Retirement is always a special event in a person’s life. It is the end of a chapter filled with years of work, gaining both work and life experience, and the beginning of a new one. new.
And when we send off someone who has dedicated 30 years of his life to working in several Bosnian supplementary schools in the UK, then it is a really big event. If he gets involved in that additional work experience in BiH, then the feeling of happiness is immeasurable.
So on December 16, 2023, we gathered at the Bosnian House in Birmingham to see Azra Bašić off to a well-deserved retirement, who for several decades passed on her knowledge to children whose families originated from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Due to wartime circumstances, they found refuge in the United Kingdom, but never their homeland.
Azra was accompanied by her husband Bahria. Also, an educator who also devoted many years of his life to children in school and their education.
Teacher Azra and her husband Bahria did not let their war wounds prevent them from their teaching work, and together with other teachers who were available in the nineties of the last century, they started working in different schools in several cities.
Life took its toll, and it happened that some educators had to withdraw from continuing education, both for health and other private reasons. Unfortunately, some of them are no longer among the living.
Teacher Azra somehow managed to work continuously and survive in remedial schools for three decades. And surviving in remedial schools, where classes are most often held on Saturdays or Sundays, means a lot of self-denial, discipline, sacrifice, optimism, and above all, love that makes the impossible possible.
For years, Azra educated generations and generations in her native language, preserved our language from oblivion, and taught them our traditions. and culture. I saw off the graduates to a new life. I watched as the children grew into people and valuable members of our community, successfully they integrate into English society, but they never forget their roots.
BiH UK Network, BH Association Birmingham and the BiH Supplementary School in Birmingham made this retirement farewell magnificent. The impressions are beautiful and every detail was taken care of.
There were many beautiful moments and it’s hard to single out what was the most beautiful, but I’ll try anyway.
One of the most memorable moments was the entry of the Bašić couple into the crowded hall decorated with the colors of the BiH flag. A long round of applause followed, and after that letters from state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina were read, wishing Azra a happy retirement.
This was followed by speeches of gratitude for Azra’s many years of work in education.
For this occasion, a presentation was also made about Azra’s life and work. It was a kind of nostalgic time machine, made up of from both old and new forographies. That’s how we remembered the many dear people we saw at the School Gatherings in the UK. Unfortunately, some are no longer among the living.
The whole atmosphere was full of emotions, seasoned with nostalgia, regret for some bygone times, but also happiness at the same time. Preserving supplementary schools in the UK and around the world is no easy task, and on the Island We have managed to do this for three decades. Although the number of our citizens of BiH origin is much smaller compared to other countries, we have managed to sustain ourselves thanks to the volunteer work of our organizations and individuals.
The most exciting moment in my opinion, they arranged students teachers of BiH supplementary school in Birmingham. They prepared a lot of songs for this special day and this time the students gave their teacher Azra a “clean five”.
This was followed by a joint performance of the sevdalinka “On the other side of Pliva”. By the way, Azra is a great fan and performer of sevdalinka, and we learned that every generation of her students learned to sing this song.
At the end of the festive program, Azra sang her song “My life”, which is in a way her biographical song. She filled the entire hall with her beautiful voice and left no one indifferent.
The program ended with the awarding of special gifts, flowers, pictures, and cakes. Many people present wanted to thank the Bašić couple with these signs of attention. This was followed by socializing with traditional Bosnian food, prepared by the hardworking hosts and housewives.
We are sure that Azra and her husband Bahria will have a deep memory of this night, as will all of us who were present.
On this occasion, we would like to once again congratulate our Azra on her retirement and wish her future to be filled with health, joy and peace.
Out of fear that someone’s name let’s not leave out, we don’t want to mention individual names, but we want to send a BIG THANK YOU to the organizer of this event, BH UK Network, the Association and BH supplementary school Birmingham, students, teachers and parents from Birmingham, the leader and Azra’s former student for her excellent program management and to all the activists who contributed in any way to this event, the first of its kind in the UK.
I also thank you on behalf of my husband Meha and on my own behalf for the invitation to be present Let’s celebrate this special day.
I am especially glad that I had the opportunity to speak as Azra’s longtime colleague and collaborator, to give my support to the entire event, and to share these joyful moments with her.
Semira Jakupović/BH UK Network
