08 Apr THE SECOND EVENT OF THE MULTIMEDIA REGIONAL PROGRAM NOT A FAIRYTALE BUT… HELD IN SARAJEVO
On Thursday, April 2, the second event of the regional program Not a Fairytale But… was held at the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Zmaja od Bosne 5, Sarajevo). The event explored women’s peace activism during the 1990s through a panel discussion and a multimedia exhibition. The discussion featured collaborators of the second chapter: Milena Berić, Vjera Ruljić, Dunja Karanović, and Maja Abadžija. Before and after the conversation, visitors also had the opportunity to view an audio-visual and textual installation showcasing some of the most striking quotes from banners at 1990s peace demonstrations, Lepa Mlađenović’s Manifesto of Women’s Solidarity Politics, as well as the published stories from the first and second chapters.
At the very beginning of the discussion, the participants highlighted the importance of narrating examples of solidarity and support from activists in Belgrade towards their compatriots in other parts of the former Yugoslavia affected by the war. Doing this in Sarajevo, just a few days before the anniversary of the beginning of the siege of the city on April 5, 1992, was especially significant. In this sense, the event also served as a way of memorializing the wartime suffering in Sarajevo.
The discussion was preceded by a short film about Albanian-Serbian female friendship and cooperation during the wars of the 90s. After that, the panelists spoke about writer and activist Biljana Jovanović and her literary and social engagement, which is also the theme of the second chapter’s stories. The conversation was moderated by Milena Berić, editor of the second chapter, and included Vjera Ruljić, a journalist and expert on the legacy of the 90s wars; Maja Abadžija, literary critic from the Pobunjene Čitateljke collective and lecturer at United World College in Mostar; and Dunja Karanović, author of the second chapter’s stories.
Maja Abadžija pointed out the value, but also the neglect, of Biljana Jovanović’s literary works, which represent a special kind of avant-garde Yugoslav literature, where it is possible to recognize the very ideas and values that guided Biljana’s peace activism. Vjera Ruljić enriched the conversation with both her personal experience of participating in the peace actions and demonstrations of that time, and her professional expertise. Reflecting on the participation of the then-opposition in one of the most significant peace protests called “Black Ribbon” (Crni flor), she highlighted Biljana’s amazing ability and persistence in motivating and gathering her fellow citizens. Dunja Karanović spoke about the research process while writing the text, the importance of collecting these stories, and preserving the memory of Biljana Jovanović’s libertarian and courageous feminism.
In the discussion with the audience, topics were raised regarding the transmission of both the memory of these events and the knowledge that contemporary activists can adopt from their predecessors. Furthermore, the position of women in a formal political context was questioned, noting their underrepresentation in official decision-making roles despite a strong tradition of activist engagement, as well as the marginalization of their work to a corrective role to official politics.
We invite you to read and/or listen to the published stories of the first and second chapters on krokodil.rs, and to follow us for the continuation of Not a Fairytale But… Follow us as well for announcements of upcoming events in the coming months in Novi Sad and Zagreb.
Photo: Sajra Zulčić
This project is funded by UK International Development and is implemented in partnership with the British Council.
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