January 16, 1995 in Derby, the day of the founding of the First Bosnian-Herzegovinian Citizens’ Association in the United Kingdom.
On January 16, 1995, a group of refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, driven from their homes, scarred, scared, lost their loved ones in the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the aggression against their towns and villages, without knowledge of the English language and the system they arrived in, settled here in Derby, still found strength and started from the first day to think about how to live better in a new country, in a new environment.
After several meetings in homes, during October, November and December 1994, in January, more precisely on January 16, 1995 in a private apartment, the Derby Bosnian Herzegovina Citizens’ Association was formed at its “General Assembly” and a Board of Directors was elected and the Rules of Procedure were adopted, according to which it would operate in the following period. Although the majority thought and wanted to return to their hearths in Bosnia, that did not happen. They stayed here in Derby and in the UK.
In those days, the idea of the need for independent organization and self-help was born, which later developed and as the Association grew and became better organized, it moved from self-help to providing assistance to others, so that from today’s Bosnia & Herzegovina Center, services and assistance are provided not only to those from the former Yugoslavia, but also to all refugees from all over the world. We are known as one of the main places in this city and region to provide assistance to all hedgehogs and we have made our Center their second home for many of them.And we are proud of it!
Ferid Kevric
