“We were prisoners of the siege but we were not prisoners spiritually. We fought with culture against barbarism. We cherished the people...who risked their lives to reach our city to give us the gift of music, art and words. If everybody did what is in their power to make peace happen... numerous small individual actions would create a never ending solid chain of peace.”
This is an excerpt from Farida Musanovic’s speech when she received the Dayton Peace Prize for her activism during the siege of Sarajevo between 1992-1995.
In May this year, I went to Sarajevo, to make a documentary film about Farida Musanovic and her experiences during the Bosnian war and its aftermath. Farida told me many stories of genocide, atrocity and human depravity. She also told me many stories of extraordinary bravery, beauty and resilience.
During the siege of Sarajevo Farida was principal of the High School Music Academy, which became known as the War School. Farida and her students risked snipers shooting at them on the way to and from school every day. Most schools closed down during the War, but Farida said she was determined that her students wouldn’t miss out on their education because of the War. Continuing to run the school and to teach piano was her way of fighting the War, her resistance.
During the winter, it was 20 degrees below zero, and the windows were smashed and there were holes in the walls from the shells, and their pens wouldn’t write because the ink had frozen, and Farida and her students held their lessons in their coats, jumpers, shawls and hats. They cut the tips off their gloves so they could continue playing the pianos, the violins and the cellos.
Farida organised music concerts for her students. The concerts gave them a goal to focus on and work towards. Farida said they couldn’t watch TV or use computers because there was no electricity. They couldn’t go outside because of the snipers. Music helped to sustain them and bring them together.
Farida taught her students to express their feelings through the music. The preservation and expression of their feeling and spirit was what mattered most to her.
Farida was also instrumental in the beginnings of the organisation Women for Women International. She risked her life countless times to deliver money and letters to refugee women throughout the war, which were smuggled into Sarajevo via an underground tunnel and through foreign journalists.
Through meeting Farida and bearing witness to her stories about the worst and best of humanity, I have come to deeply understand that we are all part of a great universal story of suffering and healing.
Click here to watch the trailer for the film which will be launched by Women for Women International in early 2012.
This is an excerpt from Farida Musanovic’s speech when she received the Dayton Peace Prize for her activism during the siege of Sarajevo between 1992-1995.
In May this year, I went to Sarajevo, to make a documentary film about Farida Musanovic and her experiences during the Bosnian war and its aftermath. Farida told me many stories of genocide, atrocity and human depravity. She also told me many stories of extraordinary bravery, beauty and resilience.
During the siege of Sarajevo Farida was principal of the High School Music Academy, which became known as the War School. Farida and her students risked snipers shooting at them on the way to and from school every day. Most schools closed down during the War, but Farida said she was determined that her students wouldn’t miss out on their education because of the War. Continuing to run the school and to teach piano was her way of fighting the War, her resistance.
During the winter, it was 20 degrees below zero, and the windows were smashed and there were holes in the walls from the shells, and their pens wouldn’t write because the ink had frozen, and Farida and her students held their lessons in their coats, jumpers, shawls and hats. They cut the tips off their gloves so they could continue playing the pianos, the violins and the cellos.
Farida organised music concerts for her students. The concerts gave them a goal to focus on and work towards. Farida said they couldn’t watch TV or use computers because there was no electricity. They couldn’t go outside because of the snipers. Music helped to sustain them and bring them together.
Farida taught her students to express their feelings through the music. The preservation and expression of their feeling and spirit was what mattered most to her.
Farida was also instrumental in the beginnings of the organisation Women for Women International. She risked her life countless times to deliver money and letters to refugee women throughout the war, which were smuggled into Sarajevo via an underground tunnel and through foreign journalists.
Through meeting Farida and bearing witness to her stories about the worst and best of humanity, I have come to deeply understand that we are all part of a great universal story of suffering and healing.
Click here to watch the trailer for the film which will be launched by Women for Women International in early 2012.
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