The state known to millions of people around the world as Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia – does not exist anymore. Yugoslavia burned out in a terrible fire which no one could have extinguished. On its ground, at the ashes of common state, seven new countries emerged. Among them is Bosnia and Herzegovina which revived its statehood. I am coming from Bosnia and Herzegovina and I will tell you today about difficult faith of my people who survived an exterminating war.

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QUR’AN WAS LODESTAR TO ALIJA: That was truthful and clear. He didn’t like self-deceit, because as he honestly noted: “nice words do not help, and bitter words can be sanative.”
Qur’an was his inspiration and stimulation, he found all the answers and instructions there, so he bespoke to Muslim people to education and study according to the orders of the Honorable Book:
“Compete in good...“

Alija Izetbegović was excellent in explaining the messages of Islam and in meetings with western politicians he often corrected stereotypes of Islam and Muslims in general. Due to his political work and power of personal authority, Islamic world accepted him as a prominent statesmen and leader, and in the West he was recognized for his temperance and political wisdom. For international community, Alija Izetbegović was a competent and irreplaceable political figure and fact. It was clear for all that without him there were no and couldn’t be no talks about future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In such circumstances when Bosnian-Herzegovinian ground was still shaking and while Dayton construction was rocking, placed on newly reconstructed foundations of a Bosnian house, Alija Izetbegović was committed to construction of multinational society and state in the conditions of present Serbian and Croatian nationalism. With a passion of constructor of a new Bosnia and Herzegovina, unburdened by revenge, he offered to his former opponents and war enemies a dialogue. I remember March 1, 1998 when he sent an all – Bosnian message to all of its citizens and peoples for the Independence Day^[1]:
“… We are now on the path to renew the country and to turn to the future for the second time and to try to win again as Bosnians, unburdened by differences, but united in efforts to be a part of Europe without borders… The power of Bosnia will be not to respond to the hate, which is still burning in hearts of some, with hate. If we achieve that, a concept of multinational Bosnia and Herzegovina will win…”

Message relates to all in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks. Cosmopolitism is emphasized and that noble ambition for the new form of Bosnia and Herzegovina without national exclusivity is easily recognizable. And only true leaders can speak in such manner, ones who are not prisoners of its narrow minded national interests.

Unfortunately, Izetbegović’s concept of citizens’ democratic state was constantly in conflict with still present great Serbian or great Croatian nationalism, constantly heated by in Belgrade or Zagreb. He still didn’t give up. He was determined in almost impossible mission of renewal of multinational society and state in conditions of chauvinistic nationalism.

His fight for survival of Bosnian Muslims was also unambiguous call to a reasonable part of humanity to oppose the tyranny and Machiavellistic logic, which finds justification for state terrorism, conquest of foreign territories, changing borders, destruction of small people, destruction of cultural and all other, even genetic heritage.

Alija Izetbegović and his advisor Adamir Jerković. We wrote the president's speech together, March 1, 1998. (personal archive)

Alija Izetbegović without a question, has marked an epoch. He will stay recorded as the most significant person of Bosniaks^[2] and Bosnians in a dramatic century which is behind us, and I dare say that he is the most important character in the entire Bosniak history.

Alija Izetbegović wasn’t a dreamer, although a structure of his personality was dominantly wrapped in the most meager humanism. He was very realistic, accepting with a great seriousness circumstances and realities that surrounded him. Thanks to that he had an excellent feeling for negotiations, and compromise was his powerful weapon. Alija Izetbegović, with a gift of a wise man, skillfully adapted to harsh realities, trying to use a bad negotiation position and to make it better, and often to avoid defeat even when it seemed unavoidable. Thanks to his wise leadership, Bosniaks not only lived through a great historical experiment, but they are developing today as a powerful European nation.

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FOOTNOTE:
^1] Independence Day is a public holiday observed in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina held on 1 March to celebrate the independence of the then Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992. It is not observed in Republika Srpska, the other political entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Citizens of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a constituent federal state of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, voted in an independence referendum held between 28 February and 1 March 1992. Independence was strongly favoured by Bosniaks and Bosnian Croat voters, while majority of Bosnian Serbs boycotted it. Voter turnout was 63.6 percent, of whom 99.7 percent voted for the independence.

The results of the referendum were accepted on 6 March by the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 7 April 1992, the European Community recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent state. The Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (the parliament of the Bosnian–Croat Federation) decided on 28 February 1995 that 1 March would be the Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a national holiday. Independence Day was celebrated for the first time on 1 March 1995.

^1] Today, term Bosniaks is primarily used in English language as a designation for ethnic Bosniaks, while the term Bosnians has kept its general meaning, designating all inhabitants of Bosnia.
The Bosniaks are a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who share a common Bosnian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo as well as in Austria, Germany, Turkey and Sweden. They also constitute a significant diaspora with several communities across Europe, the Americas and Oceania.
Bosniaks are typically characterized by their historic ties to the Bosnian historical region, adherence to Islam since the 15th and 16th centuries, culture, and the Bosnian language. English speakers frequently refer to Bosniaks as Bosnian Muslims.