In Prijedor: Exhibition of portraits of war victims - peacemakers by Velija Hasanbegović

PRIJEDOR, (Patria) - The exhibition of portraits of war victims - peacemakers "LIČNO" will be opened on Tuesday at the Kozara Museum in Prijedor.

The author of the exhibition is the well-known BiH photographer Velija Hasanbegović, and the exhibition was created as part of the PRO-Budućnost project.

At the opening of the exhibition, Mirsad Duratović from Prijedor, Mara Milanković-Daradan from Derventa, and Krešimir Primorac from Mostar will present their stories and messages.

The exhibition will be opened at 2 p.m., and all visitors will have the opportunity to see it in the coming days.

The exhibition displays 20 portraits of war victims, and peacemakers!

These 20 were victims of criminals, and after all the suffering they endured during the war, they are now advocates for reconciliation and the building of lasting and stable peace in BiH.

Texts are placed alongside the photographs. Their faces and gazes are there instead of their biographies. Next to their names and birth years, only the messages that these people send us are written, in the hope that we will understand them.

Their engagement is based on their personal testimonies, which have so far been organized in more than 40 municipalities and cities in BiH within the framework of USAID's PRO-Budućnost project.

Those who survived the war firsthand are here to tell you that in war you lose family members, parents, brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends, schoolmates... There are no winners in war" – Mirsad Duratović (1974).

"I don't hate anyone – I just love some less and some more" – Anđelko Kvesić.

"We don't have time to hate. Our lives won't pass in hatred. The only way to reconciliation is to meet and talk, and that's exactly what I do. Don't let prejudices divide you. The only acceptable division is into good and bad people" – Krešimir Primorac (1958).

"I realized that freedom and peace are necessary in life. Do not disturb anyone's freedom and peace" – Krsto Rakic (1973).

"Don't hate, hatred breeds hatred" – Tarik Rizvanović (1969).

"I cannot forget my ordeal, I talk about it, not to spread hatred, but to encourage you to participate in the mission of building peace, tolerance, and coexistence" – Vinko Lale (1962).

"The war destroyed us all and made us unhappy. I decided, after everything, to fight and contribute to ensuring that there is never war again. Living in hatred with others is deadly. Living in peace and love with others and different people is the greatest wealth in the world" – Hikmeta Rizvanović (1946).

"It is senseless to wage war, to disagree with friends, people, children... Let's think about the victims of war, about the children who lost their loved ones, about those who had to leave their homes, their childhoods, and their loves... Let's think about them and do everything for peace in our only homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina" – Mara Milanković Daradan (1966).