Meet our Members: Aida Becirovic

Could you tell us more about what leading a Civic and Social Organization means to you?

Civil and Social Organizations are enabling engagement in a range of creative work. From idea to implementation of ideas, the way is usually straightforward. Working with young people is crucial for me since the peacebuilding, and capacity-building work with young people motivates me to engage with various project ideas as a human rights advocate.

In your opinion, what characteristics should a good leader have?

A leader should have a clear vision of what s(he) wants to achieve; it is crucial to listen to the target group’s needs and include as much as possible team members in a shared vision. A leader is always responsible for many things, but still, if you have fun multitasking, bearing responsibility, and building a great team of people.  The people are everything in my work; nothing would be possible without good cooperation. A good leader provides opportunities for team members, is effective in their work, is innovative, and encourages people around. 

What has been your biggest success as a director of a Civic and Social Organization?

I see my success in the success of our activists who fight for human rights and equality. For example, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are so-called “Two schools under one roof,” which means that children are segregated and discriminated against based on ethnic and religious background. The general public in the country was not aware of the problem. I produced a short documentary movie about those schools to get more public awareness. The film was presented in the country and internationally with great success. As a result, there is a court decision claiming that “Two schools under one roof” are a case of discrimination.  

Would you like to share something that did not succeed?

Unfortunately, the Two schools under one roof still exist in Bosnia and Hercegovina; it is still not over.

What has been your biggest challenge during your mandate as a director?

The biggest challenge is the administration level of Bosnia and Hercegovina, you have to invest an enormous amount of time and energy in administrative work, and that’s a bad thing because you can’t easily see the result of the public administration bodies in Bosnia and Hercegovina.

What did you learn from the Corona pandemic? 

Corona taught me to be more aware of good things in life. We have just one, and let’s enjoy it.