European Olympiad: Despite lack of state support, BiH students bring home medals again

At the first European Physics Olympiad for high school students (EuPhO) held in Estonia from May 20-24, 2017, Dženan Devedžić, a student of the "Dr. Mustafa Kamarić" Gymnasium from Gračanica, won a silver medal. A total of 91 students from 20 countries participated in this competition, making this achievement even greater and more significant.

In addition to Dženan, the representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina were students Edvin Đapo (Third Gymnasium Sarajevo), Dinno Koluh (Unsko-Sanski College Bihać), Arman Dupanović (Unsko-Sanski College Bihać), and Jelena Lazić (Filip Višnjić Gymnasium Bijeljina), accompanied by their mentor Selver Pepić.

The organization of the students' participation in this competition was handled by the Society of Physicists in BiH, but without concrete financial support from the relevant ministries.

Requests for co-financing their trip to this competition were sent to the ministries of education of Sarajevo Canton, Tuzla Canton, and Una-Sana Canton, from which the students originate. Only an affirmative response was received from the office of the Prime Minister of Tuzla Canton, Bego Gutić. Decisions from others are still pending.

Students Dženan Devedžić, Edvin Đapo, Dinno Koluh, Arman Dupanović, and Ajla Karišik have also qualified for the International Physics Olympiad (IphO), which will be held in Indonesia from July 16-24. Without state financial support, their participation is uncertain, even though the success of Bosnian-Herzegovinian students in these competitions is unquestionable, as they regularly return with medals.

However, they continue to work diligently and prepare to represent our country as best as possible, while awaiting decisions from politicians on whether they will even be allowed to compete with their peers from around the world.