also written an open letter to the Federal Parliament, specifically asking for an amendment to the Criminal Code. We recently received a response from the Federal Ministry with permission to form a working group for a preliminary draft amendment to the Criminal Code. I think the most important thing right now is to clearly define sexual abuse following the Istanbul Convention and move it to the Criminal Code.”
However, to fight against violence, the violence itself must be reported, which often does not happen due to societal pressure and patriarchal norms in our society.
“We live in an extremely patriarchal environment where the word of a man is still the law and the absolute truth, and women are, of course, afraid of society’s condemnation—whether someone will believe them, what the first neighbor will say. Unfortunately, we still live in such an environment where it is not a man’s shame, but, in the end, a woman’s shame,” says Ana.
However, the four of them do not have enough power to protect other girls because they are neither the police nor the court. Those who receive a salary for this type of work are responsible for finding a solution to the problem and changing the law.
“Ultimately, it is the state authorities and institutions that must protect the people who contact them. So, they have had a duty to do that for years, but unfortunately, it has not been done yet. We as an organization constantly make calls to action and warn others about these issues, but that’s it. I think that we must unite and that we mustn’t stop talking about it,” said Ana.
She is pleased that their initiative has encouraged a regional public discourse on sexual abuse.
“Sexual abuse happens to absolutely everyone, every day, regardless of the level of education, regardless of profession, religion, nation, and any other reasons. Violence happens to us, not because of who we are, not because of what we wear or do not wear, and I think it is very important that this topic continues to be talked about every day,” concludes Ana.

created: January 12th, 2022

author: Samira Trešnjo


text:
Untold Stories: Youth Working at the Srebrenica Memorial Center | Balkan Diskurs
Redžo Efendić
January 14th, 2022
Srebrenica Memorial Center strives to preserve the memory of genocide and combat its denial. Led by Dr. Emir Suljagić, the young team works tirelessly to show consequences and the scale of genocide that happened in Srebrenica and Eastern Bosnia to the whole world. A young volunteer from Visoko, Amina Žiga, has been part of the team for a year, even though she is not from Srebrenica.
The Memorial Center in Srebrenica is becoming more and more relevant due to revisionist policies and genocide denial practices by politicians in Serbia and those from Republika Srpska. This became clearer after Valentin Inzko, the outgoing High Representative, passed the Law on the Prohibition of Genocide Denial in BiH.
The Memorial Center represents the fight for truth and justice by sharing stories from Srebrenica. Even the volunteers who work at the Memorial Center have their own stories and special connections to Srebrenica. Amina Žiga (24) is a prime example of such a volunteer. She decided to work at the Memorial Center even though she is not from Srebrenica.
Ms. Žiga was born and raised in Visoko and completed her studies in International Relations and Diplomacy at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo. After finishing her studies, she visited the Srebrenica Memorial Center for the first time and got acquainted with its work. Shortly after that, she started volunteering at the Memorial Center, and after that, she moved to Srebrenica.
“My wish was to move to Srebrenica, which I did. Srebrenica is a small community, and I was aware of the challenges I had to face. But despite that, I’m here. I have been living with the people of Srebrenica for less than a year, and I feel hospitality and generosity every day,” said Amina.
She had the opportunity to talk to young people from the Center, who also survived the genocide. The experiences and stories they shared with her were moving. They also awoke in her the desire to spread the truth and nurture a culture of remembrance.
“Some of my colleagues are young people from Srebrenica and the surrounding area, which gives additional importance to the whole story. Most of them are optimistic people who see their future in Srebrenica and contribute to the growth and development of the community in which they live through their daily work,” said Amina.
Amina added that she has seen the Memorial Center grow into a serious institution with its own website and publications.
She is motivated by people who survived the genocide and contribute to preserving the truth through their work at the Memorial Center. She is most involved in the project “Truth, Dialogue, Future,” funded by the British Embassy.
“Amina contributed to the” Truth, Dialogue, Future” project by verifying facts in research, assisting researchers, and contacting institutions and organizations involved in similar projects. Through her engagement, she developed a network of institutions working on similar issues, and she was always available to researchers for support, contributing to her team,” said Zlatan Hajlovac, an external associate of the Srebrenica Memorial Center.
In addition, Amina cherishes her extremely capable and talented colleagues and tries to learn as much as she can from them.
“It is important that young people are involved in such projects because their energy and desire to work is a significant contribution to transitional justice and a culture of remembrance – especially when they can learn from more experienced colleagues. In my opinion, this combination is yielding results, and it is important to pass on the lessons of the Srebrenica genocide to future generations,” Hajlovac said.
The Memorial Center contributes to preserving the memory of everything that the people of Srebrenica went through, and they strive to be guardians of truth for the city.
“I am more than satisfied with my engagement in the Memorial Center. I learn a lot through conversations with colleagues, whether they are for business or private. The productivity and progress I feel gives me extra motivation to learn, work, and contribute,” says Amina.
She added that she is grateful to the Center for their quality program and how they monitor progress through daily encouragement and supervision.
Amina does not see Srebrenica and the Memorial Center the same as before. Now, she understands everything that Srebrenica has to offer. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with the Center, which participates in many projects apart from the commemoration of the 11th of July.
“Since I want to make the most of the opportunity that has been given to me, I am trying to help with several projects that my colleagues are currently working on,” says Amina.
Working at the Memorial Center and living in Srebrenica is the right choice for her for now. What is most important for her is learning and contributing to the Memorial Center and Srebrenica. Even though life can be unpredictable, she doesn’t have any plans to leave for now.
Amina says that many people are not fully aware of the extent of what happened in Srebrenica, which makes the existence of the Memorial Center even more important.
“The Memorial Center is a fundamental institution for dealing with the culture of remembrance of genocide victims. It is not only important for young people, but also for all people who want to research and learn about what happened in Potočari,” says Amina.

created: January 14th, 2022

author: Redžo Efendić


text:
Are Višegrad Returnees Becoming a Statistical Anomaly? | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
January 17th, 2022
In Višegrad, which was subjected to one of the most ruthless ethnic cleansing campaigns during the war, Bosniak returnees we visited claim that interethnic relations are currently friendly, but that if there was no tourism around the famous Mehmed Pasha Sokolović Bridge and the Višegrad hydroelectric power plant “the city would be dead.“
“Come on in, my wife has been waiting for you for a month,” says Omer Kapetanović as we enter the house that he inhabits with his wife, Sehija. Although we informed Kapetanović of our arrival only a week before, he says this anyway.
“First, coffee,” says Sehija as she puts coffee cups and homemade cookies for us on the table, pouring the coffee from a pot in the traditional Bosnian way. Omer offers a taste of his homemade apple brandy.
Omer and Sehija Kapetanović are returnees – people who came back to the pre-war places of residence that they had left because of the war.
In their municipality (Višegrad), there were systemic attacks, killings, and torture of Muslims, which led to a considerable change, an almost complete disappearance of the Muslim population. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has found that Višegrad was subjected to one of the most ruthless campaigns of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to the pre-war census, the village of Kapetanovići had 47 inhabitants; now, Omer and Sehija are living alone there. Conditions are difficult. Although they can reach their home only by unpaved road, they are pleased that after two years of trying, they managed to get electricity to their dwelling with the help of Bosnian Serbs.
“It’s tough to live here.“says Sehija, who has about 50 marks (25 euros) left for groceries a month. She has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and she is taking medication. Despite the difficulties, she and her husband do everything they can to revive their village.
Omer took out a loan, started keeping bees, bought a cow, roofed their stable and garage, and built a porch to the house. He brought water to their garden. Sehija makes preserves for the winter, jam, and ajvar, a famous Balkan spread made of eggplants and bell peppers. We also had the privilege of tasting her homemade sirnica, another Balkan culinary wonder. This cottage cheese-filled pastry is famous in the region, but we could tell that Sehija added some extra ingredients, making it even more delicious.
Back in Višegrad town, we met Edin Karaman, a municipal councilor. He returned to Višegrad in 2008, where he lives with his wife and two daughters. He says he is available to help returnees daily. Being a child of a village (as he calls himself), he is sometimes called on to do anything and everything, including delivering a newborn calf when required.
Describing the demographic situation, Karaman says that 13,471 Bosnian Muslims lived in the municipality before the war, whereas now only 1,145 live there.
“The number rises a little bit in the summer, with the coming of the so-called weekenders – people who only come to visit their pre-war homes from the diaspora or other places in Bosnia for a limited amount of time.” Karaman explains, adding “…the town of Višegrad is eerily quiet in the evening, compared to what it was like before the war.”
If it were not for the tourism around the famous Mehmed Pasha Sokolović Bridge and the Višegrad hydroelectric plant, the town would be dead, he says. Karaman worries that if the situation continues like this, in twenty years, the number of Bosnian Muslims will be reduced to a statistical error.
We wonder whether the brutal war crimes and violence prevented more people from returning to Višegrad. An indescribable evil marked the massacres; people were burned alive in their homes. Trial Chamber President Patrick Robinson said: “The crimes in this case committed by Milan Lukic and Sredoje Lukic were characterized by reckless and perverted contempt for human life.”
The Trial Chamber found that Milan Lukić personally killed at least 132 Muslim civilians in early June 1992 in just a few days. “Milan Lukić played a major role in the events in Pionirska and Bikavac, in which 59 people were burned alive in the first case and at least 60 in the second,“ the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) wrote.
According to its final ruling, ICTY sentenced  to life in prison as the leader of the White Eagles or Avengers, a local Bosnian Serb paramilitary group, while , a member of the same paramilitary unit, was sentenced to 27 years in prison. , a member of the same paramilitary unit that cooperated with the police and various military units stationed in Višegrad, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina sentenced , one of the commanders of Serbian paramilitary units, to 20 years in prison, and , a member of an unidentified paramilitary formation during the activities of the former Yugoslav People’s Army’s Užice Corps, and the Commander of the 3rd Company of the Višegrad Brigade of the Republika Srpska Army, was given a prison sentence of 17 years.
For crimes in Višegrad, the ICTY and the Court of BiH sentenced other members of the military and police forces as follows:
, a member of the reserve police force of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republika Srpska was sentenced to 14 years in prison,
, a member of the Reserve Police within the Public Security Station in Višegrad and of the Višegrad Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska to 20 years in prison,
, a member of the Reserve Police within the Public Security Station in Višegrad and of the Višegrad Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska to 15 years in prison,
, police officer in Višegrad, to 16 years in prison,
, member of the Territorial Defense of the Serb Municipality of Višegrad, and later a member of the IV Company of the Višegrad Brigade of the Army of the Republika Srpska (VRS), to ten years in prison,
, a reserve policeman in the Višegrad Public Security Station, then the Trebinje Security Service Center, to eight years in prison,
, a member of the Army of Republika Srpska to nine years in prison, , a member of the Army of Republika Srpska, to 18 years in prison, , a member of the 2nd Podrinje Light Infantry Brigade Višegrad of the Army of Republika Srpska, to five years in prison,
, a member of the Army of Republika Srpska to 14 years in prison and , a member of the Army of Republika Srpska, to five years in prison.
High-ranking officials convicted of crimes in Višegrad include:
, President of Republika Srpska, sentenced to 40 years in prison,
, member of the Main Board of the Serbian Democratic Party and President of the Bosnian Serb Assembly, sentenced to 20 years in prison,
, Serb representative in the BiH collective presidency, member of the collective and expanded Presidencies of the Bosnian Serb Republic in BiH (later Republika Srpska), which had de facto control over members of the Bosnian Serb armed forces, was sentenced to 11 years in prison and
, commander of the Main Staff of the Army of Republika Srpska, to life imprisonment.
The war legacy has not yet been resolved satisfactorily. The Vilina Vlas Hotel, which was used as a rape camp during the war, continues to operate without a reminder of its terrible past. Many still deny that such horrific crimes took place in Višegrad.
The city is often a gathering place for Serbian nationalists, the so-called Ravnogorski movement. Dušan Sladojević, Slavko Aleksić and Riste Lečić, members of the Ravna Gora Movement of the Fatherland of Srpska in Višegrad were accused of inciting religious and national hatred, discord, and intolerance among the constituent peoples of BiH on March 10, 2019.
The lower trial court in BiH found these defendants “not guilty.” In response, the president of the Association of Women Victims of War, Bakira Hasečić, said: “We will see what will be resolved in the Appellate Panel in the second instance verdict. But this is catastrophic; it is awful that the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and this Court, which is responsible for justice, is behind the Chetniks, war criminals who slaughtered, raped, killed, and ethnically cleansed us. This is a disaster for future generations to come.“
Ramiz Salkić, vice president of Republika Srpska – a BiH entity of which Višegrad is a part – said in late August last year that ethnic discrimination “remained a problem” urging the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina to eliminate it.
In the village of Kapetanovići, Omer said that no one they knew of the 47 locals who lived in their town was killed during the war. The Serbian residents of the villages surrounding the village of Kapetanovići let them go to safety. Only Omer and Sehija returned in 2008.  During the first visit of returnees to the village of Kapetanovići in 2003, an explosive device was detonated. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Even though it is well known who perpetrated the attack, nothing was done. It was only with the improvement of the security situation and legal reforms settling the issue of house ownership at the turn of the century that people started coming back to areas where they had lived previously.
Returnees to Višegrad are primarily living in the surrounding villages. Very few of them are in the city. According to the 1991 census, Bosniaks in Višegrad made up almost two-thirds of the municipality’s population, and the war reduced their share to ten percent.
When we asked Omer if he could list some of the problems he encountered as a returnee, he said: “No, no, really, nothing.” Karaman also claims that he “did not have any problems.”
Interethnic relations are friendly. The people we met don’t give up – they have everything it takes for their return to be prosperous and enduring.
This article was written by the spring cohort of Post-Conflict Research Center – PCRC’s interns in 2021 during their fieldwork in Višegrad. Authors include Samuel Raus, Chloé Heller, Amila Lelo, Emina Lišančić, and Dalila Kurtić.

created: January 17th, 2022

author: Balkan Diskurs


text:
Coal Mining in BiH: Putting Pressure on the Authorities to Power the Fading Light at the End of the Tunnel | Balkan Diskurs
Ismail Selmanović
January 21st, 2022
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are more than ten coal mines, representing the largest energy source extracted in the country. Last year’s protests in front of the Government of the Federation indicate the government’s laissez-faire attitude towards miners who put their blood, sweat, and tears into putting bread on the table, sometimes with fatal results.
Milorad Naćić, a mining engineer from Ugljevik, knows what it is like when a family depends on the money earned in the mine. He has many relatives on his father’s side who work on the strip coal mine “Bogutovo Selo.”
“As a child, my father took me to the mine, and when I saw all those huge machines and I experienced my first ride in a truck, my desire to engage in mining came to life. As the years went by, I finally decided to enroll at the Faculty of Mining and Geology in Belgrade at the end of high school. During my studies, I realized that mining is one of the main pillars of the economy of every country. If we look around, everything that is not made of wood was excavated by a miner,” says Naćić.
As he explains, people would not have cars if not for the iron and aluminum excavated by miners. There would not be electricity without coal mines and thermal power plants. There would also not be heating, copper installations, or brick and concrete buildings made of certain types of clay, which miners also excavate.
“After my studies, I got a job at the mine Ugljevik, and I saw that the situation was very difficult. We work in difficult weather conditions, and in the summer, it is difficult to breathe due to dust. In other seasons, we struggle with rain, mud, and slippery tracks for trucks loaded with 120 tons each. Electric excavators which go up to 6000 volts can also collapse or get stuck in the mud. Every day is a new struggle,” Naćić says.
In addition to the Ugljevik coal mine, in the Republika Srpska (RS) there are six more mines, but not all mine coal. Coal is mined in three locations – Gacko (lignite), Ugljevik (brown), and Stanari (lignite). Gacko and Ugljevik produce coal for the needs of thermal power plants (98 percent of sales) and mass consumption.
According to the data of Elektroprivreda RS (ENG: electric power industry of the entity of Republika Srpska), the capacity of the Gacko mine is 2.1 million tons of coal, and the Ugljevik mine 1.75 million tons per year. Since the existing surface mines are at the end of the reserves, opening new ones in the next 3 to 5 years is necessary. The mechanism for mining also requires new updates.
According to the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry, the mines in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) employ 6,800 miners. Of those, 2,000 are disabled. Workers in all seven mines in FBiH (which fall under the jurisdiction of Elektroprivreda BiH) protested last year, demanding higher wages and stricter adherence to the performance rulebook. The problems that miners face daily have surfaced.
The mining business alone is difficult, but workers’ positions in the industry are further aggravated by their poor working conditions, which has resulted in demanding labor rights through strikes. Irregular wages, substandard working conditions, constant uncertainty of job retention, and even life-threatening circumstances give a complete picture of miners’ status.
These circumstances triggered the protest in front of the FBiH Government building. The severity of the situation is evidenced by the fact that the mines owed about 500 million KM to the tax administrations and health and pension insurance funds in FBiH. However, the strike ended after several days, and an agreement was reached with Elektroprivreda BiH.
“Chants of ‘We will not give you charcoal’ [ BCS: Ne damo vam ćumura] echoed at the last protest of miners in front of the FBiH Government, describing the best case scenario in our society. There are many reasons for the protest itself – the new way of calculating salaries is only one of them. What is more important is the long-term issue of non-payment of contributions, which creates problems for miners to retire or go to the doctor, as well as poor working conditions – dilapidated equipment and lack of modernization resulting in poor mine productivity,” says Faruk Hadžić, a lecturer at Sarajevo School of Science and Technology (SSST).
He points out that in BiH, the surplus of administrative staff is a huge problem, which is starting to be discussed more and more.
“If the issue of miners had not been on the agenda, we might not have found out that there are about 2,200 redundant administrative workers in the mines and that there is a lack of diggers. This huge surplus of administrative workers significantly reduces the mining sector’s productivity,” explains Hadžić.
Šerifa Buševac, geology engineer and master’s student at the Faculty of Mining, Geology and Civil Engineering, University of Tuzla, describes miners as people with hearts as big as mountains.
“The biggest response to humanitarian action was from the miners. Energy transition, conversion of mining areas, and miners’ disposal are burning problems in the world and our country. Miners only seek to protect their rights and what belongs to them, which often leads to authorities’ misunderstanding,” explains Buševac.
As Buševac explains, the miners work every day to put bread on their already modest table. While there is no official number of dead miners, they fight for their survival day by day. Therefore, it is necessary to remind the public of their sacrifice to improve workers’ rights in BiH.

created: January 21st, 2022

author: Ismail Selmanović


text:
Holocaust & Peace - Lessons from the past for the future | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
January 28th, 2022
The Post-conflict Research Center (PCRC), Educator’s Institute for Human Rights (EIHR), the forumZFD, the Haggadah Sarajevo Association, and the Bosnian Cultural Center marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Sarajevo today and the 80th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference.
As part of the commemoration program, we launched the pedagogical manual “Holocaust & Peace – Lessons from the past for the future.” This manual provides a practical, didactical guide for educators and teachers with modern teaching techniques, resources, and lesson plans for creating new social and learning spaces for the exploration of history and the causes of violent conflict, as well as for preventing and combating revisionism and denial.
“This manual is the result of many years of cooperation that the PCRC is building with the Educators Institute for Human Rights and the ForumZFD, and is unique in the region in its topics. Our goal is to help new generations of young people and educate them in the spirit of tolerance, coexistence, and interreligious cooperation,” said Velma Šarić, founder and president of PCRC.
According to Šarić, the manual “Holocaust & Peace – Lessons from the Past for the Future” promotes the importance of historical memory and dialogue in an innovative and inclusive way.
“The formal education system in BiH and the region is very reserved when it comes to history, not only of our country but also of the Holocaust. This is why we are glad that we managed to organize the manual’s launch on International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of Wannsee Conference,” Šarić said.
The pedagogical manual was created in cooperation with educators and professors throughout BiH, and Šarić points out that the next steps will be to make the manual part of formal and non-formal education in our country and region.
In addition to Šarić, the authors of the manual include Sarajevo Mayor Benjamina Karić, Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH and several local professors. The authors addressed the audience at today’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day program.
“A history of the Jews of this city is a history of all of us,” said Karić, emphasizing that only by remembering history can we build a better future.
The OSCE Mission to BiH has been supporting the work of the PCRC for a long time, and some of the results of the co-operation have found their place in the “Holocaust & Peace – Lessons from the Past for the Future” manual. This includes the educational program “On the Margins,” which focuses on the position of the Roma community in BiH, as well as the latest documentary “Maglaj, War and Peace.”
“After many years of working on the manual, I am very pleased and honored to attend the promotion with the hope that the workshops will benefit all educators, teachers, and professors who want to work in their classrooms on critical thinking about human rights, cultures of remembrance, and lessons from the past for better the future,” said Alma Žero, Senior Assistant at the Department of English language and literature at the University of Sarajevo and EIHR Coordinator.
The program marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day was organized with a limited number of participants due to COVID-19 restrictions. Nevertheless, it was attended by representatives of civil society organizations, educational institutions, and the association “Movement of Mothers of the Srebrenica and Žepa Enclaves.” Additionally, the diplomatic corps in Sarajevo turned out for the event, including representatives from the British, Italian, Swedish, and German embassies.
Milica Jošić-Milinović, senior assistant in the Department of English at the University of Banja Luka, said she was proud that the result of this long-term project was a manual with workshops that innovatively addressed the Holocaust, human rights, identity, conflict, and cultures of remembrance, which are, above all, practical and interdisciplinary.
“In one of the two workshops I worked on, The Un (Healed) Scars of Conflict, I combined my love of literature with art by using poetry and photography as a tool to reflect on various conflicts in the past, and also to change the perspective, so the students have the opportunity to revive certain places of conflict through writing poems and pseudo-personal testimonies,” said Jošić-Milinović.
Amina Kaknjo, an English language and literature teacher at the High School of Hospitality and Tourism in Sarajevo, court interpreter, and activist for cultural exchange, pointed out that horrific events from our past clearly prove that we were not good students of our life teacher – history.
“We have to prove again and again more than the obvious truth that all people are the same, equally valuable, that there are no superstitions and superhumans but only fear of the different and unknown. It is important to provide young people with a wealth of information through film, literature, memorial tours, and publications such as this manual, in order to develop empathy for victims and stand firmly on the side of truth and justice tomorrow, clearly distinguishing good from evil,” Kaknjo stated.
As part of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day program, the exhibition “The Wannsee Conference and the Final Solution to the Jewish Question” by Elijas Tauber, Advisor for Culture and Religion to the Jewish Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was opened.
The exhibition was created to mark the 80th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference, which established a plan to exterminate the Jewish people in Europe. The aim of the exhibition is to educate the public about this historical event and its consequences, and to demonstrate the ways in which the mass killings of Jews by Nazi Germany and its associates required the coordination and cooperation of government agencies across Europe.

created: January 28th, 2022


text:
Velma Šarić and the Bosnian Peace Organization Win International Peacebuilding Award | Balkan Diskurs
Balkan Diskurs
January 28th, 2022
The Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC), and its founder and president Velma Šarić, were awarded the first “Local Peacebulider” award yesterday in Washington, D.C., where they were once again recognized as the leading organization in Bosnia and Herzegovina for building sustainable peace, preventing violent conflict, and promoting human rights.
The award was presented by the Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP), a leading non-partisan global network of more than 150 members working in 181 countries to end and prevent violent conflict and build sustainable peace.
Liz Hume, AfP’s Executive Director, said that Velma Šarić and PCRC are an amazing example of locally-led peacebuilding organizations that understand the local conflict dynamics and can effectively address them through storytelling and education.
“Although BiH has avoided full-scale war since 1995, in 2021, the country was again experiencing an ethnic crisis, and Velma and PCRC’s work is instrumental to prevent and reduce this crisis and build long-term peace in BiH at all levels of society. They were also critical in assisting us to understand the conflict dynamics and how to help at the international level,” Hume said.
Šarić said the AfP’s first local peacebuilder award, given at a critical moment when Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans are confronted with increasing ethnic intolerance and the glorification of war criminals, further inspires her team to work actively to build sustainable peace.
“As an organization that has been actively working to build sustainable peace in Bosnia for more than a decade, the AfP Award will spur us forward to continue our mission of peacebuilding, despite significant obstacles. I dedicate this award to the exceptionally talented team represented by Bosnian youth, our supporters, advisors, allies, and donors who believe in us,” Šarić said.
The winner of the AfP’s Local Peacebuilders Award is the founder and president of PCRC, who has more than 20 years of experience working in BiH as a researcher, journalist, peacebuilding expert, human rights activist, and peace ambassador at the Center for Peace Studies in Sri Lanka.
PCRC has received several international awards, including those for intercultural innovation 2014/2015 by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the BMW Group and the intercultural achievements of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs. It was also selected from 65 international finalists as among the top five candidates for the Council of Europe’s Diversity Advantage Challenge. Additionally, PCRC’s work in this area was identified for best practices in a handbook developed by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe to help elected officials in 46 member states organize intercultural and interfaith activities.
You can find more about the work of PCRC and the ways in which you can contribute to peace work in BiH at https://p-crc.org/.


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Prevention of gender-based violence through education | Balkan Diskurs
Almedina Alihodžić
January 28th, 2022
Education professionals, the non-governmental sector, and human rights activists agree that the fight against all forms of violence must be a part of everyday life, especially in communication with children and young people. Here, parents play an important role, in addition to educational institutions.
Reports of gender and sexuality-based violence are steadily rising each year in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is to say that we are increasingly aware of this ongoing practice. “We live in a time when people are discriminated against on the basis of gender, and I am sure that this is most difficult for children,” said Amira Huskić, a student at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Sarajevo, who is actively fighting against gender-based violence.
The United Women Foundation from Banja Luka has been involved in the prevention of gender-based violence for years, working directly with children from first to ninth grade, as well as with teachers and professional staff in suburban schools in Gradiška and Banja Luka. “Schools do not promote the prevention of gender-based violence, nor is the topic addressed through regular schooling,” said Dragana Miljević-Miljković, a social worker at the United Women Foundation in Banja Luka. She also notes a need to train teachers and school staff on matters related to gender-based violence and its prevention.
Safvet-beg Bašagić Elementary School in Breza strives to incorporate the campaign against all forms of violence into the everyday activities of its students, acknowledging that schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina are often left to their own devices and initiative when it comes to this sensitive issue. “Every school is obliged to promote equality and equal rights for all, regardless of religion, race, nationality, or gender. The real question is how much we know about whether everyone feels equal, as well as how much we research such issues,” says Mersiha Šehić, the principal of Safvet-beg Bašagić Elementary School in Breza.
In 2016, the handbook “Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in Schools: A Handbook for Teachers and Professionals in Primary and Secondary Schools”, was published as part of joint initiative of Sarajevo’s Women to Women Association, Banja Luka’s United Women Foundation, Tuzla’s Amica Educa Association, the organization Women’s Voice from Bihać, the Derventa Women’s Association, and the IN Foundation (INF).
Among its various insights, the handbook emphasizes the need to develop mechanisms for reporting and monitoring gender-based violence in the school environment. This would include a code of conduct outlining the obligations and procedures for confronting gender-based violence, not only for principals, teachers, administrators, and support staff, but also for students and parents.
The handbook also recommends that schools establish committees and groups dedicated to the protection of school children from gender-based violence, as well as helplines and anonymous reporting mechanisms for victims and witnesses of violence. Additionally, the handbook identifies the enormous benefits that learning skills such as non-violent communication and peaceful conflict resolution can have for both male and female students.
Principal Šehić suggests a concrete possibility of introducing topics of gender-based violence in school curricula through the homeroom class meetings. In this setting, anti-violence initiatives can be connected with historical and civic education, leading students to research examples of gender-based violence through different time periods.
“It is possible to study the Convention on Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and especially the Istanbul Convention from 2011. Such content enables students to make comparisons between society in the past and society today, to determine the factors that led to prejudices, as well as those that broke them, “said Šehić.
Student Huskić supports the introduction of topics related to gender-based violence in school curriculum, in order to raise at least a little more awareness about the problems that concern young people, our environment, and the world.
According to Miljević-Miljković, parents can be a significant resource in the fight against gender-based violence, because the immediate family provides the formative basis for child development. “Children retain their upbringing from home, as well as negative and positive patterns of behavior. But these patterns can also change if there are positive models of identification within the school,” said Miljević-Miljković.
Šehić also points out the importance of the family in the development of each individual, explaining that “even schools themselves cannot work well without the engagement of the family in the upbringing and education of children and youth.”
“It can happen that the family is a risk factor for the child. In that case, the obligation of the school is to recognize this, to protect the child, and to cooperate with the competent institutions in the child’s best interest,” said Šehić.
Given that there are many NGOs with experience working with and preventing gender-based violence, they too can be a valuable resource in violence prevention. For this reason, according to Miljević-Miljković, schools should recognize and respect these institutions. “In that way, children, teachers, and professional staff within the school would be better equipped to modify their work and adapt it to the modern school system.” Miljević-Miljković went on to emphasize that these measures would directly affect the recognition and timely response in instances of violence.

author: Almedina Alihodžić


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A Humane and Systematic Approach to Solve Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Stray Dog Problem | Balkan Diskurs
Harisa Bojčić
January 31st, 2022
The problems of stray dogs in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) should be resolved systematically and humanely following the Law on Animal Protection and Welfare. For that to happen, more resources are necessary because the funds available to address this problem are insufficient. A lack of resources continues to be a problem even though the situation has improved somewhat in recent times.
Government agencies and other organizations can address the problem of stray dogs throughout BiH by investing additional resources in improvements in the housing and caring of stray dogs. Also, educating the public and raising awareness of this problem is necessary. According to the data published by the Cantonal Public Utility Company (KJKP), 5,604 stray dogs have been killed in the Sarajevo Canton since 2017. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic creates barriers to the process of adopting dogs.
The Dogs Trust Foundation is a UK-based charity with a mission to assist local authorities and other organizations in establishing a humane, sustainable, and continuous framework for compliance with the state Law on Animal Protection and Welfare. The work of the Foundation also includes promoting the adoption of street dogs. However, this program is active only in the Sarajevo Canton and its surroundings due to limited funds.
Sanja Bianculli from the Dogs Trust Foundation said they offer expert assessments on which dog is best for a family’s lifestyle, i.e., which owner is best for the dog’s needs and character; this is a priority for them as a dog welfare organization. “Through our fostering program, a dog is fully examined and cleaned. We also start training the dog and get it used to being a pet,” explained Bianculli, emphasizing that anyone who wants to adopt a dog should apply to do so through the Dogs Trust page in the section “Application Form.”
Asked what local authorities have done about stray dogs, Bianculli said: “As far as local authorities are concerned, they are the only ones who are required, but also the only ones who have the resources to ensure that the Law on Animal Protection and Welfare in BiH is consistently implemented. There is now more motivation for these authorities to search for and initiate solutions proactively, instead of the more common practice in the past where the action was taken only after it had escalated to the point where citizens’ lawsuits and claims for compensation had begun to arrive.”
She explained that “…there are two kinds of people – those who are aware of the problem only when directly confronted with it, i.e., when an incident occurs with a dog; and those who understand the problem and believe that legal, humane and systematic solutions are the only way to prevent a recurrence of the problem.”
The Dogs Trust Foundation has been working for years on educating and raising citizens’ awareness, and some results have been achieved. However, Bianculli emphasizes the need for local authorities to ensure that legal oversight measures are strengthened as applied to owners, breeders, hunters, shelters, boarding houses, and others who keep dogs. Any violation of the Law must have consequences.
Citizens, local groups, and associations, according to Bianculli, have mechanisms in place to demand transparency and consistency from the authorities in enforcing the Law and protecting both innocent dogs and human health and safety. She states that state law is humane and provides an excellent framework for establishing a sympathetic and efficient system. This is the only way to ensure that dogs do not have to be homeless and are not in danger of inhumane treatment and death. As she points out, now “the reaction of the responsible institutions is much faster in these cases, and it happens much more often now that the process is more transparent.”
The “Woof Wood” workshop, owned by Belma Ustović and Edin Osmanović in Sarajevo, is also active in helping abandoned dogs and cats.
“In our small Woof Wood factory, work began a year ago. We wanted to offer our dear pets interesting and practical play items, feeders, cribs, and a range of products that we are currently working on and that you will see in the future. Made of natural materials and colors, harmless to animals and us, and yet playful and cheerful. The original and unchanged goal of our business is to finance the costs of rescued dogs and cats from the street,” said Ustović, one of the founders of this increasingly popular brand.
She reveals that they were limited to providing help only to a few stray dogs and cats; before starting the business, they were forced to delay the housing of an animal or delay providing veterinary treatment if it was injured or sick until funds could be raised.
“Now we have much more money to cover the basic costs, and we hope that when we develop the business, we will be able to help more animals. The profits of the business are used for feeding animals, veterinary expenses, food for street dogs, cats, and hedgehogs …” said Ustović.
When asked if they cooperate with local associations for abandoned animals, she answered: “We do cooperate. We all have the same goal, sheltering and adopting animals, and we help each other as much as we can. Many of them are associations from EU cities, which help us find homes for dogs and cats. The local associations are Ruka za Šapu, Glas životinja, Happy Puppy Sarajevo…” continues Ustović.
The pandemic of the COVID-19 virus significantly worsened the situation for abandoned animals because, among other things, adoption was difficult for adopters from other countries due to the new travel and quarantine bans. This led to overcrowding in boarding houses and a lack of assistance from foreign donors.
Ustović explains that there are no passports and certificates for animals, which are necessary before the trip. She also emphasizes that there are misunderstandings with the border police of neighboring countries, which is why sometimes the animals get all returned. However, these problems are an inspiration rather than a deterrent. “The items we make are usually first imagined and discussed. Sometimes the internet inspires us, sometimes our imagination. Only when the “draft” is designed in detail, we start making it. It happens that more than one of the items develop from one idea, which is why our range is expanding. We hope that the market will make space for us,” she added.
Woof Wood products can be found on their Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as their partners Zoo Centar in Pet Shop Ria.

created: January 31st, 2022

author: Harisa Bojčić


text:
Boxing Club “Zlatni Ljiljani:” A Legacy That Stands the Test of Time | Balkan Diskurs
Amina Sejfić
February 2nd, 2022
Founded at the beginning of the longest siege of a capital in history – Sarajevo, the boxing club „Zlatni ljiljani“ proves that despite the most difficult obstacles, it is possible to achieve success and create a new generations of champions.
Boxing club “Zlatni ljiljani”  (ENG: Golden Lilies) was founded on September 27th, 1992, during the siege of Sarajevo. The club offered young people the opportunity to escape, at least briefly, from grenades and snipers terrorizing them daily for 1425 days. Today, almost thirty years after its founding, the club deftly upholds the values of Olympic boxing: respect, discipline, and justice.
Mustafa Hajrulahović Talijan was the first president of the club. He was also the Commander of the Territorial Defense of Sarajevo and the First Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the General of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with young men from Sarajevo settlements, he organized the defense of the city. His contribution to Olympic sports is enormous.
Over 360 competitors from the club participated in 1250 matches, of which around 500 matches were certified as “official.”
The story of the Italian (BCS: Talijan) in the land of lilies begins long before the siege of Sarajevo, and the founding of the first boxing club, when the ominous shadows of war hovered over the city. His story does not end with his death, but is continued by new generations who participate in the tournament named after him for the past 19 years.
“Mustafa Hajrulahović Talijan was the first president of the club and he made an immeasurable contribution to the development of Olympic boxing. With this tournament, we keep his memory alive,” says Adnan Pašić, President of the Board of the Boxing Club “Zlatni ljiljani.”
Federal Television journalist Arijana Saračević-Helać, who reported during the war, wrote on her Facebook profile that Talijan was a fighter for a sovereign and indivisible Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“He ignored rules and held on to good people. I often wonder — if he were alive, would he allow the shameful disregard of another hero – Dragan Vikić“, she wrote on her Facebook profile in March 2021, on the anniversary of Talijan’s death.
The first international tournament organized by the club was in 2003. Three countries attended: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosovo. Almost two decades later, 17 countries and over 160 competitors took part in the tournament.
“On the day of the tournament, we remember General Mustafa Hajrulahović Talijan, who was exemplary both in sports and in the army. We preserve his legacy of one of the founders of the Boxing Club ‘Zlatni ljiljani,’ and we cherish this tournament as a meeting place for young people from the region and the world. It is a place to talk about the future of boxing and sports, and also an opportunity to create a new generation of young people who practice tolerance, coexistence, and cooperation,” says Pašić.
The COVID-19 pandemic upended everyday life, which was a heavy blow for many sports-related activities. Many organizations were forced to change their work dynamics. Numerous competitions have been canceled, or allowed to continue only with heavy restrictions. Patrons’ and donors’ interests have also been significantly reduced. After a year of challenges for sports in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2021 opened the door to new meetings and victories.
“In a short time, sports clubs have embraced a new dynamic. Trainings and competitions are held with respect to pandemic protection measures. However, the real blow to sports came with reduced public participation in events, thus weakening sponsors’ interests. In times of uncertainty, many companies gave up support for social activities. I would like to single out BH Telecom as a positive example because they contributed more money, even during these difficult years. So, last year, they sponsored our activities, the International Memorial Tournament ‘Mustafa Hajrulahović Talijan,’ and other sporting events,” says Pašić.
At a time when many are focused on making a profit or their own interests, the club consistently demonstrates the value of investing in sports like boxing.
“I am always happy with good results in sports. We’ve seen how even a small investment in women’s basketball and volleyball can result in a great victory for society, community, and sports. Sometimes it seems that we are too focused on football, which requires a lot of money even though professional clubs should be self-sustaining. On the other hand, sports like boxing do not require lots of funding, and they can bring good results,” adds Pašić.
Yet some things are difficult to measure, transcending invisible boundaries.
“Our club is also defined by the hidden the stories of our team: children born in the years after the war, who deal with the challenges of everyday life in our society. We value the stories of our coaches more than our numbers or clicks on social media posts – they not only conduct trainings, but also are teachers and role models for generations to come,” said Pašić.
Behind the club’s competitors are the faces of young people who have gained self-confidence through boxing.
“Zlatni ljiljani” has been working with young people for years to strengthen their self-confidence and discourage peer violence. Their goal is to open the door to new generations who may not have had the opportunity to try the sport. This noble skill teaches respect for opponents, protection of the weak, and the fight against violent behavior. In addition to developing the body, boxing also affects the spirit, encouraging attention, self-discipline, and tranquility.
Boxing is known for requiring concentration and leaves little room for one to think about stress, obligations, or other problems. The sport builds self-confidence, and that self-confidence continues to grow with success. Every boxer faces their and overcomes their fears every. Some punches are inevitable, but boxing teaches young people to stand up bravely after each knockout and continue forward.
We live in a society where sports are usually reserved for men. Pašić says that in martial arts women are always on the margins, but this phenomenon occurs in other sports as well.
“You will often notice that when you do not explicitly say in a mixed training that sparing partners are arranged differently in the gym, the girls will go to the end of the gym. These seem like little things, but by changing that mindset – that insisting that girls do not belong at the back of the gym – you change the people you work with. It affects both men and women. By giving opportunities and space to women in boxing, we are working to change the generation to come.”
The club has launched a basic self-defense program called “Girls Strike Back.” The program aims to teach girls the basic principles of self-defense at a time when newspaper headlines are filled with stories of physical and mental abuse. Self-defense courses are organized as a mixed boxing technique, which includes good fitness preparation and communication about real situations.
To combat the societal issue of violence against women and girls, the boxing club’s organizing committee has chosen to respond by strengthening girls’ self-confidence and readiness to fight back in a safe environment with instructors who respect and appreciate them.
“At a time when physical and sexual assaults on women have become the rule, not the exception, we must free women from fear – first to defend themselves and second to talk about violence. In this society, we suffer from bullies who target the weaker,” says Pašić.
Despite limited funds and the pandemic’s challenges, “Mustafa Hajrulahović Talijan” memorial tournament in 2020 introduced a couple of novelties.
“We have started categories in the tournament for women and youth, because we want to affirm our club’s openness and the good practices that we want to pass on to new generations.”

created: February 2nd, 2022

author: Amina Sejfić


text:
Responsible Reporting on Gender-Based Violence to Protect Victims’ Privacy | Balkan Diskurs
Alem Bajramović
February 4th, 2022
Gender-based violence is receiving more and more media coverage in Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, the basic principles of ethical journalism are often violated for the sake of  publishing more sensational content, which often results in the re-traumatization of victims and their families.
Gender-based violence is one of today’s most pressing issues and is rooted in centuries of adherence to the patriarchal value system. For this reason, the largest number of victims of gender-based violence are girls and women. Gender-based violence is being receiving more and more media attention. According to research conducted by UN Women in 2016, most media reporting on gender-based violence is published in short-form content.
“The media do not initiate topics of violence against women but rather report on those cases in brief covers once they get information from their source, most frequently police source or non-governmental organizations. Photographs used to illustrate GBV articles do not mainly contain bloody details and are not unethical, but one in five published stories is accompanied by a clear photo of the story actor’s face be it a woman who suffered violence, a perpetrator or an activist in that field. The most present topic in the stories is physical violence, as seen in almost half of the articles that were subject to this analysis. While physical and sexual violence against women is present in news articles and recognized as a problem, other forms of violence are almost not mentioned at all,” according to the UN Women study.
Journalistic ethics prescribes a specific approach to victims of gender-based violence, said Borka Rudić, Secretary General of the Association of BiH Journalists. She went on to explain that victims should be approached carefully, with compassion, and in a way that will not contribute to new or additional victimization through media content.
“All journalists should report on this topic, taking into account whether the public should know some details of abuse or violence, or not. I emphasize that it is not necessary, because by presenting details and describing the actions of the perpetrator, additional damage is inflicted on the victims. Insisting on details is not the task of the media, but of the judiciary and the police,” Rudić said.
According to Rudić, the sensationalist approach, which can be seen in everything from the title of the text to the photographs or vocabulary used by journalists, is a “violation of the dignity of the victim” and is contrary to professional and ethical journalism.
“There are many examples of disrespect for the victims’ privacy, but the most drastic is when the information on victims is published right after incidents, before the police or other competent authorities do so,” said Marko Divković, president of the Association of BiH Journalists.
Divković explains that when it comes to gender-based violence, violations of general professional principles in BiH media is not uncommon, even outside of tabloids, ownerless news portals, and the like.
“The fundamental principle that the victim has an indisputable right to protection, although well known, is often violated. The importance of this issue is shown by the fact that in the Statute of the Federation of Journalists of Yugoslavia, there was a provision that required special attention when reporting on the infirm, the elderly, children, and the sick during accidents and similar situations,” Divković explained.
Discrimination and public portrayal of any person in an insulting, degrading, or humiliating manner in the media is prohibited by the Law on Gender Equality in BiH, Code of Press and Online Media, Code of Audiovisual Media and Radio Services, Code of Honor of BiH Journalists, and others.
“A journalist is obliged to respect everyone’s right to private and family life, home, health, and expression. Publishing information that violates someone’s privacy, without someone’s permission, must be justified in the public interest,” states the Code of Honor of BH Journalists.
Safet Mušić, an expert on security issues, explains that there are cases when publishing photos of victims in the media significantly complicates the already difficult period that the victim is going through. The consequences for the victims, he said, are particularly pronounced in rural areas, where over 70 percent of gender-based violence occurs.
“The media rarely talks about the causes of gender-based violence, ways to help victims, or the consequences of violence. More often, the media reports on individual cases and testimonies of victims without specific messages and so on,” said Mušić. He also suggests that journalists should avoid interviews which directly showcase victims of violence, while always keeping in mind that victims are dealing with a difficult situation and are often suffering from psychological consequences.
As examples of good practices, Mušić recommends that the media should give more space to professional perspectives, such as sociological and psychological approaches to addressing these problems as well as the views of security and legal experts. The media should also include input from representatives of relevant organizations who can provide specific data as well as resources for victims on how to seek help and information on the prevention of gender-based violence.
To protect victims of gender-based violence in public space, psychologist Čedomir Novaković explains that it is important to use a differential method which accounts for the skills, education level, ability, and personality of the individual journalist. Novaković notes that basic social, national, and cultural characteristics of the media are important, as is the milieu which victims belong and what kind of trauma they experience. He adds that the individual, group, and cultural consequences that may arise should also be taken into account.
“That affinity of a fine description, a fine differential analysis is necessary for very experienced journalists as well. However, today we have very uneducated journalists in the area of general reporting, especially when it comes to empathy and personal psychology towards the victim being written about and towards all possible aspects of assessment,” Novaković said.
Cases of unethical reporting and violations of codes and laws, as Rudić explains, can be reported to the Communications Regulatory Agency, in the case of electronic media, or to The Press Complaints Commission, in the case of print and online media. He also points out that charges can be filed with the Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Gender Equality Agency, at the gender centers in the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska. Also, it is possible to file criminal charges against responsible persons in the media for violating the Law on Gender Equality, Law on Personal Protection of Data, and the Law on Prevention of Discrimination.

created: February 4th, 2022

author: Alem Bajramović


text:
The Futility of the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina | Balkan Diskurs
Merjema Halilović
February 8th, 2022
Two ordinary families of different ethnicities from villages near Kiseljak and Visoko were connected during the war—not only by the struggle for survival, great uncertainty, and waiting, but also by a togetherness, and humanity that overcame the futility of the war.
A hill divides the villages of Gomionica and Liješevo which provided a path of salvation for many people during the war, including the Mujagić family. They found refuge with Catholic Croats, for whom ethnicity was not a measure of humanity. These two families ended up sharing the last crumbs of bread.
After the forces of the HVO (Croatian Defense Council) carried out a military attack on the civilian population in part of Kiseljak Municipality in the spring of 1993, the Mujagić family of four left the majority Muslim village of Gomionica. “To save our lives, we were forced to leave our home like many other families. Everything my parents had built went up in flames. My bicycle, my sister’s sled, my mother’s embroidery from her childhood, pictures, memories, all gone in one day under the pretence of defending the Croatian people. I remember that my mother locked the house and brought the key, and we often joked about that later,” says Amela Mujagić, who was 13 years old when she left the village of Gomionica with her parents and sister.
They found salvation in the house of the three-member Mišković family, in the village of Liješevo in Visoko municipality. “Without them, we would have ended up on the street or in some overcrowded collective accommodation with terrible conditions—in other words, what looked like concentration camps. The Croats drove us away from our home, only for other Croats to offer us accommodation and shelter,” Amela explained.
For about one year, the Mujagić and Mišković families shared not only a house, but also the fear, anxiety, and other uncertainties of the war. Afterwards, the Mišković family ceded their house, which belonged to Nikola’s brother in Switzerland, to the Mujagić family. Both sides say that their relationship provided normalcy above all, in what was a very abnormal time. They helped each other as much as they could.
“The only motive for helping others was that there were people around me who needed help. Neither my wife nor I have ever looked at ‘who is who,’ at their nationality and religion. These are irrelevant to us. During the war, we helped as many people as much as we could. I would do the same again. We lived nicely with the Mujagićs. I considered them part of the family. They were very good people, and after the war, we remained good friends. Although there was war, we also have fond memories of that time. It would be much better if everyone lived and got along like us,” said Nikola Mišković.
Ana, Nikola’s wife, said that people got so used to war and its difficulties that they even started making jokes about it.  “I often remember making maslenica [pastry with butter] and halva [confections] with Asifa and Džemila. We drank coffee together, talked, and laughed. Asifa once said to me over coffee, ‘Oh, Ana, look at us, it’s as if there’s not a war,’” she said.
The Mišković family was one of the few who did not want to leave their home and continued to live among the majority Bosniak population.
“For ‘theirs’ [Croats], they were traitors, and for ‘ours’ [Bosniaks], they were ‘theirs.’ Soldiers often passed this way because it led to the front lines, and they almost always yelled derogatory things and often death threats, yelling that they would burn down the house. And that was the price of our stay there – they gave us a roof over our heads, and in return, we gave them some kind of guarantee that no one would touch them or set fire to the house while they slept. The absurdities of war really have no bounds,” said Amela.
Amela, the youngest resident at the time, remembers the period spent with the Mišković family well. She explains how they each knew exactly how much bread they could eat each day, and she vividly remembers sneaking into the kitchen with her sister during the night in search of more bread. Another event has remained in her memory: “My uncle miraculously managed to send a package from Germany. I think there was a radio program called ‘Broken Connections,’ and he managed to locate us through that. In the package, there were 24 chocolates: 12 dairy and 12 hazelnut chocolates. We couldn’t even see chocolate on TV at the time because for the most part there was no electricity. Ah, 24 chocolates—to experience so much joy was indescribable! And shampoo, real shampoo, not the one my mom made from God knows what. He also sent real toothpaste, finally, instead of baking soda. Oh, that was a moment to remember from the war.”
Amela’s mother, Džemila Mujagić, said that the most difficult thing for her was that they were left without everything they had acquired and that they were far from their home and hometown. “We were afraid for each other. We were afraid of hunger, unrest, bad news. We just waited for everything to end and dreamed of returning home alive and well. In any case, we luckily managed to keep our health and life, but also because we lived with good people,” said Džemila.
The story of these two families shows that there was coexistence existed during the war. They all agree that the war was meaningless and unnecessary and that a person is not defined by ethnic or religious affiliation. “Ordinary, kind people did not want a war, but they weren’t asked about it,” both families believe. Their stories testify to the fact that the real heroes of every war are the ordinary people who help each other without thinking about identities or differences.
There are certainly many untold war stories in Bosnia and Herzegovina about ordinary heroes for whom all that mattered was whether or not one was a good person. Their heroism lies in the fact that they did not resort to hatred or anger, even in the most difficult moments. They show us why we should reject the futility of war, in favor of the solidarity of love.

created: February 8th, 2022

author: Merjema Halilović


text:
An Aromatic Beverage as a Means of Socialization | Balkan Diskurs
Nejla Emšo
February 10th, 2022
Coffee is a very important beverage in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Good and bad news, new and old acquaintances – these are all reasons to drink coffee. The importance of this drink as a part of the social life of our society is attested to by coffee roasting shops, whose aromas carry far.
One of the main associations with coffee in the Bosnian and Herzegovinian society is the invitation to socialize or ćeif – a deep satisfaction or feeling of enjoyment. We very rarely say “let’s have a chat.” Instead, we generally say “let’s go for coffee.”
“Coffee is a symbol of interaction, conversation, a symbol of socialization in our society, both at home and in public. Coffee is somehow always socially implied. These are all sociological and cultural phenomena,” said Dr. Sarina Bakić, who teaches at the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Sarajevo.
Coffee is often an artistic inspiration. For example, we have a theatrical play performed in National Theater Mostar called “Ajmo na fuka” (“Let’s go for a cup of Joe”). There is also the song “Fildžan viška” (“An extra coffee cup”), by the band Zabranjeno pušenje, which speaks of our custom of always leaving an extra fildžan, or cup, of coffee for anyone who might just happen to drop by.
Commonly, when people miss someone or haven’t seen someone for a long time, they say that they really miss drinking coffee with that person.
“Coffee has an intimate aspect, an intimate atmosphere, and an atmosphere of mutual trust, friendship, and love,” said Dr. Bakić, emphasizing that the taste and smell of coffee always contain some element of memory and remembrance.
Coffee originated from the Ethiopian province of Kaffa. It isn’t known when exactly it was discovered, but there is a legend about the Ethiopian shepherd Kaldi, whose goats grazed on a bush with red berries and became very lively afterwards. Historical accounts say that the famous French writer Honoré de Balzac drank 20 to 30 cups of coffee a day.
According to the World Health Organization, about one and a half billion cups of coffee are consumed in the world every day.
“Coffee is the most popular beverage in the world. Coffee is widely researched both in the context of everyday life and in the context of socialization, but also in the context of protecting human rights, especially young children, people who work in coffee harvesting,” said Bakić. She also explained that researching coffee is part of a discipline called ‘the sociology of everyday life.’
Coffee is widely consumed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Morning and afternoon coffee are practically mandatory, but people also often drink coffee at all hours in between, as well as in the evenings. Traditional Bosnian coffee is especially popular and goes by a variety of different epithets including “homemade,” or “Turkish.” There are even names for coffee depending on its function, such as dočekuša (for entertaining guests), sikteruša (a subtle hint that it’s time to wrap things up and guests should take their leave), and razgovoruša (to encourage socializing and conversation) – just to name a few. It is made in a džezva, a pot with a handle, and often served in traditional restaurants with rahat lokum, or Turkish delight.
Džemal Halilbašić is a ‘coffee house native’ of Sarajevo’s Baščaršija, who has been running a coffee roasting shop for 32 years. He explained to us that there is mljevena kafa (ground coffee made in a coffee grinder) and tucana kafa (made with a large mortar and pestle). “Tucana kafa was beaten by hand in a ‘Dibek’ with a mallet, that is, it was beaten and sifted, and now we have a machine that we bought from Izmir [Turkey] that beats and sifts. We have the same type of coffee, only another way of processing it, which is grinding. We also have a stone mill which grinds coffee,” describes Halilbašić, showing us his mill.
Halilbašić emphasizes that coffee is very important because people love it and like to drink it.
“Bosnian coffee is very well known and recognizable as good, and there are different names such as dočekuša, sikteruša, razgovoruša. It is also very important at gatherings. We call that coffee razgovoruša, while sikteruša was a sign to leave,” explained Halilbašić.
For him, drinking coffee is a way to talk to his friends and relatives. “We exchange information, learn about new things and everyday events in society. Everything is nicely arranged with coffee.” Halilbašić went on to add that people even drank coffee during the war, when it was very expensive.
Today, coffee roasting shops are slowly disappearing. Coffee in the markets is much cheaper, coming with a variety of additives which are widely advertised and thus capture the attention of coffee drinkers. However, the production of quality coffee will be continued by Džemal’s son Tarik, who has been acquainted with the work for many years. What is certain is that they will continue to please the palates of domestic and foreign customers for whom, in the company of their loved ones, they will turn their aromatic coffee beans into a delicious beverage that will be fondly remembered.

created: February 10th, 2022

author: Nejla Emšo