Newsletter

Volume 4, Issue 2
July 2012
BHAAAS
Newsletter
From the Editor
We Welcome Our New
Members
(As of 01 Jun 2012)
tle operates frequently between the resort and
the private Beach Club, Cabana, just 5-minute
drive away.
•
Eldin Kajevic
Associate
•
Adnan Secic
Associate
•
Emira Svraka
Corresponding
•
Lejla Jusic
Corresponding
•
Zlatko Sijercic
Associate
•
Ibrica Jusic
Honorary
•
Predrag Matvejevic
Honorary
•
Zijad Haznadar
Honorary
•
Andras Riedlmayer
Honorary
•
Samir Husic, MD
Corresponding
Dear all,
•
Sara Calkic MSc
Corresponding
•
Marko Slavnic
Associate
•
Jeffrey Garland, MD
International
I am excited to share with you early info about
upcoming annual 2012 BHAAAS meeting in
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (greater Jacksonville area). The meeting is scheduled for October 19-21,
with a preliminary activities scheduled for October 19 & 20, and Sunday, 10/21 will be free for
the additional social program and tours. This area
is certainly one of the most beautiful areas in the
USA, see http://www.floridashistoriccoast.com/,
and I strongly recommend you take a day or two
extra to explore it, you will not regret.
Below you will find helpful information to assist
you and your guests in making room reservations
at Marriott Sawgrass resort
(www.SawgrassMarriott.com). We secured the
group rate of $179 per night. The resort has committed to provide us with 30 rooms, and beyond
that number the rooms will be given based on
availability and the "first-come" basis. The price
includes free parking on the site. The resort shut-
Guests can call the Marriott resort directly at
(800)457-4653; the guests will need to mention
that they are with BHAAAS 6th Annual Meeting
Group to get your group rate.
Guests can book online by going to: http://
marriott.com/property/propertypage/jaxsw?
groupCode=BHABHAA&app=resvlink for a
deluxe guestroom with either a king bed or 2
double beds.
They can also go to: http://
www.sawgrassmarriott.com and select
‘Reservations’, then enter your group code
BHABHA for a deluxe guestroom. Please note
that the cut off date for your reservations is
9/19/12.
Inside this issue:
New Members
1
From The Desk of the President 2
Days of BHAAAS—Sarajevo ‘12
Special Awards
3
10
The Vienna Review
11
Physicians put expertise to
benefit of Bosnians
12
National Energy Honor
13
Leadership and Sections
16
In the proximity of this resort, approximately 5minute walking distance, there is a Hilton Garden Inn hotel, with a lowest advanced internet
booking rate at this time of $159 per night. This
will be an alternative hotel in the case we fill all
available rooms at Marriott Sawgrass, or for
those who would choose this less expensive rate
at this time.
I would also like to ask you that you please confirm by email (festadoc@yahoo.com or nfestic@yahoo.com) your participation in the meeting as soon as you make the reservation, which
will allow the organizing committee to better
plan the meeting and activities.
Looking forward to see you all in Ponte Vedra
Beach this fall!
Sincerely,
Emir Festic
Volume 4, Issue 2
From the Desk of the President
Dear BHAAAS
Members,
As many of you
have probably
heard, Fourth
"Days of
BHAAAS in BiH
- Sarajevo 2012"
were a great success. We had over
1,000 attendees
during 3 full days
of seminars in 5
areas of professional practice:
medicine, technology, natural
sciences, law, and
music. There
were approximately 100 local
and international
lecturers and presenters and over
1,000 attendees. The participants came from the United States,
France, Sweden, Holland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovenia,
Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, etc.
Sarajevo, B&H Academy of Arts and Sciences, Chancellor's
Office of the University of Sarajevo, and Sarajevo School of
Science and Technology. Special thanks to our sponsors, especially FABRIKA who has fully supported BHAAAS at all of
our B&H meetings.
Finally, the days in Sarajevo would not have been possible without some exceptional individuals: Amer Ovcina, Nirvana Pistoljevic and Adnan Karaikovic. You will recognize them in the
photos below.
The media fully covered the entire meeting, with many interviews
by a number of our members shown on Federal TV, Al Jazeera,
Hayat, and Face TV. Face TV also filmed the entire Gala Concert
closing the "Days in Sarajevo" on Friday, April 20, 2012. We
hope to have this film on our website shortly.
If you are interested in seeing some of the TV interviews, or the
extent of the "Days in Sarajevo" program, please visit our website
at www.bhaaas.org. You will also be able to see some of the photos and we promise to post more in due course.
We have received rave reviews by our colleagues and friends, and
I could glean a new respect from our peers. While we would have
rather gone to some of the other University centers in B&H, the
meeting in Sarajevo did introduce us to the larger public in the
best possible way. Many who never would have given us any
thought were pleasantly surprised to see our strength, knowledge,
integrity and a selfless desire to share all we got with our home
country and its people. I trust that we will be able to build on this
momentum as we move on.
Many thanks for all those who have made the "Days in Sarajevo"
a smashing success. Thank you to our partners: the Ministry for
Human Rights and Refugees; Clinical center of the University of
Page 2
Cheers to all of you and see you next year in Mostar!
Djenita Pasic
BHAAAS President
Volume 4, Issue 2
Days of BHAAAS in B&H – Sarajevo 2012
Section Reports
13. Create a digital archive of academic achievements in B-H.
14. Help establish connections with Slavic programs in the States
General Plenary Session
and Canada.
Mirsad Hadzikadic
15. Help preserve rare disciplines.
The first day of the Days
16. Help add B-H publications to the Library of Congress.
of Academy in B&H
17. Increase communication with young people about the bene-
started with a Plenary
fits of connecting with B-H institutions.
Session that included over 20 participants representing govern-
18. Increase the avenues for transfer of knowledge.
ment, nonprofit organizations, higher education, culture, muse-
19. Help with the process of recognizing US and Canadian diplo-
ums, and arts. The session was titled "Directions for Develop-
mas.
ing Scientific and Cultural Collaboration between Bosnia and
Herzegovina and its diaspora. Mirsad Hadžikadic and Djenita
Pasic chaired the session that included several representatives
of BHAAS as well.
The session was very productive and concluded with following
recommendations:
1. Develop joint centers for research and development.
2. Organize joint research and development projects.
3. Establish incubators for supporting entrepreneurial activities.
4. Help digitize textbooks for students in B-H. Also, help translate textbooks to be used in B-H.
General Medical Symposium
5. Build the future based on the best what our tradition can
Ognjen Gajic
offer.
6. Promote systemic solutions for development of cultural institutions and institutions dedicated to preserving our past.
7. Pass legislations for defining the status of diaspora.
8. Organize joint conferences based on the TED format.
9. Suggest new candidates for membership in BHAAAS.
10. Develop joint degree programs, especially in humanities
and arts.
11. Offer degree programs over the Internet.
12. Help defining and organizing the system of higher education in B-H.
Page 3
Volume 4, Issue 2
Hotel in Sarajevo on April 18, 2012. With the help of guest
lecturers, the workshop addressed the issues of chronic arthritis
in childhood, frequently misunderstood and underdiagnosed
condition in children.
The symposium addressed the pathophysiology, hands-on
physical exam demonstration, diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.
With the help of guest lecturers from Sarajevo, Banja Luka and
Zenica, the clinical presentation and characteristics of subtypes
of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis were presented. The final porThe opening ceremony featured singer Lejla Jusic and wel-
tion of the symposium included the discussion on the current
come speeches by Dr. Rusmir Mesihovic, Minister of Health,
treatments in children with chronic arthritis and future trends in
Federation BiH and Djenita Pasic, BHAAAS president. Physi-
biologic therapies.
cians and researchers from United States, Croatia, Slovenia,
Switzerland, Netherlands and several BiH cities (Tuzla, Foca,
The audience of pediatricians, family physicians and nurse
Zenica, Sarajevo) presented diverse topics of general medical
practitioners participated actively with practice-relevant ques-
interest divided in five sessions:
tions and shared examples from clinical practice.
•
Hospital of the Future
•
Transplantation
One Health, One Medicine Symposium
•
Internal medicine
Emir Hodzic
Psychiatry and psychology (presentation on autism and other
disorders attracted approximately 200 attendees)
Symposium One Health, One Medicine was held on Friday,
Rheumatology in children
April 20th 2012 in room Bosnia at hotel Holiday Inn, Sarajevo,
Disaster medicine, critical care and pain medicine
Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Symposium directors were Emir
Modest number of attendees had an opportunity to enjoy out-
Hodžić (Davis, USA) for the general section and Predrag
standing presentations and exciting interaction and discussion
Vuksanović (Sarajevo, B-H) for the viticulture section.
between expert physicians from the region and abroad capturing diverse topics of interest for further development of safe,
The symposium was divided in two sections. In the morning
effective and equitable health care in BiH and the region.
was a general section, and a viticulture section was in the afternoon. There were total of 15 presentations with 12 speakers.
Symposium in Pediatric Rheumatology
The moderators were Sead Hadžiabdić (Sarajevo, B-H) for the
Diana Milojevic
general section and Milenko Blesić (Sarajevo, B-H) for the
Under the directorship of Dr. Diana Milojevic from the Univer-
viticulture section. There were over 45 attendees at the general
sity of California San Francisco and Dr. Senka Mesihovic-
section, and around 70 at the viticulture section. Significant
Dinarevic from the University of Sarajevo, the day-long work-
numbers of attendees were students of Faculty of Agriculture,
shop in Pediatric Rheumatology took place in the Holiday Inn
Veterinary Faculty, and a secondary Medical school.
Page 4
Volume 4, Issue 2
The whole symposium was well organized, thanks to Amer
Sarajevo. The Symposium directors were
Ovcina, Sead Hadžiabdić, and Predrag Vuksanović. There were
Migdat Hodžić (SCU, USA) for the Complex Systems session
a lot of interesting discussions during presentations, and estab-
together with Mirsad Hadzikadic (UNCC, USA, Ejup Ganic
lished new connections among attendees and presenters. Sever-
for Smart Grid session, and Nirvana Pistoljevic (Columbia,
al people already offered their commitment to help in organiz-
USA) for Green Technologies session.
ing the Days of BHAAAS in Mostar 2013.
The symposium was divided into three sessions. Thursday
Just to add few comments by the symposium presenters and
morning and afternoon, a
attendees:
total of seven presentations were made in Complex Systems
Dragutin Mijatovic (Banja Luka, B-H) wrote, “I want to thank
session. The audience in this session consisted of students from
you for the wonderfully organized symposium. It was a great
SSST as well as presenters from other technical sessions, for a
experience for me and my colleagues, unforgettable”.
total of around 20 attendees.
rusmir Baljic (Sarajevo, B-H) wrote, “I would like to help and
personally get involved in the organizing process of Days of
Many interesting questions and ideas were asked and ex-
BHAAAS Mostar 2013. You can count on me”.
changed during both morning and afternoon sessions. The discipline of Complex Systems is very multidisciplinary and that
Milenko Blesic (Sarajevo, B-H) wrote, “It was my pleasure to
has contributed to very useful across-the-board discussions.
be part of the Symposium in Sarajevo. I hope that we will stay
in touch, and I am at your disposal in organizing next meeting
Friday morning session focused on Smart Grid technologies.
in Mostar”.
Several presentations were
made including two from SSST students. The session contrib-
Technical Symposium
uted to understanding of the status of the technology in the
Migdat Hodzic
world as well as what activities are happening at SSST and BH
as a whole.
The afternoon session focused on Green Technologies. It was
very multidisciplinary and ranged from new green buildings
projects to history of BH architecture and its importance in
general. The attendees exchanged many useful ideas and
pledged to work together in some of the ongoing and future
projects.
The whole symposium was well organized, thanks to hosts at
BH Academy of Arts and Sciences, SSST, Mr. Ejup Ganic, and
various individuals including session directors and presenters,
Technical sessions were held over two days, i.e. Thursday 4/19
including Aaron Bramson (USA), Zlatko Sijercic (USA), Elma
and Friday 4/20/2012, at BH Academy of Sciences Building, in
Durmisevic (Holland), Adnan Pasic (BH), as well as students
Page 5
Volume 4, Issue 2
attendees and student presenters from SSST (Sarajevo School
night, Ibrica Jusic, left us all entranced with his treasured inter-
of Science and Technology).
pretations of the most beloved Sevdalinka, including Emina.
He was joined on stage by the majestic, “Bond”, his black col-
Gala Concert
lie, who seemed to act as his muse for the evening. The Maes-
Almer Imamovic
tro reminded all of us of Sevdah’s humble beginnings as a lone
man with his saz. Humble, yet utterly beautiful and raw, we
heard the power and elegance of these wonderful songs in their
original state. It is through this music that we hear the voices
of our past and can realize the hope for our robust future.
Dom Armije was packed full with a warm and appreciative
audience that broke out in thunderous applause. I believe everyone in the room felt the power of this music and was reminded once more of the deepness of our culture and our music.
With a little help from our friends, the night was a complete
success!
Like the famous song says, “I get by with a little help from my
The greatest ambassadors for any people or country are art and
friends”, our 2012 Gala Concert could not have been possible
music. We are fortunate to have Sevdalinka as our musical
without some help from Bosnia’s finest musicians. This year’s
legacy. They should be used to promote the culture of Bosnia
concert featured Ibrica Jusic and Lejla Jusic, making the con-
and Herzegovina throughout the world and within B&H itself.
cert very special and memorable. We presented Sevdalinka in
The past three years we have featured the Sarajevo Philhar-
three ways. Jessica and I opened the concert with our instru-
monic for our Gala Concerts to much success. However, it is a
mental versions of Sevdalinka for flute and guitar. This was
great source of pride that our own traditional music can be re-
followed by a flawless performance of Lejla singing beautifully
ceived just as well, if not more so. This concert was very en-
while accompanying herself on piano. It was exciting to hear
couraging and got us thinking about a new goal for our music
the beautiful sounds of the Steinway Grand Piano filling the
section of BHAAAS. Why can’t Sevdah as a musical form, be
packed hall in Dom Armije. We later joined her on stage for a
just as popular and recognizable as the Argentinian Tango, for
few songs together, culminating with an exciting rendition of
example? This has been something on my mind since our con-
“Zapjevala Sojka (Bulbul) Ptica”. This unique musical combi-
cert in Sarajevo and I came to the conclusion that there is a way
nation, Voice, Piano, Flute and Guitar, has never been a tradi-
this could be achieved. Our goal is that Sevdah should be
tional way to enjoy Sevdalinka, but it certainly worked very
played in every major concert hall around the world, beginning
well. We are proud to be involved on some level of preserva-
with Carnegie Hall in New York. Hope to see you all there in
tion and exploration of these beautiful songs that are a huge
the near future!
part of who we are as Bosnians.
"I was born in Mar del Plata, raised in New York, found my
Then, as if from a dream, the Maestro and special guest of the
Page 6
way while in Paris, but every time I get on the stage, people
Volume 4, Issue 2
know I’m going to play the music of Buenos Aires.”
very proud to be a part of this event”.
•
Dr. Muris Hodzic, Basel: It was a great pleasure to see you
Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla ( 1921 – 1992) was an Argentine
all and have opportunity to be socially and professionally
tango composer and bandoneón player.
together. Thank you all.
•
Dr. Namik Hadziomerovic, Sarajevo: “It was fantastic
“I was born in Foca, survived the war in Gorazde, studied clas-
event, I feel great. Thank you very much for everything
sical music in Paris, the UK and the US, but every time I get on
what you have been doing for BiH and in BiH; please just
stage, people know I’m going to play Sevdalinka.”
continue your work and you will have my full support”.
•
Dr. Ismet Gavrankapetanovic, Sarajevo: “Dear Enes I want
Almer Imamovic (b. 1974) Bosnian composer, arranger and
to thank you for everything what you have done and that
guitarist.
you were able to make it possible that our Meeting was a
an important success”
To see some of YouTube clips from the concert at Dom Armije
•
BiH on April 20, 2012, please click at one of the links below:
Dr. Sukrija Djozic, Sarajevo: “Enes, congratulations to you
and to ourselves that everything went so well. You have
the respect of our people; your approach to colleagues is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYaAoFbximg
human and with good intentions. The most important is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
that you were able to get to together the whole Bosnia and
v=xM5a6ugwiiw&feature=relmfu
Herzegovina, what has not happened after the war yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRnF-BXLUIo
Thank you for the books .. we are ready to participate and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg-Nu22ElDA
help for everything what will be needed in the future.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTX-kFDXaIM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3I3OR5Vz2A
•
Dr. Slavko Manojlovic, Banja Luka: “The Meeting fulfilled its purpose. We got together and discussed contemporary topics the whole day. We got to know each other as
Orthopedics Symposium
a PEOPLE and as professionals. For us the true discovery
Enes Kanlic
was Prof. Enes Kanlic, man with huge energy and true
expert, good example for my generation and for our
In the participants “own words” (originals can be mailed on
younger colleagues, a good man, cosmopolitan and ortho-
individual requests):
pedic surgeon. If we all really have desire to be together
and work together, there is another opportunity the next
•
Dr. Hajrudin Kacar, Tuzla: “It was super, super, super,
thank you everybody who made it possible, to Ismet and
year, another chance to socialize and work together. “
… and many other similar opinions …
Sukrija as hosts, to Enes for everything what he has been
•
doing”.
For a photo testimonial about this Symposium, please click on
Dr. Adnan Cutuk, St. Louis: “ I want to thank everybody
http://bhaaas.org/images/bhaaas_2012/
on nice, friendly and working interactions at very well
simpozium_ortopedsko_traumatoloske-sekcije-2012.pdf
organized and productive Meeting. ”
•
Dr. Senail Sivro, Amsterdam: “It was excellent, and I am
Page 7
Volume 4, Issue 2
Oncology Symposium
Comparative Law Symposium
Gordan Srkalovic
Djenita Pasic
On Thursday, April 19, 2012, Fakultet za kriminalistiku, kriminologiju i sigurnosne studije (FKKSS) of the University of
Oncology symposium had 3 major topics; Controversies in the
Sarajevo hosted the Second BHAAAS Law Symposium in
treatment of the breast cancer, Therapeutic approaches to the
B&H. Dean Ramo Maslesa offered full support of the symposi-
rectal cancer and Peripheral stem cell transplant. One presenta-
um, which was superbly organized by our member, Almir
tion was devoted to different practical issues in hematology and Maljević, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at FKKSS.
coagulation. Speakers included hematologists, oncologists,
oncological surgeon, pathologists, molecular biologists from
The faculty at the symposium was very diverse and gave
all major centers in BiH (Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Tuzla),
presentations on various issues of criminal law. After a short
from USA and Norway. Topics were provocative and con-
welcome by Dean Maslesa, the first presenter was Assistant
toversial and sparked very lively discussion and argument ex-
Professor of Criminal Law, Darko Datzer of FKKSS, followed
change. Very important aspect of discussion were geograph-
by Djenita Pasic. We were honored by having, in order of their
ical and cultural differences, as well as individual preferences
presentations: Phillip Weiner, former Prosecutor at the Interna-
in the approach to the treatment and end-of-life issues. Again,
tional Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia and an Interna-
differences in the colorectal cancer prevention and screening
tional Judge at the Court of B&H; Carrie Leonetti, Criminal
between Scandinavian countries and the rest of the world, as
Law professor at the University of Oregon School of Law and a
well as between individual Scandinavian countries were deline-
Fulbright Fellow researching witnesses of Bosnian genocide;
ated. Development of new molecular markers and techniques
Drew Engel, Director of the Special Department for Organized
for identification and prognosis of the breast and the colorectal
Crime at the Prosecutor Office in B&H; Zarije Seizović, Pro-
cancers and prediction of therapeutic efficacy were discussed
fessor of International Law at University of Zenica; Lada
by several speakers. Overall symposium was very dynamic,
Sadiković, Associate Professor of Criminal Law at FKKSS;
covered large area of cancer landscape and presents another
and Damir Koldžo of the firm of Gavrankapetanovic & Koldzo
step in connecting domestic and foreign physicians and re-
in Sarajevo.
searchers interested in the care of malignant diseases.
There were approximately 40 attendees at the symposium,
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Volume 4, Issue 2
mostly students of law and FKKSS, with a notable and wel-
AHA certificates.
come exception of Judge Patricia Ann Whalen, International
Judge at the Court of B&H.
We also participated in Pediatric days with four presentations
(genetics, pediatric intensive care, plastic surgery).
The Law Section of BHAAAS is planning to continue the cooperation with FKKSS and other law schools and legal institu-
The response from participants of BLS Course and Pediatric
tions in B&H to develop better understanding of the needs of
Days was overwhelmingly positive.
B&H, as well as start cross-border legal projects between USA
and BiH. We look ofrward for the next meeting in Mostar in
ICU Symposium
April 2013.
Emir Festic
BLS Report
4th BH-ICU, International Intensive Care Symposium was held
Dusica Babovic
on Thursday and Friday, while 3rd Intensive Care Nursing
Symposium was held on Thursday. Both symposia were very
well attended and shared a common Plenary Session on Thursday morning. This was the first time that both physicians’ and
nursing sessions were joined together, in the same spirit as the
team work in the ICU. Besides plenary sessions, the lectures
were organized into following topics:
•
Respiratory Critical Care,
•
Sepsis, Infection and Inflammation
•
Fluid, Electrolytes and Nephrology
•
Cardiovascular Critical Care
•
Neurocritical care
•
Special populations in the ICU, and
•
ICU Potpourri.
There were local, regional and international speakers, including
those from Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia,
France and USA. Based on the generally speaking very good
feedback, we will try to improve the symposium further for
The Basic Life Support (BLS) course was held as a part of Pediatric Days of Republika Srpska, Teslic (Banja Vrucica)
We had 15 students who passed the on-line test prior to the
course. All participants passed the practical exam and received
Page 9
even better success next year in Mostar.
Volume 4, Issue 2
BHAAAS’ 2012 Special Awards
Members in the Press
As mentioned above, the Fourth Days of BHAAAS in B&H –
Sarajevo 2012 were a great success. And as you may imagine,
the success of all of our meetings in B&H depends on our extraordinary members. The members who give their all to make
the impossible happen; who selflessly us their time and energy
to put our meetings together. The members without whom our
meetings could not have happened. And to whom we are forever indebted.
Therefore, BHAAAS decided to thank 3 individuals, our members in B&H, who have made our past meetings possible: Dr.
Ermina Iljazovic from Tuzla and Drs. Belma Pojskic and Harun Hodzic from Zenica. We decided to present them with
BHAAAS’s Special Award, consisting of a plaque and a cash
award which may, but does not have to be, used for their travel
to our next Annual Meeting in Jacksonville, Florida.
Below are the photos from the “award ceremonies” during the
meeting Sarajevo. Please note that Dr. Belma Pojskic could not
be present so her son, himself a medical student, accepted the
award on her behalf. Viva Akademija!
The Washington Post, Book Review
By Julia Lieblich, Religion News Service, Published: May 4,
2012
During the recent 20th anniversary of the Bosnian war, I reread a
court-approved email I had received from Radovan Karadzic, the
Bosnian Serb leader charged with genocide.
The Serbs “fought for freedom without denying the rights of
others,” wrote Karadzic, a man his lawyer describes as a deeply
religious Orthodox Christian who had practiced psychiatry in
Sarajevo.
In 2010, I traveled to The Hague to witness Karadzic’s trial with
a very different psychiatrist, Esad Boskailo, who had spent a
year in six Bosnian concentration camps. Only bulletproof glass
separated the two middle-aged psychiatrists, each over six-feet
tall: Karadzic with his famous pompadour, and Boskailo with
spiked gray hair.
Boskailo is a Bosnian Muslim and I am a Jew, but when we decided to write a book together about finding meaning after terror,
we were determined to avoid easy answers about suffering and
religious language that fueled men like Karadzic.
We began to think we might have something to say to people
who defined religion more broadly and who faced the kind of
trauma that outlives anniversaries.
Boskailo, whose family had come to the U.S. as refugees, had
been inspired by reading psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s account of
the Nazi concentration camps, “Man’s Search for Meaning.”
Boskailo couldn’t help being struck by the similarity of all
camps and the modes of torture perfected by each generation. It
was as if Frankl had been with Boskailo at the camps when bullets flew through metal hangers and heard men cry at night.
“I was convinced that survivors needed to address the kind of
questions of meaning raised by Frankl,” said Boskailo, who studied psychiatry after the war. “They needed a reason to live, and I
wanted to help them find that reason.”
Boskailo believed that therapists needed to help survivors recall
what had brought them happiness in the past, acknowledge the
magnitude of their losses, and find meaning that transcended
horror. For some patients, that reason could be raising a family,
writing a book or testifying in court.
Particularly resilient survivors, Boskailo knew, might never need
therapy to find meaning. Others thrive in community-based programs. Still others, such as those who suffer from chronic nightmares and flashbacks, may require years of therapy to regain
some semblance of a normal life, including veterans from Iraq
and Afghanistan.
Boskailo told me his own story of returning in fragments, and I
asked all kinds of questions: Was the wall that surrounded the
camp made of bricks? Was there a bathroom? Who emptied the
can?
The interviews were easier when Boskailo, now an associate
professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona, talked of
Djenita Pasic, President
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Volume 4, Issue 2
survivors he saw in his hospital trauma clinic in Phoenix. He
described men and women who felt betrayed by the neighbors
they once called friends. He told of a housebound 45-year-old
survivor of the Srebrenica massacre who was so distraught she
ate little, rarely slept and almost never spoke.
“I’m from Sreberenica,” she said after months of therapy. “You
know I lost my father, my husband, my brother and uncle. You
Already know what happened.”
Then there was the 50-year-old unemployed Iraqi veteran, who
used to spend his days at home counting his breaths.
“Doctor, you have to find me a pill,” he begged Boskailo.
“I have no pill to take away loss,” Boskailo told him.
Over time, the man recounted his losses: his wife, his friends,
his country, his work, his Orthodox religious community. Boskailo avoided imposing beliefs on patients, many of whom had
been harmed by soldiers who fought in the name of religion
and by leaders offering pat answers about God’s will.
But in this case, Boskailo knew that his patient’s faith could
sustain him and help him imagine a future. So Boskailo assisted the man find his first job in decades — packing boxes in a
factory — and he arranged for transportation to the local Orthodox Church.
Boskailo had finished his own therapy, but when we first talked
about his experience in the camps, he had a panic attack. He
cried when reading a chapter. And while watching Karadzic’s
trial at The Hague, Boskailo stormed out, as if to say he had
enough of this business of remembering.
When the final draft was done three years after we started, Boskailo had a record of his life and a commitment to patients that
no war criminal could take away — something Frankl described in religious terms as a “vocation or mission.”
“I don’t imagine, anymore, that I will be in the middle of a
conversation and find myself back in the camps,” Boskailo
said. “The book was about the beauty of healing, this time my
own. “
(Julia Lieblich is the author, with Esad Boskailo, of the new
book, “Wounded I Am More Awake: Finding Meaning After
Terror.” A longtime religion writer, she is an assistant professor of journalism at Loyola University Chicago.)
The Vienna Review
Special Care in Sarajevo
Page 11
Lack of infrastructure and abundant apathy leaves most Bosnian
children with special needs to fall by the wayside
by Jenna Hand on May 10, 2012.
Educated abroad, the returning Bosnian diaspora is rebuilding
social services
In a Sarajevo classroom festooned with pictures and charts, nineyear-old Harry Lindsay is chortling softly as he mimics his
teacher. She’s almost as delighted as he is. “Do this, Harry,” she
says, stamping her feet on the carpet and clapping her hands. He
copies with a flurry of actions and she gives him a sip of Coke as
a reward. “Do this!” she says, tapping her nose until he follows
her lead. It’s not an average lesson. But Harry isn’t an average
boy.
A special programme at Mjedenica School uses cutting-edge
behavioral science to teach pupils with autism and other cognitive impairments in a country where children with disabilities are
more often sequestered than educated. Some of the pupils’ behavior is so challenging that no other school will take them.
Their parents are berated in the streets for their perceived inability to discipline their offspring when in fact tantrums and communication difficulties are characteristic of autism spectrum disorders.
A handful are in state care and it’s unknown whether their intellectual delays preceded their neglect. One girl was found wandering the city, unable to say her name. A kindergarten child
arrived hooked on alcohol and cigarettes. Both are now thriving
on a rigorous curriculum that includes one-on-one instruction
and the constant, forensic measurement of their progress on an
array of graphs. In teaching circles it’s known as the Comprehensive Application of Behavior Analysis to Schooling.
The duty to make a difference
The driving force behind the programme, Nirvana Pistoljevic,
could work in more glamorous places – she used to teach at Columbia University’s graduate school of education and was the
assistant director of a research preschool. But the woman who
returned to Sarajevo two years ago, having fled as a teenager
during the 1990s war, feels duty-bound to her 70 pupils. “I feel
it’s so bad here that any little bit of change is good,” she says.
The collapse of Yugoslavia followed by three years of war devastated Bosnia, a triangular patch of land wedged between Croatia and Serbia. Today, pervasive ethnic divisions continue to
stymie progress. Unemployment is an extraordinary 43 per cent
and the current government is a brittle thing that only came together in the final days of last year, almost 15 months after its
bickering members were elected.
Each of the Bosniak and Croat-dominated Federation’s 10 cantons has its own ministries of education, social welfare and
health, as does the predominantly Serb Republika Srpska. The
school systems cater to and reinforce ethnic splits by segregating
children according to their identity and teaching them different
curricula (Mjedenica is a notable exception, where pupils of all
religious and ethnic backgrounds learn together). In such a chaotic context, it’s little wonder that education and services for
Volume 4, Issue 2
children with disabilities are inadequate.
Families tend to fill the void. The mother of a child with cerebral palsy told Pistoljevic she had to have more babies, fast,
because someone needed to take care of the child when she
died.
When surviving is such a struggle, education is secondary.
“The mentality here is that you don’t have to do much with a
kid who has special needs because they’re written off,” Pistoljevic says. “Special education is beyond poor. It has not advanced in the last 30 years in any way.’’
She feels it’s linked to a general lethargy. “People just accept
the way things are. They have no energy to fight for anything
anymore… They don’t fight for their rights and the rights of
their kids.”
A brighter future for some
Harry’s mother, Sanela Lindsay, did fight for her son when he
was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of two, after the
family moved from Australia. But doctors told her there were
no suitable therapists and she should “read things on the internet” herself.
She says that once Harry reached school age, she realised the
Government’s talk of inclusion did not amount to anything
either. “They don’t do anything to provide services so those
kids can be taken to regular schools.”
Pistoljevic’s programme, which operates independently within
Mjedenica school, has tripled in size in the past 12 months and
has a waiting list. The Government pays for seven teachers but
the other 18 are funded through grants (Lindsay drives fundraising efforts through a dedicated NGO called EDUS – Education for All). And while current grants will take the programme
to the end of the school year, its future beyond June is uncertain.
Lindsay says Harry has made significant progress in the programme. “Before Nirvana was here, if I called his name he
would never turn. He did not react to anything.” She feared he
would stay locked inside himself forever. But just one year on,
he is starting to speak. “I was taking him from bed two days
ago and he said, ‘too cold’… Every day there is something like
that. For me that’s something really unbelievable.”
Physicians put expertise to benefit
of Bosnians
By Paul N. Bourassa, Special to My Life
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Posted June 3, 2012 at midnight
Dr. Kenan Arnautovic with Semmes-Murphey Clinic speaks to a
group of local neurosurgeons in Sarajevo during a recent trip
there for the Bosnia-Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts
and Sciences.
Semmes-Murphey continues its tradition of participation in training programs in other countries through the Cooperative Agreement with the Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Clinics for
Neurosurgery.
Dr. Kenan Arnautovic, Dr. Daniel Hoit and Dr. Adam Oliver
recently returned from Bosnia, where they attended the BosniaHerzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences meeting.
The BHAAAS meeting is comprised of scientific symposiums
(medical science, technology, international law, etc.). This organization fosters ties between physicians, scientists, artists and
other professionals in North America and their counterparts in
Bosnia to build the bridges of cooperation which will lead to
advancement and understanding.
While in Bosnia, Arnautovic, Hoit and Oliver did teaching surgeries and other charitable work under the auspices of Drs.
Omerhodzic, Hasanagic, Biscevic and Burazerovic, to aid in
honing the skills of area neurosurgeons in certain advanced procedures. Surgeries demonstrated included endovascular procedures such as aneurysm coiling and stenting.
Page 12
Volume 4, Issue 2
Arnautovic, along with several other Semmes-Murphey physicians, has made eight trips to Bosnia since 2003. This is a major, ongoing commitment that involves the surgeons donating
their time and paying most of their own trip expenses to help
train Bosnian surgeons on the more complex surgical procedures that may represent a gap in their local training capabilities.
Haris Alibasic Receives National
Energy Honor for Grand Rapids
National Energy Honor is a 2012 Mayors' Climate Protection
award at the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in
Orlando, Fla. For more information, or to watch a 4 minute
video about Grand Rapids’ energy projects, and Haris’ role as
director of the Office of Energy & Sustainability, please click
on the link below.
Rita Csapo-Sweet – Life in Sarajevo Today in PowerPoint
presentation.
Sunday, April 15, 3pm: Concert: The Lost Jewish World of Sarajevo, featuring Rabbi James Stone Goodman; Fontbonne University Library, 2nd Floor exhibit space.
Sunday, April 29, afternoon; Presentation: Prijedor Genocide
Remembered by Refik Hodzic, Director of Communications,
International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ); at
Fontbonne University, Lewis Room.
May, 2012: Presentation: The St. Louis Jewish Community’s
Response to War and Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina, featuring Elsie Roth of Hadassah; exact location, date, and time TBA.
July 6, 2012: Srebrenica commemoration program at Fontbonne
University
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/06/
inside_the_numbers_in_grand_ra.html
Recent and Ongoing Events in St.
Louis, MO
Patrick McCarthy
Survival in Sarajevo:
Jews, Muslims, Serbs and Croats working together during the
Bosnian War, 1992-1995.
Exhibit Opening: Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 2 pm – Fontbonne
University Library
Welcome and introductions from Dr. Ben Moore, Director,
Fontbonne University’s Bosnia Memory Project
Edward Serotta, Exhibit Creator. St. Louis Bosnians from Sarajevo – Ibro Tucakovic will serve as moderator in discussion
with Sukrija and Ertana Dzidzovic, father and daughter, about
their experiences in wartime Sarajevo.
Representative from the Joint Distribution Committee (exhibit
sponsor) - Josh Fogelson, American Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee.
Additional Programming Plans
Sunday, March 11, 1 pm: Nightline on the Sarajevo Haggadah,
Ten Minutes, and PBS documentary I Came to Testify; at Holocaust Museum and Learning Center.
Friday, April 6, 6 pm: Remembering Sarajevo 20 years after
the beginning of the siege, Bosnian Chamber of Commerce,
4457 Gravois.
Remembering Sarajevo – Bosnian speakers: Sukrija and Ertana Dzidzovic.
Sukrija Dzizdovic – Photographs from Wartime Sarajevo
Page 13
Ognjen Gajic in the News
1)
BHAAAS member portrayed in a Swiss TV News for the
International Refugee Day
http://la1.rsi.ch/home/networks/la1/telegiornale?po=7b6fef14a715-4dfe-99e7-c2ee5aadf892&pos=3209d43d-fb1e-4cec-9249d0ab5ab9bf76&date=20.06.2012&stream=low#tabEdition
https://www.dropbox.com/s/now9xrs2qigtj4d/
refugees128.mov (iPAD/iPHONE)
2) Hospital of the Future: Dr Ognjen Gajic receives $16 million CMS Innovation Award to implement novel ambient intelligence technologies to enhance patient-centered care delivery in
US hospitals
http://www.newswise.com/articles/mayo-clinic-receives-threemultimillion-dollar-innovation-awards
Volume 4, Issue 2
Awards
Our member, Diane Wittry has been recently named the Outstanding Alumnus of the Thornton School of Music for the
year 2013. Thornton School of Music at the University of
Southern California (USC) is where Diane graduated from.
USC is the Juilliard of the West coast. Diane was therefore a
bit in shock once first announced, but very flattered and humbled with this honor.
Other winners of this award over the years include:
• Marilyn Horne (Opera Singer)
• Michael Tilson Thomas (Conductor)
• Christopher Parkening (Classical Guitar)
• Thomas Hampson (Opera Singer)
• Nathaniel Rosen (Cello Soloist)
• Cynthia Phelps (Principal Viola NY Phil)
• The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
• Rodney Gilfry (Opera Singer)
• Doug Lowry (Dean of the Eastman School of Music)
• David Newman (Film Composer)
Changing the world through music!
www.DianeWittry.com
Congratulations Diane!!!
Cultural Exchange Program
Graduation
We are happy to report on the success of Diane’s other success,
this time with BHAAAS: the first group of U.S. musicians has
completed the 10 month-long internship with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra.This event marks the first anniversary of
the program which brings much needed U.S. musicians who
play bassoon, trombone, oboe and horn to Sarajevo.
On the photo below you can see Alisa Paric of Sarajevo Philharmonic delivering participation/completion certificates to
Sara Laupp, Matt McLaughlin and Megan Robbins. Tim Boyer, who returned to the U.S. earlier, received his certificate via
mail.
We thank Diane Wittry, Cultural Exchange Program Director,
for her dedication and hard work. As you may already know,
Diane has already auditioned and selected the second group of
musicians for the 2012-2013 season and we look forward to
completing the financing of this project soon.
Academy Award / Scholarship
Call – Deadline July 31, 2012
Bosnian-Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences is announcing its annual competition for the best research or
art projects in the fields of natural or social science, humanity,
technology, and arts.
The purpose of the projects should be to establish and maintain
an authentic insightful contribution to the well-being of Bosnia
& Herzegovina and/or its Diasporas in the United States and
Canada. These projects can be either recently completed (not
earlier than January 2011) or planned to finalize before the end
of this year (December 31st 2012).
The projects could be submitted in various forms: electronic
posters (Power Point, PDG, or JPG), visual or sound recording,
article, research project, software or literary piece. Regardless of
the format, each application needs to contain separate document
with the following:
-Project description in 500 words
-Clear statement on project’s contribution to Bosnia and Herzegovina or its’ diaspora in North America, in 250 words
-Curriculum Vitae of the candidate
-A letter of recommendation by the mentor/professor of the candidate
The application packet should be forwarded to mirsad@uncc.edu
by 5pm EST, July 31, 2012. The selected competitors will be
invited to present their projects at the BHAAAS Annual Meeting
in Jacksonville, FL in October, 2012.
The winning project will receive a plaque and $1,000 financial
support. The second-place project will receive a plaque and
$700 and the third-place award is a plaque and $300. All project
presenters at the Annual Meeting will receive a certificate of
participation.
Eligibility to participate: undergraduate students (regardless of
the country of origin) enrolled in the US and Canadian colleges
and universities.
Publications of the work supported in part by the BHAAAS must
include a statement recognizing such support. Also BHAAAS
retains the rights to publish all awarded projects on its web page,
BHAAAS.org
A Call for Action/Donation
Almasa (Hadžiahmetović) Bass
Dear Academy members:
Many of you are aware, from the presentation in St. Louis, that
Page 14
Volume 4, Issue 2
the current situation of the clinic (i.e., Dom Zdravlja) in Donji
Vakuf, BiH is seeking attention. This small town, near and
dear to my heart, is the place where I grew up and have many
fond memories.
Out of 66,000 patient visits to Dom Zdravlja in 2010, approximately 9,500 (~15%) referrals are to in-house laboratory that is
staffed with 3 full-time technicians. Dom Zdravlja has a dire
need to obtain a clinical chemistry analyzer for its laboratory
because the lab currently uses an outdated spectrophotometer
for analysis of lab results. Labor is manual, slow (~20 tests/h),
and unable to keep up with workload. In addition, their current
technology does not allow for analysis of important blood tests
that could be of utter importance in emergency situation (e.g.,
potassium, sodium, liver function tests, etc.).
While Dom Zdravlja would like to replace the spectrophotometer with a new bioanalyzer that would make a large impact to
the quality of care for 16,000 people in Donji Vakuf and neighboring villages, it is financially exhausted. The cost of a new
bioanalyzer typically runs between €17,000-19,000. The most
pressing need for Dom Zdravlja is the replacement of their
spectrophotometer with a new bioanalyzer that, (a) can complete important tests where the current equipment can not, (b)
has an automated process and on-board cuvette-washing system allowing up to 250 tests/h, and (c) importantly, comes with
staff training and full technical support for several years after
production.
This is where we, the BHAAAS, can make a difference! If we
help to raise even partial funds to offset the cost of a bioanalyzer, the Academy can demonstrate its relevance for the development of BiH and show support for the local community.
This is why I hope you will make a tax-deductible donation - a
donation that can make a tangible difference for the care of so
many in our homeland.
Donations can be made on the BHAAAS website by clicking
on the button, and selecting “clinical chemistry analyzer for
Dom Zdravlja, Donji Vakuf” under campaign field. Furthermore, you are encouraged to reach out to your employers and
inquire if your donations can be matched through corporate
Matching Gifts Programs.
Thank you, in advance, for your time and generosity. Should
you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to
contact me (almasa.bass@me.com).
Warm regards,
Almasa
TV Testimonial from Days in
Sarajevo
Dear BHAAAS members I wish once again to thank you in my
own name and on behalf of the neurosurgical community in
Bosnia for participation and contribution in organizing a very
successful 4th Days of BHAAAS in Sarajevo. Below you can
find a link to the website of Bosnian national television (BHT),
with nice report about this event. Have a nice weekend http://
www.bhrt.ba/video/?id=677777958&v=drustvo24042012.flv
Page 15
Ibrahim Omerhodzic, MD, MSc Consultant Neurosurgeon Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit Department of Neurosurgery
Clinical Center, University of Sarajevo 71103, Sarajevo, Ul.
Bolnicka 25, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Phone +387 0 33 29 81
06, Fax +387 0 33 29 78 20, Mobile +387 0 61 73 64 86. Poruka
Dr. Ibrahima Omerhodzica
Upcoming Events
6th Annual BHAAAS Meeting
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
October 19-21, 2012
5th Annual Days of BHAAAS in
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar, April 2013
Volume 4, Issue 2
BHAAAS Leadership Structure,
June 2012
Since its inception in 2007, BHAAAS has had 16 members of
its Board of Directors. Per BHAAAS Statute, there are two
types of Board of Directors positions - General Board and Executive Board positions. The term for General Board positions
is 2 years. At the completion of their term General Board members step down and are replaced by new members. Current
General Board members are: Adnan Atic, Amila Buturovic,
Dusica Babovic, Emir Festic, Gordan Srkalovic, Namik Haveric, Aida Hozic, Patrick McCarthy, Esad Boskailo, Azra Terzic
and Igor Lemajic.
When a member of the Board is elected to the Executive
Board, he or she is on "Presidential" track, meaning he or she is
first elected to a position of Secretary, then Treasurer, Second
Vice-President, First Vice-President, President and finally Immediate Past President. All these positions have a 1 year term.
Once a term for the Immediate Past President expires, he or she
leaves the Board of Directors and other individuals rotate as
specified above.
Since the rotation which occurred at our Annual Meeting in St.
Louis, current members of BHAAAS Executive Board are:
• Kenan Arnautovic, Immediate Past President
• Djenita Pasic, President
• Andi Arnautovic, First VP - Membership
• Ognjen Gajic, Second VP - Webpage (assisted by Adnan
Atic - Facebook)
• Almer Imamovic, Treasurer - Pay Pal, membership fees
• Emir Festic, Secretary - Newsletter (assisted by Jasmin
NUHIC)
2411 Newburg Road
Louisville Kentucky 40205
USA
E-mail: info@bhaaas.org
Editor: Dr. Emir Festic
Technical Editor: Adnan Atic
Page 16
Sections
Dear members and friends of Academy,
There are 5 sections within Academy, which were created in
attempt to organize our activities better, and also to connect
members who share similar passion, profession or expertise.
Feel free to contact your respective section presidents (listed
below), and let them know about your ideas and projects, which
could help both you and the Academy to achieve the goals of
providing connections among BH scientists, artists and professionals in North America and to build the bridges of cooperation
with the homeland. All your suggestions, initiatives as well as
critiques are worth consideration and welcomed.
- Humanities;
Snjezana Buzov
(buzov.1@osu.edu, snbuzov@gmail.com)
- Medical section;
Eldin Karaikovic
(karaikovice@yahoo.com)
- Technology;
Mirsad Hadzikadic
(mirsad@uncc.edu)
- Arts;
Almer Imamovic
(almerguitar@yahoo.com)
- Science;
Emir Hodzic
(ehodzic@ucdavis.edu)
The mission of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences
(BHAAAS) is advancement and development of arts and sciences in the BosnianHerzegovinian diaspora in the United States and Canada.
The Academy aims to provide connections between Bosnian-Herzegovinian scientists,
artist and professionals in North America and build the bridges of cooperation with the
homeland. The Academy will promote the spirit of intellectual diversity and free exchange of ideas among the Diaspora in the belief that knowledge is shareable wealth.