UNDEF partner honored for community contributions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Haris Rovcanin, Assistant Editor of UNDEF backed Association Balkan Investigative Reporting Network Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIRN BiH), was awarded the Srđan Aleksić regional journalistic award in the ‘Contribution to the Community’ category for his efforts to create the Database of Judicially Established Facts about the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The award recognizes journalists who contribute to socially responsible media reporting, ensuring coverage for vulnerable and marginalized populations in the region.

The database was created by BIRN BiH through an UNDEF-funded project focused on improving public understanding of the war, combatting mis and dis-information, especially among younger generations, in an effort to heal societal divisions. The project developed the interactive database through which court-determined facts related to the war can be accessed, complemented by educational material, journalistic articles, and documentaries.

The jury of this year’s Srdjan Aleksic Regional Award commended the database as ‘extremely educational, viewable and alive’, noting its accessibility to young generations and representing a significant contribution to combating the manipulation of the war’s history. 

The database has been well-received by a wide-range of stakeholders, including representatives of ministries as well as teachers. It has been included in the compulsory curricula by two ministries of education and has been widely promoted and disseminated by the media.