Tonight in Konjic, the 4th Festival of Women’s Activism and Creativity “Planet ŽeNERA” was opened, organized by the Women’s Association “Nera” from Konjic. The three-day event will feature a rich and diverse program.
Konjic: The 4th “Planet ŽeNERA” Festival Opens Tonight
This year, the festival brings together women from the Netherlands, Serbia, Montenegro, and across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Among the special guests are activists from Grahovo, Bosanska Krupa, and Prnjavor, as well as three women who are recipients of international awards for ecology, humanitarian work, and human rights.
The slogan of this year’s festival, “We Are Ours,” reflects its focus on solidarity.
The festival began with the play “Activism Under the Stars” by the Dignitet Association from Mostar. At the official opening, held at the City Café, an award ceremony took place, with the awards presented by Ilvana Bakoš, a member of the “Nera” Association.
Special awards were presented to women from other cities who made significant contributions in helping people in flood-affected areas. They are: Biljana Gavran (Fojnica), Dr. Alma Budim-Hondo (Jablanica), and the Croatian Cultural and Artistic Society Gromiljak (Kiseljak).
The “Nera” Association awarded the “Solidarity in Action” Plaque to Ajša Šoljić from Konjic for her initiative to protect harem cemeteries in flood-affected areas.
This year’s “Super Nera” award was presented to Amra Gakić from Konjic.
The Women’s Association “Nera” awarded the traditional “Solidarity in Action” prize to Emina Bubalo, a medical student from Konjic.
This year, the organizer awarded the “Friendship Charter” to two activists, Dženeta Agović from Tutin and Ifeta Mejremić from Konjević-Polje.
On behalf of IOM, the festival’s sponsor, coordinator Vladana Vasić emphasized in her address that many women deserve recognition.
“When we talk about the role of women in the community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it seems to me that women are the most underutilized resource and potential of society,” Vasić stated.
Elvedina Alić, President of the “Nera” Association, greeted the attendees and emphasized that it is important for women to stay connected.
“Here are the one hundred strongest women in the region. We have created an unbreakable bond among women in the region, a movement that has no name but exists nonetheless. Thank you for the miles you have traveled to be here; it is important to us because we believe that every mile is a mile of love and respect,” Alić expressed her gratitude.
During Saturday and Sunday, festival participants will organize panels in nature at the Visit Konjic Outdoor Resort, rock climbing, a visit to Tito’s bunker, a trip to Blace, informal conversations and experience exchanges among activists aimed at strengthening the women’s movement, attend film screenings, and host gatherings with poetry and a concert by Alma Abdagić.
The implementation of the feminist festival “ŽeNERA” is carried out through the project “Women Leading on the Path to Peace and Security in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” which is implemented with the support of the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) in partnership with the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH. The project is led by the UN Resident Coordinator in BiH and jointly implemented by UN Women, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The festival is also supported by the Ecumenical Women’s Initiative from Omiš and the Global Fund for Women.
Source of the text and photographs: Radio Konjic–https://radiokonjic.ba/konjic-veceras-otvoren-4-festival-planeta-zenera/
FG BiH: The play “Totovi” was performed in Konjic
Tonight, the Sarajevo War Theatre (SARTR) performed the play “Totovi,” marking the final performance of this year’s 12th edition of the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic. “Totovi” is based on the text by István Örkény and directed by András Urbán. The play is a grotesque work with elements of satire, written by Hungarian 20th-century author István Örkény, inspired by his 1966 novella “Welcome, Major.” This theatrical piece is inspired by the horrific, yet senseless and futile fate of Hungarian soldiers on the Eastern Front in 1943. The cast includes Sead Pandur, Davor Sabo, Adnan Kreso, Hana Zrno, Ana Mia Karić, Snežana Bogićević, and Emir Fejzić.
Actor Davor Sabo, who has performed at the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in previous years, said that they are always happy to come to Konjic.
“The audience always welcomes us warmly, and tonight they reacted excellently to our performance. We are very satisfied with our show,” Sabo said.
Speaking about the play “Totovi,” he said that the text, written 50 years ago, is still relevant today.
“Unfortunately, although the text was written a long time ago, the story is still relevant today. There are always some people oppressed in war and others who oppress them. That struggle of the little man, as portrayed in ‘Totovi’ — for freedom, for bare life — is sadly still current today, especially when we see what is happening in the world,” Sabo said.
Actor Sead Pandur said he performed tonight’s play with special enjoyment.
“We hadn’t performed the play for over three months, so we really wanted to, and tonight it was a great pleasure to be on stage with an audience that reacted wonderfully. This is indeed a comedy, more precisely a grotesque with elements of satire, brilliantly conceived by director András Urbán, together with Vedrana Božinović, who was also the dramaturg of this play. It was wonderful to work with them, especially with this cast,” Pandur said.
The closing of the 12th edition of the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place on Wednesday, June 4th, at the Chamber Stage of the People’s University of Konjic, when awards will be presented for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Ensemble Performance.
Source of the text and photographs: Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/fg-bih-u-konjicu-odigrana-predstava-totovi/
Konjic Embraces Women’s Activism: 4th “Planeta ŽeNERA” Festival Opens Tomorrow
Konjic is getting ready for a spectacular event! From May 30 to June 1, 2025, the city will become a hub of women’s activism and creativity as it hosts the fourth edition of the Festival of Women’s Activism and Creativity – Planeta ŽeNERA. Elvedina Dina Alić, president of the Women’s Association “Nera” from Konjic, announced a rich and dynamic program, promising the biggest and most vibrant festival yet.
“The festival, which was postponed last year due to flooding, is coming back stronger than ever. With twice as many participants and a significantly increased budget, the organization is highly demanding and will take place across three different locations. I believe this will be the biggest ŽeNERA so far, with the widest impact,” emphasized Dina Alić.
This year’s edition is supported by strong international organizations such as the IOM, the Ecumenical Women’s Initiative from Omiš, and the Global Fund for Women.
The festival will open on Friday, May 30, at 6:00 PM at the Cinema Hall of the National University in Konjic, with the play “Activism Under the Stars” performed by the Dignitet Association from Mostar. Admission to the play is free, and after the performance, a Dinner for One Hundred Women and an official awards ceremony will be held at the City Café in Konjic.
“The Super Nera Award this year will be presented to Amra Gakić. Special recognition will also be given to women from other towns who made a tremendous contribution in supporting women from flood-affected areas. These include Biljana Gavran (Fojnica), Dr. Alma Budim-Hondo (Jablanica), and the Croatian Cultural and Artistic Society Gromiljak (Kiseljak). The Women’s Association ‘Nera’ will also present the Solidarity in Action award to Ajša Šoljić for her initiative to protect cemeteries in the flooded areas. The traditional Solidarity in Action award, given annually by the ‘Nera’ Association, will remain a surprise and will be announced during the official award ceremony,” said Alić.
On the second and third day of the festival, activists will spend time in nature, with a focus on returning to “authentic communication without technological aids.” On Saturday, a rich program will take place at the Visit Konjic Outdoor Resort, explained Alić.
“On Saturday, activists can look forward to the following program: outdoor activities and socializing in nature, including the opportunity for women to climb the via ferrata with support from the Konjic Mountain Rescue Service. There will be a panel discussion on women’s mental health during the floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a tour of Tito’s Bunker, and a screening of the film ‘Kitchens and Wars’ by Bojana Minović from Serbia, which portrays women’s resilience after disasters. The day will also feature the performance ‘Coffee with Anti-Fascist Women’ by Maja Vasić, a prominent activist from Novi Sad; ‘Story Circles’, safe spaces for informal conversation and experience-sharing among activists, aimed at strengthening the women’s movement; and an evening program around the campfire with poetry readings and a performance by singer-songwriter Alma Abdagić.”
“Sunday is reserved for Blace,” Alić added.
“After a morning ‘laughter therapy’ session with Senka and Nina, a safari jeep tour to Blace will follow for a group of 60 people. An organized picnic in nature will take place, along with the presentation of the book ‘Feminism Through Time’ by Jadranka Miličević, the most renowned Bosnian-Herzegovinian activist. The festival will close at 6:00 PM. This year’s festival slogan, ‘We Are Ours,’ perfectly reflects its focus on solidarity. The festival covers travel expenses for all participants and represents a blend of activism, culture, health, and solidarity,” said Elvedina Dina Alić, president of the Women’s Association ‘Nera’ Konjic.
This year’s Planeta ŽeNERA Festival will host women from the Netherlands, Serbia, Montenegro, and across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Among the special guests are activists from Grahovo, Bosanska Krupa, and Prnjavor, as well as three women who are recipients of global awards for ecology, humanitarian work, and human rights.
Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/konjic-u-znaku-zenskog-aktivizma-sutra-se-otvara-4-festival-planeta-zenera/
AF BiH: The play ‘Kiselina’ won the hearts of the Konjic audience”
The Bosnian National Theatre Zenica and Scena MESS performed tonight at the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic with the multi-award-winning play “Acid”, based on a text by Asja Krsmanović and directed by Nermin Hamzagić.The cast—Gordana Boban, Mirvad Kurić, Selma Mehanović, and Benjamin Bajramović—captivated the Konjic audience with their outstanding performances. “Kiselina” explores deep and complex family relationships, interwoven with love, sorrow, fear, and loneliness. The play also addresses the topic of death and the loss of loved ones, while offering a sense of hope for new beginnings in life.
According to actor Mirvad Kurić, the play “Kiselina” aims to encourage the audience to reflect and think deeply.
“We, too, did a lot of thinking during the rehearsal process. It wasn’t easy for us to work on a piece like this—it’s emotionally very heavy, intense… The essence of theater is that, after watching a play, you truly ask yourself: Am I doing the right thing? Could I have treated my mother, sister, brother better or differently? If we managed to spark those kinds of questions in the audience tonight, then we’ve succeeded,” said Kurić.
Actor Benjamin Bajramović performed for the first time in front of the Konjic audience tonight and said that he found the experience very enjoyable.
“The festival is great, and every city has its own audience with subtle differences. Tonight was my first time experiencing the Konjic audience, and they are very warm and pleasant,” said Bajramović. Speaking about the play, he added that its significance lies in the universality of the story.
“The universality of this play lies in the fact that everyone who watched it tonight has lost someone, and has processed that loss emotionally—or perhaps hasn’t, it depends—because everyone deals with loss in their own way. And no matter how universal that experience is, each loss is still deeply personal. The main strength of the play is that it emotionally ‘hits’ the viewer,” said Bajramović.
The final performance at this year’s Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place on Monday, June 2, featuring the Sarajevo War Theatre – SARTR with the play “The Tots.”
The closing ceremony and the awards for Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Ensemble Performance will be held on June 4 at the Chamber Stage of the National University in Konjic.
Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/fg-bih-predstava-kiselina-osvojila-srca-konjicke-publike/
FG BiH: The play “Ćelava pjevačica” delighted the people of Konjic.
The play “Ćelava pjevačica”, produced by the Center for Culture Tivat from Montenegro, delighted the audience in Konjic this evening at the Festival of Actors of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This acclaimed production has won numerous awards at various festivals and is considered one of the most sought-after plays in the region. Thanks to the longstanding international cooperation between the City of Konjic and the Municipality of Tivat — a sister-city relationship nurtured for over five decades — the people of Konjic had the opportunity to enjoy this outstanding performance.
Goran Božović, Director of the Center for Culture Tivat, expressed his satisfaction with participating in the Festival of Actors of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic.
“It is a great honor and pleasure for us to have brought this masterpiece, directed by Jagoš Marković, to Konjic. The play has conquered the region in a competitive sense, having won 32 awards at eleven festivals so far, and is among the most awarded theatre productions in Montenegrin history,” said Božović.
The play “Ćelava pjevačica”, the latest piece directed by Jagoš Marković, is based on the text by French-Romanian author Eugène Ionesco. Marković created a new version of the play, relocating the action from London to the Bay of Kotor, setting it in the apartment of a noble family from Kotor. The entire script was translated into the Boka dialect. The cast — Olga Odanović, Branko Vidaković, Dubravka Drakić, Momčilo Otašević, Sandra Bugarski, and Branimir Popović — delivered an outstanding performance, which was met with a prolonged round of applause from the Konjic audience.
Actor Momčilo Otašević, who was participating in the Konjic festival for the first time, especially praised the hospitality he experienced during his stay in Konjic.
“It was wonderful to perform, as it always is, because we approach this play with a lot of love. I hope the audience enjoyed it and appreciated our performance. The hospitality here is outstanding, as are the mutual love and respect,” said Otašević.
With her outstanding performance, actress Olga Odanović particularly impressed the audience. “Ćelava pjevačica” holds a special place in her heart, as it is the last theatre production directed by Jagoš Marković, with whom she collaborated on 23 plays throughout her acting career.
“For us, ‘Ćelava pjevačica’ is a celebration and a deeply meaningful act. We were all close friends of Jagoš, and he loved working with people he knew well. The six of us in the cast live and work in different cities—Podgorica, Belgrade, Zagreb—but when it comes to ‘The Bald Soprano,’ we always respond immediately to any invitation to perform,” emphasized Odanović.
Actress Sandra Bugarski did not hide her satisfaction with the successful performance in Konjic and the audience’s reactions.
“The audience was breathing with us tonight. Just as they watch and evaluate us, we also feel their reactions — and tonight, they were truly wonderful,” said Bugarski.
Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic – https://radiokonjic.ba/fg-bih-predstava-celava-pjevacica-odusevila-konjicane/
Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sjećanje vode” was performed.
The play “Sjećanje vode”, produced by the Croatian National Theatre Mostar, was performed this evening at the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic. The production, based on the text by Shelagh Stephenson, was directed by Croatian director Nina Kleflin. The cast included Jelena Kordić-Kuret, Nikolina Marić, Ana Franjčević, Mirela Kordić, Ivo Krešić, and Robert Pehar.
The play tells the story of three sisters who reunite in their childhood home on the eve of their mother’s funeral. Through their conversations and memories, the audience is introduced to complex family relationships, hidden secrets, forgotten emotions, and unspoken truths. Actress Anja Franjčević, for whom this was the second appearance at the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic, believes that the play is multilayered and explores a wide range of themes.
“There are so many themes we actually touch on—memory, forgetting, childhood traumas that go on to define us later in life. We also explore the functionality of the family, the complicated relationship with the mother, and ultimately, we show that all of us are just little children trapped in grown-up bodies, longing for attention, love, and care,” said Franjčević, adding that each of the three sister characters is unique in her own way.
“I play the youngest sister. What characterizes my role is that she constantly feels excluded from her own family. She has found a way to channel all her childhood traumas by forgetting—through drug use. She is quite emotionally dependent on other people and experiences major breakdowns,” Franjčević emphasized.
Actor Ivo Krešić expressed positive impressions following the performance in Konjic.
“We had a wonderful evening, as the devoted audience in Konjic followed the play closely and rewarded us with a big round of applause at the end. We always have a great experience when we come to Konjic,” said Krešić.
The repertoire of the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina continues on Sunday, May 25, at 7:30 PM, with the performance of “Ćelava pjevačica” by the Center for Culture Tivat.
Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic–https://radiokonjic.ba/festival-glumca-bih-odigrana-predstava-sjecanje-vode/
Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina: The play “Idiot” performed
The Banja Luka Student Theatre performed this evening at the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic with the play Idiot, based on a text by Muza Pavlova. The production was directed by Muhamed Bahonjić and Dragoslav Medojević, who also appear as actors in the play.Idiot is a comedic story about bureaucracy, told from the perspectives of a civil servant and a citizen in need of a document. The play satirically reflects on a phenomenon still very present in today’s society—commonly referred to as “chasing paperwork.”
Muhamed Bahonjić, who plays the role of the citizen, said that with this play they wanted to raise awareness about the things that surround us.
“We wanted to present these issues in a humorous way—not exactly as they are, but exaggerated. Sometimes, to show something the way it truly is, you have to exaggerate. I’m sure many people have experienced needing a certain certificate, only to be sent back five times, or being asked for a favor, or even money. Unfortunately, that’s the reality—but still, it’s not so widespread that we should be too worried. Let it serve us in theatre as material to create plays, to have fun, and to laugh,” said Bahonjić, who has performed at the Actor’s Festival in Konjic several times before. In contrast, his colleague Dragoslav Medojević participated for the first time in this festival, which celebrates the acting profession.
“This was my first time performing in Konjic, although I know the festival has a long tradition and that Konjic has always had a strong and respectable amateur theatre scene, both in the past and today. The audience here has been raised with theatre, and performing in front of such a well-versed audience carries a great responsibility—so I did feel a bit of stage fright. In the end, the audience rewarded us with a wonderful round of applause,” said Medojević.
Actors Muhamed Bahonjić and Dragoslav Medojević, although retired, continue to perform in plays with great passion.
“There’s still that same passion on stage—the intensity is the same, just in a slightly different form. The enthusiasm you have in youth is different from that in your later years, when you have experience and decades of work behind you. But that enthusiasm definitely remains,” said Medojević, who has been involved in theatre for over 50 years.
Actor Bahonjić has also dedicated his entire life to the theatre.
“I started back in elementary school and have truly been involved in theatre for a long time. It’s a wonderful profession, but it requires understanding from the community and an audience that is accustomed to supporting the art of theatre,” said Bahonjić.
Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/festival-glumca-bih-odigrana-predstava-idiot/
“Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Uhvati zeca”
At the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic this evening, the play Uhvati zeca was performed, a production by the National Theatre Sarajevo and Scene MESS. The play is based on the novel of the same name by author Lana Bastašić. It was directed by Lajla Kaikčija, and the cast included Amra Kapidžić, Vedrana Božinović, Una Kostić, Ana-Marija Tomić, Mak Čengić, and Dino Bajrović.
The play Uhvati zeca tells the story of two friends, Lejla (Amra Kapidžić) and Sara (Vedrana Božinović), and their friendship, as they recall their childhood and shared moments. These memories are brought to life through the performances of the younger Lejla (Una Kostić) and younger Sara (Ana-Marija Tomić). Through their recollections, Lejla and Sara deliver a touching narrative about a relationship that shaped both of their lives, highlighting love, childhood innocence, fear, uncertainty, and personal loss.The audience responded enthusiastically to the actors’ performances, which, as actress Amra Kapidžić noted, was felt from the very first breath on stage.
“We felt the audience’s breath, and it seemed to me that we were breathing as one. They reacted so beautifully—measured, balanced, exactly in the moments where audiences usually respond,” said Amra Kapidžić, for whom this was the first appearance at the Actor’s Festival in Konjic. She added that there was great energy throughout the rehearsal and creation process, especially since the team was predominantly made up of women.
“Female energy is generally something positive and warm. We do have two men in the cast, but the majority were women—the writer, the director, the dramaturge, and four actresses. I honestly can’t remember an easier creative process. Not just in terms of that energy, but everything was very simple, quiet, without any raised voices, which can sometimes happen during rehearsals. I actually remember the whole process for its lightness and ease. Vedrana and I have known each other for a very long time—over 30 years of friendship—and I believe that had a big impact. It helped us bring those two characters closer together, like two real-life friends, with all the love, jealousy, and even occasional hatred, which is completely normal and a part of life. I think that made a huge difference. Even now, we’re getting feedback from audience members who know us personally, and they say that what happens on stage wouldn’t feel the same if the two of us didn’t have a real, genuine friendship off stage,” said Kapidžić.
Actress Vedrana Božinović, who also serves as the Artistic Director of the National Theatre Sarajevo, said that she had a strong desire to see the novel Uhvati zeca adapted for the stage.
“I really wanted this novel to have a stage adaptation. If not a film, then at least a play. And I immediately knew that Lajla Kaikčija had the sensitivity needed for this story. So that part came together very naturally. Lajla chose Amra and me to play the two friends, which I think is wonderful. But we did talk about how we might be a bit too old for these roles—though we’re roughly the same age as the characters, maybe I’m just a little older than Lejla and Sara are in the novel. Still, Lajla wanted it to be the two of us, and now I can’t imagine doing it with anyone other than Amra. I think the fact that we know each other so well really contributed to how well we work together,” said Božinović.
The program of the Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina continues on Monday, May 19, with a guest performance by the Banja Luka Student Theatre. They will present the play Idiot at 7:30 PM.
Source of the text and photos: Radio Konjic – https://radiokonjic.ba/festival-glumca-bih-odigrana-predstava-uhvati-zeca/
The play “Suparnice” conquered Konjic: Actors thrilled with the audience and the city.
Tonight, the audience in Konjic had the opportunity to enjoy the play “Suparnice” performed by the Lektirum Theatre from Zagreb. After the performance, we spoke with actresses Natalija Đorđević and Ksenija Pajić, as well as actor Mladen Čutura, about their impressions and the challenges of performing in a comedy.
Actress Natalija Đorđević, who is visiting Konjic for the third time, didn’t hide her enthusiasm: “There’s always such a wonderful, wonderful energy here, and you can really feel it. It means a lot, especially when performing a comedy, to receive that kind of feedback from the audience.”
Speaking about the difficulty of performing comedy, Natalija said: “There’s a line I really love — an onion can make you cry, but they still haven’t invented a vegetable that can make you laugh.” She added that comedy requires a special sense of timing and a good sense of humor.
Speaking about the differences between theatre and television, where she also has experience, she said: “I really love television and film because I actually started working in TV when I was six years old… but I’m a member of the Gavella Drama Theatre, so that’s kind of my main focus.” Still, she considers working with Lektirum and her colleagues Ksenija and Mladen a special honor.
Actress Ksenija Pajić warmly highlighted her long-standing connection with Konjic: “We feel at home here. Konjic is our city, and your audience is our audience. We’ve known each other for years, and I have to say that your audience is a true theatre audience. We genuinely enjoy and gladly perform in front of them.”
Speaking about the play “Suparnice”, written by Marijana Nola and directed by Saša Broz, Ksenija revealed that it is about theatre and actresses, with elements inspired by Molière’s “The Scheming Women”.
Actor Mladen Čutura shared his long-standing experience and perspective on audiences: “These days, people are tired. They’ve had enough of everything, and the only way they can truly relax is through comedy. They tend to avoid those heavy, serious dramas.” That’s precisely why the Lektirum Theatre in Zagreb chose to focus on comedies—to be closer to the audience and bring them joy.
Čutura also spoke about his work with puppetry, which earned him his acting pension, emphasizing that it is a very demanding job because the puppet has to come to life in front of the audience—especially the most honest one: children.
The actresses agreed that the audience in Konjic is special. They highlighted their pleasure with tonight’s performance and the joy of returning to Konjic once again.
At the end of the conversation, Ksenija Pajić smiled as she commented on the beauties of Konjic: “You, of course, live here, but I don’t know if you’re aware of how beautiful your city is, how much nature you have, how fresh the air is, how much you can enjoy the silence, and how much you can enjoy being with each other.”
They expressed hope that they would return to perform at the Actor’s Festival in Konjic and are looking forward to meeting the Konjic audience again.
The program of the 12th Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina continues on Wednesday, May 14th, with performances by elementary school students titled “School Theatre Konjic 2025”, which will be held in the Cinema Hall at 1:30 PM.
The next performance will be on Friday, May 16th, when the Sarajevo National Theatre will present their production “Catch the Rabbit”, directed by Lajla Kaikči.
Source of the text and photos: Radio Konjic – https://radiokonjic.ba/predstava-suparnice-osvojila-konjic-glumci-odusevljeni-publikom-i-gradom/
The forestry company “Prenj” is organizing a reforestation event on Saturday, planting 20,000 black pine seedlings on Homolje.
The company Šumarstvo “Prenj” Konjic, in honor of the International Day of Forests on March 22, 2025, is organizing a large-scale reforestation campaign on the fire-damaged area of Homolje. The plan includes planting 20,000 black pine seedlings to restore the forest ecosystem and raise awareness about the importance of forest conservation. Just last year, around 65 hectares of pine forest were destroyed by fire.
The project, worth 250,000 KM, aims to rehabilitate Homolje with black pine seedlings—an area frequently affected by wildfires caused by human negligence. Elma Ljevo, head of the Department for Silviculture, Integrated Protection, and Nursery Production at Šumarstvo “Prenj” Konjic, explains the details of this reforestation project.
“At the initiative of the City of Konjic, Šumarstvo ‘Prenj’, in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Agropedology, is implementing a reforestation project on the fire-damaged area of Homolje. The project is worth around 250,000 KM and is funded by the Environmental Protection Fund of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which approved the funds following the successful completion of the first phase,” stated Elma Ljevo.
In 2024, Šumarstvo “Prenj” Konjic carried out the first phase of the reforestation project in Homolje. This phase included preparatory work, such as clearing the fire-damaged area of vegetation and conducting soil analysis. The second phase, which involves the planting of black pine, is planned for the upcoming weekend. Following the planting, the third phase will begin, introducing an innovative reforestation method using drones and “seed bombs”—a technique being applied for the first time in our country, explained Ljevo.
“The second phase of the project, planned for the weekend, involves reforesting Homolje with 20,000 black pine seedlings. The third phase includes an innovative reforestation method using drones and seed ‘bombs’, marking the first time this technique is being used in our country. These ‘bombs’ are small balls made of clay, sand, and substrate that protect the seeds from external factors and provide essential nutrients for growth. This method has proven effective in neighboring countries, especially in hard-to-reach areas. If it proves successful in Konjic, it could potentially be used in mine-contaminated areas as well,” said Ljevo.
After the major fire in Homolje in 2018, which destroyed around 75 hectares of pine forest and caused soil erosion, restoring the area has been extremely challenging. That’s why the reforestation project—supported by the Environmental Protection Fund, the City of Konjic, and the Federal Institute for Agropedology—is of crucial importance.
Šumarstvo “Prenj” Konjic emphasizes that restoring the burned area will help prevent forest diseases and ensure the regrowth of young pine forests near the city. For those participating in the reforestation campaign, departure is scheduled for Saturday, March 22nd at 8 a.m. from the Šumarstvo ‘Prenj’ compound, with transportation provided. The location is near Konjic, accessible by good roads, so participants can also arrive by private car. Šumarstvo “Prenj” will provide prepared terrain, seedlings, tools, and expert assistance, they stated.
Source of the text and photos: Radio Konjic – https://radiokonjic.ba/sumarstvo-prenj-u-subotu-organizuje-posumljavanje-homolja-sa-20-000-sadnica-crnog-bora/