Today, a roundtable discussion was held at the Jewish Community Center in Sarajevo on the topic “Erased from History – From the First Strike in the Carpet Factory in 1905 in Bosnia and Herzegovina to Today.”

The participants were Rahela Džidić, Sarina Bakić, Jadranka Miličević, and Elma Softić-Kaunitz. The discussion revolved around the status of female workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1905 to the present. They analyzed the position of workers during the Austro-Hungarian rule, discussing the general dissatisfaction of women workers throughout more than 120 years.

Panelist Jadranka Miličević pointed out, among other things, that it is up to us that the stories of women who changed the world are not recorded or written down. She also gave the example of streets named after women and emphasized that, across the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, only 15 streets are named after women.

The general conclusion of today’s panel was that women should speak up about women’s rights at every public gathering, event, and in public spaces, and raise awareness among the younger generation.

It was also concluded that while the discussion on this topic is incredibly valuable, it raises the question: why did it take until 2025 for this strike to even be discussed? Is it really so hard to find sources or accurate information, and why are young people so passive that they don’t want to engage with these issues?

The message was clear: women are being erased from history, so it’s crucial to talk and write about influential women.