(Bosnia and Herzegovina) zlata Filipovic

zlata Filipovic (Bosnia)

zlata Filipovic started keeping her Sarajevo diary in 1991, shortly before her 11th birthday. She recorded the teenage activities she was keen to participate in, including going to school, taking piano lessons, skating, partying and watching her favorite TV programs. Later, turmoil and terrible war shattered her world. Despite many tragedies and sufferings, zlata kept a concise diary, carefully describing claustrophobia, boredom, helplessness, anger, disappointment and fear caused by the war. With an accuracy and vision beyond her age, zlata wrote: "The political situation is stupid.". Zlata's diary shows Sarajevo more clearly than any news report. Since the end of the war, zlata's diary has been published and praised by critics. It was first published by UNICEF and then distributed in France. At the same time, the serial rights in the United States have been given to Newsweek.

After experiencing the war firsthand, zlata now uses her spare time to work for peace and help different races communicate. She participated in the first publication of UNICEF's report on the impact of armed conflict on children, and was a member of the international jury of UNESCO's literature prize for children and young people on the theme of tolerance. Zlata is currently studying humanities at St John's College, Oxford University.