8.
Quotes
Lectures from the past giving us lectures for future
"What can happen to 'them' can easily happen to 'us'".
Numerous events in recent history have shown us, that transboundary crisis operates in one and every space simultaneously – as a result, we will soon realise that our reality has become a Shared Reality. As such, the inherently flawed concept of defining relationships within society, and among different groups as 'them' and 'us' is simply not applicable in current scheme of things. For when interconnected risks becomes the New Normal, what can happen to 'them' can easily happen to 'us.' Subsequently, it becomes clear how little difference it will make if you are situated north, or south of the equator, or if you are governed left, or right of the political center. The only distinction that will matter will be between those who are resilient to incoming changes, and those who are not.
The art of resilience which the city of Sarajevo mastered during the four-year siege could offer answers to many challenges facing our civilization at the outset in the 21st century – how to survive disasters caused by nature or by humans and how to overcome fear from threat and terror induced by an visible or invisible enemy.
Sources: FAMA Collection 1992-1996: Oral History, Survival Questionnaire, novel Ahead of Fear; Sarajevo Life Magazine, archival video and photo collection.
Here are a some of memorable quotes introductory:
"We had to attack stress immediately."
"Accept New Normal."
"Keep your mind busy."
"I was guarding my emotions to save the energy."
© FAMA Collection; 'Survival Map (The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996)'
"Work is the law of survival."
"I was always awake and alert."
"The unexpected is expected."
"Limit creates creation."
© FAMA Collection; 'Survival Map (The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996)'
"Not to be besieged."
"I don't complain – that's wasting my energy."
"It was important to manage in a moment."
"Do not throw away anything you cannot use any more."
© FAMA Collection; 'Survival Map (The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996)'
"A constant insight into the situation was needed."
"The impossible is possible."
"What I don't see doesn't exist."
"Life is only what happens here and now."
© FAMA Collection; 'Survival Map (The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996)'
"Order of the time: Improvisation, deeply structured."
"There was no space for fantasizing."
"It is necessary to be constantly on the move."
"Keep a sense of humor."
© FAMA Collection; 'Survival Map (The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996)'
"Do not think of yesterday! Do not think of tomorrow! Just think of right now!"
"I had confidence in myself. That is all I had."
"We did only useful things. "
"Time was measured differently. By how long it takes to do something."
© FAMA Collection; 'Survival Map (The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996)'
"I learned how to live in a world of uncertainty."
"Resilience is built day by day, step by step."
"We showed wit where everything ended."
"I knew what to do and when to do it, and to wait when I needed to wait."
© FAMA Collection; 'Survival Map (The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996)'
"There were no fantasies... we lived in the moment."
"Laughter is the best antidote to dead seriousness."
"It was important to improvise in the moment."
"To create something out of nothing."