Edvin Kanka Ćudić
Edvin Kanka Ćudić (; born Edvin Ćudić; December 31, 1988), is a Bosnian human rights activist, martial artist, journalist and political analyst who is best known as the leader of the UDIK, an organisation campaigning for human rights and reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia. He works in subjects including human rights, cultural memory, transitional justice and democracy. Early life. Born in Brčko, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina). He grew up in Gračanica and Brčko, studied in Sarajevo and Istanbul, lives in Sarajevo. He graduated in 2012 from the University of Sarajevo with a degree in journalism. In 2018  in the same university he earned a master's degree in political science. Career. At the age of 14, Ćudić joined the Academy of Martial Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, (a member of the International Martial Arts Federation - IMAF Europe), led by Boško Vidović in Brčko. In the Academy, Ćudić trained for 8 years and earned a black belt in Jūjutsu. In 2017 in the same Academy he earned a black belt in Jūdō. From 2006 to 2008 he was a Jūjutsu instructor at the martial arts schools belonging to the Academy of Martial Arts of the Bosnia and Herzegovina , in Donji Žabar and in Gornji Zovik near Brčko. As a journalist, he has collaborated with many regional media outlets, including Monitor, Peščanik, Danas, Preporod, Sabah, e-novine, Republika, Slobodna Bosna, Dnevni avaz and Behar. In addition to these media, he has worked in various radio and television stations. He wrote more than 150 reports from proceedings of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. In order to advance peace and reconciliation processes in the former Yugoslavia, Ćudić has collaborated with local and foreign experts, artists, politicians, journalists, as well as professors around the world. Some of them are : Roy Gutman, Ron Haviv, Stjepan Mesić, Florence Hartmann, Robert King, Rémy Ourdan etc. In 2013, Edvin Kanka Ćudić founded and become coordinator of the UDIK. In 2019, he was elected in Regional Council of the RECOM Reconciliation Network. In UDIK he started activism with public commemorations dedicated to the victims of past war in the former Yugoslavia (1991-2001). At that time, some war crimes were marked for the first time in Sarajevo, as well as in other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. These commemorations traced Ćudić to one of the most famous human rights activists  in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through his actions and efforts, he helped to memorize the crimes in Kazani. It is one of the initiators of the erection of a memorial at that site. Controversies. He was often the subject of threats from homophobic people and nationalists of all ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In February 2014 he came to the public during the unrest in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a coordinator of the protests in the Brčko District, he received over 100 threats of death. In July he was threatened by Dino Šimunjak, a volunteer in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict  who publicly told him: "You will not get out of this, Ćudić". In February 2015, in front of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Sarajevo, while UDIK commemorated the anniversary of the Štrpci massacre, the group of hooligans attacked Edvin Kanka Ćudić. On that occasion, they said that activists must go to commemorate crimes in Banja Luka, alluding to the UDIK's marking of crimes in Kravica in January 2015. In May, near the UDIK's office in Sarajevo, he was attacked with another UDIK activist. Just a few days later, a similar attack took place on the same site. Ambassador  of the United States of America to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Maureen Cormack, reacted and said that it was unacceptable to attack stones a human rights activist in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In October, in front of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Sarajevo in Sarajevo, while UDIK commemorated the anniversary of the crimes in Kazani, one hooligan try to physically attack Edvin Kanka Ćudić. A police reacted, but did not prosecute. In February 2017 Ćudić was attacked again in Sarajevo, along with two other UDIK activists. The attack took place near the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina building. On that occasion , young men attacked him with stones and called him "Chetnik" (right-wing nationalist Serb). In March, unknown persons vandalized his car parked near the UDIK's office in Sarajevo. In April 2019 Ćudić supported Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first LGBT Pride parade in interview for internet portal "Source.ba". Due to the misinterpretation of the interview, and especially in the part relating to the women rights in the Arab world, he received a large number of threats (including death treats) from the Islamic fundamentalists from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sandžak. Fundamentalists also claimed that he is one of the organizers of  the Parade. A few days later, UDIK denied that it is organizer of the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first LGBT pride, but UDIK supports it and shows solidarity to all whose human rights are evidently deprived. In July, Ćudić and other UDIK's activist were attacked by hooligans near the UDIK's office in Sarajevo. On that occasion, the attackers called him as "The Fags' leader". Ćudić made photos of the attackers and the case was reported to Novo Sarajevo Police Department. Police did not take the photos into consideration during the investigation. The Federal Ministry of Interior of the  Bosnia and Herzegovina have never prosecuted the attackers. Honours. In 2012, the Bosnian poet Adem Garić dedicated him a poem "I ne treba da šutiš" ("And you do not need to be silent"). In 2014 and 2018, in the biographical lexicon "Ko je ko u BiH" ("Who is Who in B&H"), Edvin Kanka Ćudić is listed among the most significant people in Bosnia and Herzegovina today, which through their works and actions contribute to a better Bosnia and Herzegovina and who make this country a happier place. In 2019, the Bosnian-born French sculptor Mirza Morić created a memorial dedicated  to the killed civilians in Brčko (1992-1995). On that occasion, Morić engraved the story ("Maybe I should hate them") on the memorial, written by Edvin Kanka Ćudić. The monument was installed in Paris.