SENAD ALIBEGOVIĆ - Pushing the boundaries
After successfully completing high school education at Gimnazija "Visoko" I got a great opportunity to continue my undergraduate study at the International University of Sarajevo with an amazing scholarship. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical about studying at a private higher education institution, and quite often persuaded to give up on it before enrolling, which absolutely proved to be wrong. Four years of great friendship that is still going on, extremely professional academic and professional staff, best professors and the most current educational practices are my experience at International University in Sarajevo. I am most grateful to the professors in the Department of Architecture at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences for having greatly influenced my personal and professional development. IUS was exactly the right choice for continuing my formal studies.
I like to present myself as a driven activist and a youth leader with nearly ten years of social engagement experience. Currently, I am employed as Area Development Officer at UN IOM (International Organization for Migration at United Nations) and I hold a Bachelor and Master of Architecture Engineering (Summa Cum Laude) from International University of Sarajevo and a Master of Political Science in European Integration at University of Sarajevo. At the same time, I am finalizing Master in Architecture Engineering at International University of Sarajevo.
As part of my extensive practical experience in civil society organizations, I participated in, coordinated, and implemented numerous projects, represented Bosnia and Herzegovina as a youth ambassador, and was part of several prestigious fellowship programmes. During years of my civic engagement I was wearing different hats and I was privileged to work with a number of local, national and international organizations, including Youth Pulse, Youth Journalists’ Association in BiH (ONAuBiH), Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Swiss Helsinki Committee for Human Rights and Democracy, Humanity in Action, Foundation 787, UNDP, UNFPA and the European Forum Alpbach, positioning myself as a strong voice of BiH youth.
Retrospectively, in 2014, my graduation project focused on design of schools for inclusive education for persons with disabilities was declared as the best graduate work in BiH that subsequently represented BiH in a competition for the best graduation projects in the world at Archiprix 2014 in Madrid. Same year I graduated as one of the best students of Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (FENS). That year I became Humanity in Action Fellow for Human Rights in Copenhagen, starting a journey of human rights that will change my professional interest and switch my carrier from architecture toward human rights, gender equality and youth activism. In 2015 I became one of ten participants of the prestigious Pat Cox internship programme at the European Parliament in Brussels, working at the MEP office of Mr. Christian Dan Preda, Rapporteur for Bosnia and Herzegovina. For several years in row I was also Fellow at prestigious European Forum Alpbach in Austria. In 2016, I was one of several TEDx speakers on the topic of youth engagement and activism in Bosnia and Herzegovina, titled "Are you Brave Enough to Ask for More". In 2017, I received a Chevening Scholarship of the British Government as one of the promising youth leaders from Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue my studies on human rights in the United Kingdom at the University College London.
In 2018 I was honored to receive “Gender Equality Award” jointly awarded by Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, Parliamentary Assembly and OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the biggest acknowledgement in my life, as well as the LEAP Summit Award in category “The best youth change-maker” for all youth activism and leadership. Same year I received U.S. Department of State Professional Fellowship Program in Chicago and second biggest personal achievement when I was honored and selected as Ambassador of Peace at One Young World, the biggest youth gathering in the world. In period between 2015 and 2019 I was one of Youth Advisory Group members at OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Bosnia and Herzegovina).
Besides being full time employed I am currently Co-founder and Team Leader at FuckUp Nights Sarajevo, one of the biggest motivational platforms in Sarajevo, Co-founder of WOOF.ba, first pet lifestyle magazine in Bosnia and Herzegovina and LAVA+, small start-up for production and design of pet furniture.
During my TEDx Talks I gave one advice that is timeless - be brave to ask for more. Do not allow yourself to rely exclusively on formal education. Take the most out of it, but find some time to volunteer for various CSO's and projects, research what and where could you go with your personal and professional development, start initiatives and constantly search for your own sources of inspiration and motivation. If there is something that your peers and surrounding is missing, start it up by yourself. And travel! Travelling is the window of opportunities that can change you completely.
