Alem – Sarajevo
“Next stop: A better future.”
“My development in life so far can actually be laid out on this bus route,” laughs Alem, as he exits bus 16b in downtown Sarajevo. “When I was a kid, I exited the first stop for my high school. Then two stops down for my university. Now I go all the way to the end for business meetings!” Alem was born and raised in Sarajevo and felt his future options were pretty limited until he got to be a part of an international youth leadership exchange program. “If you ever want to feel your own country, go outside of it. That trip was my tipping point.” Alem went from a kid frustrated with his options to a man whose ambition saw no limits. After completing a masters in international relations and diplomacy and getting experience in a variety of internships, projects, and jobs, Alem is now investing with his girlfriend in their own firm. “It’s risky, but we need to try it. I have seen the harm of toxic workplace cultures here and I’ve learned that it’s not that complicated to create better environments. BiH needs a firm who can help different teams meet the needs of their current employees and find the right new ones. With a little innovation, we will be able to enrich our society and the opportunities for those in it.” Alem’s enthusiasm and excitement for the possibilities is contagious and one wants to see the country through his eyes. “When I look at my country, I now look for the good. BiH has potential. Better lives are not far off. We just need to go a bit further down the road.”
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Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
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“WWI ended. WWII ended. Yugoslavia ended and the most recent war ended. This period of time will also come to an end.”
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Velida – Podlugovi
“It begins with individual action. Through it, I believe we can initiate change in our home communities.”
Nikolina – Banja Luka
“Sometimes we are given two options to choose from, and we are told that this choice is democracy, but what we really need is to demand new options.”
Aleksandar – BL
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only this that ever has.”
Vesna – Vitez
“Having different points of view makes for much more interesting conversation.”
Božo – Trebinje
“Bosnia and Herzegovina’s reliance upon the international community needs to end.”
