Author: Welcome to Konjic

“The very title of the book, The Sun of the Homeland, says a great deal. It signifies that Alić’s birthplace—Homolje—is, in fact, the sun that illuminates his native land. The book itself is remarkably comprehensive. While it primarily deals with local history, it also reaches into a broader spectrum. It touches not only on historical facts related to Homolje, spanning from the earliest times to the period of aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but Sadik Alić also delves into genealogy. You can even find traces of literary lyricism and poetry woven into the work. Altogether, it forms a deeply heartfelt expression of love for one’s homeland. I am truly honored to have served as a promoter of such a work—one that I believe will be warmly received by a wider reading audience,” said Professor Velagić.

Speaking about the book, Professor Jasmin Mehanoli emphasized that it is a valuable literary and historical work.

“Sadik Alić spent a long time carefully collecting material about Homolje, and the book is essentially a monograph and a chronicle of a certain time and memories. The book is well designed, with clear text, good structure, and plenty of nice photos and illustrations, so it will definitely attract readers. Many people from Konjic will surely learn a lot about Homolje and its surroundings—some of which even I didn’t know until I read the manuscript,” said Professor Mehanoli.

The idea to write the book The Sun of the Homeland came about around twenty years ago, said the author Sadik Alić. The turning point that led him to seriously dedicate himself to writing his tenth book was the discovery of transcriptions by archaeologist Karl Patsch, in which he found information about Homolje from the medieval period.

“For every piece of information in the book, there are valid sources. I spent a long time researching and collecting data, often visiting the National Museum, Gazi Husrev-beg Library, the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Herzegovina Archives in Mostar. I wrote in intervals, but in the end, I managed to create a monograph of Homolje. The book has four chapters — ‘Homolje in Records and Memories,’ ‘Homolje in Scientific Research Papers,’ ‘On the Verge of Oblivion,’ and ‘Family Tree,’” said Sadik Alić.

Source of the text and photographs: Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/veceras-promovisana-knjiga-sunce-rodnog-kraja-autora-sadika-alica/

“Konjic is today the center of Scouting. At the 2025 Scout Gathering, organized as part of the Konjic City Day celebrations, 240 members of Scout troops, along with their leaders and senior officers from various cities across Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, have arrived in our city.”

“Recognizing the importance of such an event, the President of the Scout Association of the Federation presented the Mayor of Konjic, Osman Ćatić, with a Plaque at the opening ceremony, in recognition of his exceptional support and promotion of Scouting.”

“The President of the Scout Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Zagorčić, while presenting this highest honor within the Scouting organization, stated that he is very proud to award the Plaque to Mr. Osman Ćatić, who is the greatest sponsor and friend of the Scouts in the Federation.”

“Commenting on the awarded Plaque, Mayor Osman Ćatić stated:”

“I am grateful for the trust, and it is an honor to receive this award. We will continue to support all good ideas. I’m glad that the Scouts recognize effort and hard work. They positively surprised me and, at the same time, gave me a strong motivation to continue in this direction, because Konjic is proud of them, and I want them to keep up the great work. Some of the young people here today told me that Scouts are also gathering in Montenegro at the same time, but they still chose to come to us. That means a lot — it shows the quality of the organization and that the Scout Troop Neretva Konjic and the City of Konjic are great hosts.”

“Many Scouts also stated that the Scout Troop Neretva and the City of Konjic are excellent hosts.”

“Members of the First Dobrinja Scout Troop say they have been returning to Konjic for the third year in a row, have made many friends, and always have a great time in Konjic.”

“Asja Borović from the Miljacka Troop is in Konjic with the Scouts for the first time.”

“It’s beautiful here, and I’ve met many Scouts. My favorite parts of Scouting are competitions and camping. I usually go camping at Boračko Lake, but Konjic is also wonderful.”

“At the opening of the Scout Meeting in our city was also 77-year-old Izudin Čolić from the Bregava Stolac and Mladost Ilijaš Troops.”

“Scouting is the right choice for children. Today, in our country, there are kids who don’t know how to cope. If something were to happen, they wouldn’t know how to survive. In Scouts, they learn how to handle all situations and how to survive in nature. And when it comes to socializing, if you ask any veteran Scout, they will say the best times were those spent in Scouting.”

“This was also confirmed by Ahmed Erzumlić, whom all Scouts call Hamić. He has spent most of his life in Scouting. As he says, in recent years he hasn’t participated in all activities due to health reasons, but every gathering is a joy for him.”

“There are many memories and reminders of the old days. Still, illness and old age take their toll, but Scouting remains until the grave. We always strive to help and do what we can wherever possible. It is a part of me and my life.”

“You can listen to interviews with participants of the Scouting Meeting on Sunday, June 22nd, from 4 PM as part of the ‘Summer on the Waves’ program on Radio Konjic.”

“Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic”–https://radiokonjic.ba/otvoreni-izvidjacki-susreti-2025/

The school’s director, Biljana Handžo, announced a rich and diverse program.
“Tomorrow’s concert, starting at 7 PM, is the final, graduation, and traditional concert of students from the Primary Music School ‘Rezonanca,’ as well as students from the pop-rock department. This year, the school has also introduced a Ballet Department, so visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy a ballet performance as well. Although the program won’t be too long, it will be filled with high-quality musical and stage performances,” said Handžo.

Director Handžo emphasized that this has been an exceptionally active year for the school. Recently, two wonderful concerts were held – a ballet performance and a concert by the children’s choir “Rezonanca,” which she described as “the best concert so far.” According to Handžo, the independent concerts of the children’s choir allowed the graduation concert to be more focused on the graduates, easing the overall program and giving them the spotlight they deserve.

“In addition to musical performances, certificates will be awarded to all students who have successfully completed their grade, as well as diplomas to the graduates of the Primary Music School,” said school director Biljana Handžo. “The goal is to complete everything within one hour, combining the musical segment with the award ceremony, in order to showcase everything that has been achieved throughout the school year.”

“This concert carries a special emotional note, as it marks the end of the school year. The year has truly flown by – it feels like we barely had time to catch our breath,” added Director Handžo, reflecting on a busy June filled with various activities, including ballet department competitions in Mostar and Vitez, as well as the enrollment of new generations.

Although it was previously announced for 7:30 PM, the concert will begin precisely at 7:00 PM, stated Director Handžo, inviting the citizens of Konjic to attend and support the young talents.

Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic–https://radiokonjic.ba/maturalni-koncert-osnovne-muzicke-skole-s-pravom-javnosti-rezonanca-kruna-uspjesne-godine/

Five students from Konjic, studying at the Faculty of Information Technologies in Mostar, have been engaged in a project on the topic of tourism as part of their regular academic activities. First-year students Adna Mandžuka, Lamija Granulo, Ajla Potur, Enid Frašto, and Faris Boloban founded a marketing agency called Silverline Agency for the purposes of the course “Introduction to Marketing.”

“Our first client is the travel agency Travel Konjic. We began the project at the start of the summer semester, three months ago, and these are our final steps. Each of us had specific responsibilities when it came to the implementation of the project—we worked together as a team, and it wasn’t too difficult to carry out. The project is focused on network marketing, and since we’re all more or less familiar with it as users, most of it was already known to us—although it still needed to be shaped and structured,”

“We chose tourism as our focus because we’re all from Konjic, a town with great tourism potential and a lot to offer. Hiking, rafting on the Neretva River, and numerous historical sites make it an attractive destination. We believe tourism in Konjic can be developed even further. In addition, many events are organized in Konjic—such as the Konjic Summer Fest and Konjička Sehara—during which the town becomes a hub of activity,”

“Rafting on the Neretva River is not just a tourist attraction—it’s a beautiful experience that truly can’t be captured in a photo or described in words. It has to be lived,” said Adna Mandžuka, adding: “That’s why the slogan of our agency is ‘Konjic – An Adventure to Remember.'”

“Source of text and photos”: Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/konjicki-studenti-s-fit-a-u-mostaru-promovisu-turizam-u-konjicu/

Konjic Town Days are an opportunity to showcase, through various events, that Konjic proudly preserves its tradition, art, and sense of community.

The program was officially opened on May 26 with the celebration of Family Day and the Futurea Festival. Following that, children from the Zulejha Begeta Kindergarten and the Second Primary School organized an excursion to Vrtaljica.

Tonight’s program features a Night of Ballet and Creative Dance, performed by students of the Resonance Elementary Music School. The event begins at 7:30 PM in the Cinema Hall of the National University.

On Thursday, June 12, 2025, continuing a cherished tradition, the Igman Konjic Karate Club will perform kata routines set to music at 10:00 AM on the square next to the City Administration building. Following that, at 10:30 AM, the program With Love from the Town will take place, featuring performances by children from the Happy Kids Preschool and the Zulejha Begeta Kindergarten in Konjic.

On Friday, June 13, at 2:00 PM, a formal reception will be held in the Town Administration Hall to honor the top graduates from primary and secondary schools. At 2:30 PM, another reception will recognize recipients of the Dean’s and Rector’s Awards, Silver and Gold Badges, University Commendations, and students with a grade point average of nine or higher.

Then, on June 14 at 8:00 AM, the “Borašnica on Prenj” hiking trip will take place, organized by the Borašnica Mountaineering Society.

On the same day, June 14, at 9:00 AM, the Women’s Basketball Festival will be held, organized by ŽKK Konjic.

At 8:00 PM on Saturday, June 14, the premiere of the comedy “Kvačilo Offside” by the Neretva Konjic Amateur Theatre will take place.

On Monday, June 16, at 9:00 AM, a visit to the memorial site is scheduled. At 10:00 AM, the Official Session of the Konjic Town Council will take place, followed by a ceremony at 11:00 AM in the Konjic Sports Hall. During the ceremony, special attention will be given to all those who contributed through their efforts during and after the October floods. Regarding this, the Mayor of Konjic, Osman Ćatić, states:

“Remembering everything that happened to us and the way our fellow citizens, as well as people from across Bosnia and Herzegovina and around the world, responded to the disaster that struck not only the town of Konjic but also other local communities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, the goal of the city administration and myself personally is to express our gratitude to all those who stood with the people of Neretvica and Konjic during those difficult times. For this reason, as part of the Konjic Town Days, a special ceremony will be held where we will strive to thank everyone who, in any way, contributed to helping our fellow citizens during that period. Considering that during that challenging time for Konjic we were mostly on the ground working hard, we may not have recorded all the people involved, so we kindly ask everyone who was there for the town of Konjic and our fellow citizens to come forward and get in touch with us.”

On June 17, starting at 10:00 AM, the most beautiful kindergarten balcony will be selected as part of the “May Rose” project on the waves of Radio Konjic.

On Thursday, June 19, at 9:00 AM, in the Town Council’s Ceremony Hall, awards will be presented to students and mentors for their achievements in cantonal and federal competitions.

On Saturday, June 21, at 10:00 AM, Scout Meetings will take place, followed by a concert at 7:30 PM by the Resonance Elementary Music School.

The last two events are book promotions.

On Monday, June 23, 2025, at 8:00 PM, the book promotion of “Sunce rodnog kraja” by Sadik Alić will be held in the Bosnian Room of the National University. On Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 8:00 PM, the book “Semiotics of Bosnia” by Professor Dr. Sanadin Lavić will be promoted in the Bosnian Room of the National University, organized by the Bosniak Cultural Community.

According to the organizing committee, all events within the Konjic City Days festival have been tailored to reflect the developments over the past eight months in the Konjic region—a period characterized by intensive efforts to overcome the difficulties caused by the October floods, landslides, and rockfalls.

“Dear friends from the beautiful city of Konjic, you have surprised me more than once. I was amazed by the city itself — peaceful, quiet, cozy, and beautiful. I was impressed by your well-organized festival, the kindness of your people, and, last but not least, the audience who gave fantastic support to our performance. And finally, what can I say? Thank you for all the acting awards you gave us and thank you for your hospitality. We will definitely come again when you invite us!”
— Actor Branko Vidaković

Source of text and photos: Radio Konjic –https://radiokonjic.ba/program-manifestacije-dani-grada-konjica/

Boban emphasized that an award from the audience is always the most cherished, as it is a recognition that doesn’t come often.“It’s wonderful to be in Konjic, to perform in front of the Konjic audience—it’s truly a privilege to receive an award from the public. We really don’t get that kind of recognition often, which makes it all the more special and meaningful,” said Boban.The award was presented to her on behalf of the Festival’s General Sponsor, the company Bosnalijek, by Senadin Begtašević, a member of the Artistic Council of the Actor’s Festival of BiH. This is Boban’s second award at this festival—the first one was six years ago—and she hopes it won’t be the last.

Mario Drmać was named Best Actor at this year’s Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic for his role in the play Ne daj se, generacijo (Don’t Give Up, Generation), a co-production of the Youth Theatre Sarajevo and the association Moje pozorište (My Theatre). After receiving the award—presented on behalf of the Festival’s Partner, BH Telecom, by Selma Veledar, a business services specialist from the Telecom Directorate in Mostar—Drmać shared his thoughts and reflections on the responsibility that comes with the recognition, especially when the audience expects what he called “laughter therapy” from him.

The award for Best Ensemble Performance went to the cast of the Sarajevo War Theatre – SARTR for their play Totovi. Actors Snežana Bogićević and Sead Pandur, members of the Totovi ensemble, shared their excitement upon receiving the award at the 12th Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic. The award was presented on behalf of the Festival’s General Patron, the City of Konjic, by Biljana Handžo, Cultural Affairs and Youth Advisor for the City of Konjic. Snežana Bogićević emphasized how much the award means to them, especially because they feel like “a team that truly understands and connects with one another” after two years of performing the play. “We’re really happy that in this play, where we feel we’ve become a team that understands and senses each other so well, after two years of being on stage, we received this kind of collective recognition,” said Bogićević.She added that, even though they hadn’t performed the play in several months, once they arrived in Konjic and got back on stage, they all felt great and that “some new things came to the surface.” Even without the award, she said, they would have been fulfilled simply by the joy of performing together.

Sead Pandur highlighted that this award is especially joyful because the ensemble hadn’t received a collective performance award in quite some time—awards he considers the most meaningful. “There used to be about ten of us in the SARTR ensemble—sometimes even fewer. We’re all around the same age, and we’ve done many plays together, often receiving awards for ensemble performance. So, since it’s been a while since we last received such recognition, I have to say this award has truly uplifted and encouraged me,” said Pandur. He reminded everyone that acting is a collective art, and receiving an ensemble award from the audience in Konjic—especially at a festival that only gives out three awards (Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Ensemble)—makes the recognition all the more special.

In addition to the main awards, prizes were also presented in the Regional Program category. The award for Best Actress in the Regional Program of the 12th Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic went to Olga Odanović for her role in the play The Bald Soprano, produced by the Center for Culture Tivat and directed by Jagoš Marković.

Actress Olga Odanović shared the following message: “My heart is full because of the awards we received in Konjic, especially the one for Best Ensemble Performance for our play The Bald Soprano. This award means a lot to us because our production is truly a team effort, and we genuinely love it. All individual awards—both mine and Banet’s—belong to the entire The Bald Soprano ensemble. Thank you for breathing with us and giving us so much love; I hope you felt it from us as well, right from the stage.”

We want to commend the Actor’s Festival and its organizers! Thank you for your exceptional hospitality, enthusiasm, and effort in preserving the festival. A special thanks goes to the theatre director, Benjamin, whose stories about the Konjic theatre and his motivation to keep the festival alive truly inspired us. We wish the festival a long life, for as long as you have the strength and will to fight for its existence.

“Thank you once again for the wonderful audience and for fighting for the theatre, because as they say, ‘in the darkest times, theatre brings out the best within it.’ Take care of the Actor’s Festival! It’s needed by both you and us, and festivals like this are rare. A heartfelt thank you to everyone in Konjic for the organization, hospitality, love, and enthusiasm. Thank you!” — Actress Olga Odanović

The award for Best Ensemble Performance in the Regional Program category of the 12th Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic was given to the cast of the Center for Culture Tivat’s production The Bald Soprano, directed by Jagoš Marković. Actress Dubravka Drakić shares her impressions of the award:

“Dear friends, at the 12th Actor’s Festival of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Konjic, the ensemble of the play The Bald Soprano, produced by the Center for Culture Tivat, received the award for Best Ensemble Performance. On behalf of Olga Odanović, Banet Vidaković, Momčilo Otašević, Branimir Popović, Sandra Bugarski, and myself, I want to sincerely thank you. Thank you for a festival that nurtures the art of acting. I would also like to thank Benjamin Mošinović for his patience and persistence in keeping this festival alive for twelve years. I wish you better conditions and greater support in future editions, and of course, I promise that we will see each other again. All the best from the heart!” — Actress Dubravka Drakić

“Dear friends from the beautiful city of Konjic, you have surprised me more than once. I was amazed by the city itself—so peaceful, quiet, cozy, and beautiful. I was impressed by your excellently organized festival, the kindness of your people, and, last but not least, the fantastic way the audience received our play. And finally, what can I say? Thank you for all the acting awards you gave us and thank you for your hospitality. We will definitely come again when you invite us!” — Actor Branko Vidaković

Source of the text and photos: Radio Konjic – https://radiokonjic.ba/spustena-zavjesa-na-12-festival-glumca-bih-u-konjicu-za-najbolju-glumicu-i-glumca-proglaseni-gordana-boban-i-mario-drmac/

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.

The Women’s Association “Nera” awarded the traditional “Solidarity in Action” prize to Emina Bubalo, a medical student from Konjic.

“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/

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/