Dear Reader, This time we are paying tribute. I have heard people say that explaining Brexit using the example of Erasmus+ is a strange thing to do. And it may indeed be so, but my friend’s sister would probably disagree. OK, maybe this is not how she explains Brexit, but this is at least one … Continued
Education is a good thing. This is a generalisation, but one of the very few with which most people would agree. Now, what education delivered to whom, where and how are issues which have led to wars, both verbal and physical, both of epic scale. While, historically, contemplating these questions has been considered a male-brain … Continued
In 2019, my partner and I wanted to travel through Central Asia, by land only. Our mission was to begin in Antalya on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, and travel all the way to Almaty, Kazakhstan, strictly by land, across the Caucasus and Central Asia. No airplanes; just trains, coaches, and boats. One of the most daunting … Continued
Introduction- Between Two Empires The city of Mostar first appeared in history books in 1474.[i] Its strategic location contributed to its fast development and expansion. From once a tiny kasaba (settlement), it has since developed into a strong economic and cultural centre. The city itself has a mixed demographic structure with Muslims, Eastern Orthodox and … Continued
Since 2015, the world has watched in collective stunned silence the devastation of the nation of Yemen. Torn apart by an Iranian-Saudi proxy war and the residual effects of disease, hunger, and displacement, the nation has been regarded as the world’s most significant humanitarian crisis for several years.[i] The suffering of the children of Yemen … Continued
Fresh Generation are a street dance crew from Sarajevo, formed in 2009 by a group of high schoolers who loved to dance hip-hop. Tarik Osmanagić and Dženita Hasečić are the founding figures of the group although many of the advanced dancers in the crew have been alongside their journey from the start. Since their conception, … Continued
Greece and Turkey, two neighbouring countries, are widely known for their long standing rivalry over geopolitical and historical issues. Due to this continuing antagonism, Greeks and Turks have become what Professor Alexis Heraclides calls ‘the significant negative other’.[i] Despite their political disagreements, as well as their apparent differences in religion, language, traditions and way of … Continued
Our guide had pulled up his van in the Nedžarici district in the east of Sarajevo, opposite to a broken, overgrown building with faded pastel colours blotched across its crumbling structures. An old nursing home he said, or rather, a new nursing home, never used, recently completed before the war broke out. It rests now, … Continued
Identity and heritage are often troubling concepts. Yet they are complicated further when the place from which you originate no longer exists. As is the case with Yugoslavia and those no longer able to identify with the place which they had, at some point, called home. Yugoslavia, once a nation of multiple ethnicities, religions, and … Continued
Emina, International Project Manager at Asfar, spent early March 2020 in Baku and although only staying for a few days, she collected a lot of memories and specific learning experiences from this trip. During this period, we were all learning how to live with the COVID-19 pandemic, having to literally change our behavior overnight – … Continued
Dear Reader, This time, I want to tell you about two events, one you are likely to be familiar with and the other not so much. Just over ten years ago Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor in Tunisia, set himself on fire in protest of poor living conditions, corruption and lack of freedoms in his … Continued
A personal essay on the difficulties and dangers of categorising countries to regions. “Where is Georgia, exactly?” This was a question I was asked many times before, during, and after my trip to Georgia in 2019. Invariably, the preceding exchange was this: “Georgia? The US state?” “No, Georgia, the independent country.” And then: Where is … Continued
“Space is the gateway to science and science is the driver to future economy[i]“. These were the words of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Vice President and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum just before the Hope orbital satellite launched in the morning of July 2020[ii] from Tanegashima Space Centre, Japan.[iii] Also … Continued
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has seen a marked increase in tourism in the past decade. Sarajevo, its capital, saw an increase of 240% more tourist visits from 2010 to 2013.[i] With conflict only ending in 1995, the country is still reconstructing a new identity beyond war. This new tourism has been situated within the trend … Continued
It was the first Friday back after the Christmas break and I’d spent the week trying to re-adjust to the change of pace. The day had not gotten off to a great start upon realising my alarm had failed to wake me and I was now substantially behind my scheduled start of the day. In … Continued
Published by Asfar in London, UK - ISSN 2055-7957 (Online)