Ordinary Heroes’ Stories

The Centre for Post-Conflict Research in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BiH, produced a series of documentaries titled “Ordinary People” in order to prove that there were acts of humanity during the 1992-95 war.

The documentaries depict ordinary people, who saved their neighbours and friends, whose ethnicity was different from theirs, risking their own lives. They helped their friends and neighbours not to be killed or detained in detention camps only because their first and last names were different.

Velma Saric, producer of the documentaries and Director of the Centre for Post-Conflict Research, said that, even during the times of war, ordinary people stood up against the evil and showed their humanity.

“Our aim is to promote such examples among young people and show them that there is humanity in war irrespective of ethnic affiliation. Young people should be heroes in everyday life and help other people in all situations when their help is needed,” Saric said.

The Centre for Post-Conflict Research showed the series of documentaries during the “Peace Event” taking place in Sarajevo from June 6 to 9 with the financial support from the National Endowment for Democracy, NED, Fetzer Institute from Chicago and Government of the Kingdom of Norway.

The positive stories told by ordinary people will be broadcast as part of the Al Jazeera Balkans regional programme during the autumn. Later on they will be used as educational material at workshop organized by the Centre for Post-Conflict Research in BiH and the region.