On September 19, 2025, a public discussion on war, memory, and healing was held at the Cultural Center in Mostar, bringing together local and international authors, experts, and activists dedicated to confronting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s past.
The evening focused on the books “Sarajevo Roses” by Dr. Inger Skjelsbæk and “I Am Alen” by Alen Muhić powerful testimonies that, in different ways, open space for understanding wartime trauma, personal narratives, and the long-term consequences of violence. Through conversations with the authors, the audience had the opportunity to hear how literature, lived experience, and academic work can contribute to processes of healing, as well as to the social recognition of survivors’ suffering.
A special contribution to the event was made by the Association Forgotten Children of War, represented by the Association’s legal advisor, Tarik Ekmeščić. On this occasion, the Handbook for the Exercise of the Rights of Children Born of War was presented as a practical tool intended for survivors and their children, with the aim of ensuring that rights guaranteed by law become tangible and applicable in everyday life. The Handbook was introduced within the broader advocacy work of the Association, with particular emphasis on raising public awareness of the legal status of children born as a result of wartime sexual violence.
This discussion opened space for an honest dialogue on justice, accountability, and healing, linking personal stories with institutional and societal frameworks. The event contributed to strengthening local and international understanding of the challenges faced by survivors and their children, and once again reaffirmed the importance of continuous engagement with the past as a foundation for a more just and humane future.
