Sarajevo's first rainbow march in 2019

Promoting empowerment, dignity and equality of the LGBTQIA* community, pride honours queer history.  

In 2019, Sarajevo celebrated its first rainbow march. Bosnia and Herzegovina was the last country in the Western Balkans to organise a parade but it gathered 3 000 participants and took place without violence. The event marked a turning point in the democratic path of the Balkan state. 

Why did it take so long for Sarajevo? Was the city ready for such an event? Have actual improvements been made for the LGBTQIA* community in Bosnia and Herzegovina?  

Emma Hontebeyrie (IDM) talks to Emina Bošnjak the Executive Director of the Sarajevo Open Center and Co-Chair of ILGA Europe.  

Our guest recommendation:  

Pojmovnik LGBT Kulture (Lexicon of Queer Culture), published by Sarajevo Open Center in 2012, is only available in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian. 

Neizgovoreno (Unspoken) (2016), a documentary constructed from relationships of several Bosnian gays, bisexuals and lesbians with their parents. Reach out to Emina Bošnjak at [email protected] for the download link. 

References mentioned in the program:  

Let There Be Colour (2020), a documentary directed by Ado Hasanovic about Sarajevo’s first rainbow march in 2019 

Guest: Emina Bošnjak is the Executive Director of the Sarajevo Open Center and Co-Chair of ILGA Europe. 

Host: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM 

Production and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie, Research Associate at IDM 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.