The twentieth anniversary of the work towards building a quality and healthy life in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Association for the Prevention of Addiction NARKO-NE was celebrated on September 17, 2022, at the Franciscan International Student Center in Sarajevo.
Children and youth are the heart and soul of NARKO-NE, and in that spirit, the young children from the Superar choir introduced the audience to a festive mood with their lively and energetic performance. The film Pathways to a Healthier Society showcased the most significant successes of the Association, as well as milestones that marked key moments in its work.
The guests had the opportunity to learn more about NARKO-NE’s developmental journey, from its beginnings to becoming a professional organization, through a talk-show-style discussion featuring the founder and first director of NARKO-NE, Sister Magdalena Schildknecht, and the current executive director, Amir Hasanović. As everything in NARKO-NE is interactive, the attendees were once again part of the program and showed how closely they follow the work of the Association through the quiz I Want, I Can, I Know!
A musical interlude amidst the wealth of information was provided by the emotional performance of the talented young duo, Sara&Đuro. The memories of NARKO-NE were shared through speeches by the President of the Management Board, Fra Stipan Radić, Provincial of the Franciscan Province of Bosna Srebrena, Fra Zdravko Dadić, Director of the partner organization Renovabis, Dr. Markus Ingenlath, and Emina Muftić, a long-time collaborator on various projects. Congratulations were also sent via video messages from former volunteers from several countries who could not attend the celebration.
Over the past twenty years, NARKO-NE has implemented numerous activities, projects, and programs that have directly and indirectly impacted individuals, institutions, and communities. These activities have produced positive results and advances in the field of addiction prevention in Bosnia and Herzegovina, significantly contributing to the establishment of the first professional center for addiction prevention in the country, which will be a focus for future work.
The formal part of the celebration of NARKO-NE’s twenty years of operation ended with the collective statement of the vision A Quality and Healthy Life in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With these words, all those present sent NARKO-NE on its journey for at least another twenty years.
