Thanks to the fact that we have become stronger as an organization and that every member of the Academy contributes to the conference's success, preparations for this year's conference in BiH are proceeding according to plan. We will offer 11 symposia, seven in the medical sciences field. We also organize symposia in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, as well as a symposium on innovative and interdisciplinary applications of modern technologies. This is what the president of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian-American Academy of Sciences and Arts (BHAAAS) points out in an interview with Kliker, announcing the eighth conference of this scientific institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will be held from May 26 to 29 in the hotel, entitled "Knowledge is Shared Wealth." The sun is in Neum. Kliker: The Academy, which you head, holds two regular conferences every year, one in the USA and the other in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We assume that this one in Bosnia and Herzegovina is quite a challenge since the arrival of lecturers and participants from several continents needs to be organized in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tell us how the preparations are going for the BHAAAS Days conference in BiH, Neum 2016 and what is planned.
Terzić: Since its foundation in 2007, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences (BHAAAS) has held nine conferences in the USA and seven in BiH. We are currently preparing the eighth conference in BiH, BHAAAS Days in BiH, Neum 2016, entitled: Knowledge is Shared Wealth. The conference will be held from May 26 to 29 at the Sunce Hotel in Neum. This is the first time that we have organized the conference outside one of the local university centers in BiH, and therefore the eighth conference is a great challenge. Thanks to the fact that we have become stronger as an organization and that every member of the Academy contributes to the conference's success, the preparations are going according to plan. We will offer 11 symposiums, seven in the medical sciences, including psychiatry, pediatrics, family medicine, plastic surgery, critical care, neurosurgery, orthopedics, oncology, and pathology. We also organize symposia in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, as well as a symposium on innovative and interdisciplinary applications of modern technologies. Most of the offered symposia are international because, in addition to Bosnian-Herzegovinian, American, and Canadian lecturers, we have lecturers and participants from many countries of the region and the old continent. At this year's conference, as well as at many previous conferences, we expect the presence and support of representatives of BiH ministries, embassies, universities, and other important institutions from BiH and the USA. Kliker: Last year, the meetings were held in Brčko and according to the announcements, they were supposed to be the largest scientific meeting in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, they somehow went unnoticed because the media in BiH almost ignored this event, which, it seems to me, was received with disappointment in your ranks. How do you explain that and have you taken the necessary steps this year to prevent the situation from happening again?
Terzić: The meetings in Brčko were very successful and attended. We presented 270 highly qualified lecturers and had over 1000 participants. Indeed, our conferences in BiH are not sufficiently "covered" in BiH since the media follow most of the world's media and publish so-called sensational news. However, we are not disappointed, but taught by previous experience, we strive to advertise the 8th Days of BHAAAS in BiH, Neum 2016 as well and as much as we can. Last year, we received a grant from the Ministry for Refugees and Displaced Persons of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with which we have a long-standing successful cooperation. A large part of the funds from the grant is intended for advertising purposes. I use this opportunity to publicly thank the Ministry for its support in front of the Academy. We also invited all major news outlets from BiH to publicize our conference, which many have already done. Here, you also help us to find out about the days of BHAAAS in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thank you. In addition to everything mentioned, this year, as in previous years, the day before the start of BHAAAS Day in BiH, we are organizing a press conference to which we will invite representatives of all major BiH media. When we talk about whether we are known (BHAAAS), I cannot help but mention one dialogue that is etched in my memory. Namely, a few years ago I attended the meeting of the Academy in Sarajevo before the start of the BHAAAS Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dr. was sitting next to me. Kenan Arnautović, one of the former presidents of the Academy and a long-time member of BHAAAS, is otherwise a highly respected neurosurgeon in the USA. A man unknown to me approached him and quietly asked him, "Doctor, there is a long queue in front of the clinic; the people are waiting for your review and opinion. How many patients will you be able to receive, so that people don't wait for nothing?" Kenan answered him without thinking: “I will receive everyone; the question is how long people can wait.” I am sure that, in addition to Dr. Arnautović, all our members have the same attitude when it comes to all kinds of help to our dear homeland and its citizens. I am also sure that the news of our selfless contribution is heard from person to person. Maybe it's our biggest media and advertisement! Kliker: At the end of last year, you were elected president of the Academy. Tell us what is your primary goal and task in your term of office. Terzić: I assumed leadership of the academy in October 2015 at the ninth BHAAAS conference in the USA held in Charlotte, NC. My goal is to maintain the Academy's long-term projects, such as assistance in the education of the youth of Bosnia and Herzegovina, cooperation with the Sarajevo Philharmonic, collaboration on the Bosnia Memory Project, the Wikipedia competition, collecting financial aid for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as finding new sources for assistance to BiH through grant funds. In addition to all of the above, most of my time is taken up by the preparations for the two big annual BHAAAS conferences: Neum 2016 and Boston 2016. The desire and task I have given myself is to mobilize Academy members to action as much as possible. Active involvement in the work of all directors on the Academy's board is a "sine qua non," and I end every contact with the board with the slogan: No one is too busy; if you have something in your heart, you will find time. To achieve my task, I started a mentoring program: each newly admitted member of the academy receives a mentor, one of the veterans in the academy, who will familiarize the new member with the process and guide him in the activities. In addition to working on the active participation of all members of the Academy, I am working on the realization of the allocation of the collected financial aid for BiH in the form of gifts—medical equipment in clinics threatened by flooding in BiH. After finishing this project, I am planning a new fundraiser, but more on that one by one. I will be very happy to hand over the Academy to a new president with a membership that is enthusiastic and active. I plan to dedicate the second half of my mandate to the Academy's cooperation with the BiH Embassy and USAID in the desire to jointly realize useful projects for BiH. Kliker: For our readers, could you present the capacities of the Academy and briefly explain how to become a member of BHAAAS?Terzić: The Academy currently has more than 250 members, many of whom practice at prestigious universities and clinics in the USA and Canada, such as the Mayo Clinic, Sparrow Regional Cancer Center, Semmes Murphey Clinic, Levine Cancer Institute, Columbia University, University of Bangor, North Carolina University, Tufts University, York University, University of Arizona, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Advanced Plastic Surgery of North Shore, NorthShore University HealthSystem, and others. The conditions for membership in the Academy are Bosnian origin, citizenship or permanent residence in the USA or Canada (only for regular members), higher education except for candidates from non-scientific fields, loyalty to the principles of BHAAAS, loyalty to the idea of a multinational, democratic Bosnia and Herzegovina, and respect for the highest ethical and moral standards, including principles related to the free exchange of ideas and opinions. The Academy has six different categories of membership: full member, associate, correspondent, international, honorary member, and candidate. All information about applying for membership can be found on our website: http://bhaaas.org/criteria-for-membership-membership-fees/ Kliker: And at the end of this conversation, to introduce the president of BHSAAAS in a few sentences. Terzić: I was born in Zenica, lived and worked in Mostar, and was exiled to the USA in 1993 due to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I feel at home in Bosnia, in Herzegovina, as well as in America. I consider that a great asset. I am a mother and a grandmother, a daughter and a sister, an aunt and a friend, which is an even greater asset. In the USA, I changed my profession from law to education. I received my doctorate from a private Catholic university and have been working in education for 20 years. I give much of my time to the motherland through volunteer work at BHAAAS. I am aware, however, that it is so little and that I am just a drop in the sea of needs. But I take comfort that every drop is worth it when the earth is thirsty. H. Šetka (Kliker.info)
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