Publication for 10 Years of the Tuzla Open Center

Tuzla Open Center has been around for 10 years! Who knows, maybe you'll be reading this sometime later, which means that the previous sentence is no longer true and that TOC has been around for maybe 20 years or, even better, 30 years.

TOC had a humble beginning, founded by three people, brought together enthusiastic young people who stood behind the principles of solidarity, freedom and equality. That was enough for something (at that time small) to get on its feet and start moving primarily in Tuzla, but today TOC proudly walks throughout the entire Canton of Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the region!

For 10 years, the Tuzla Open Center has been the only organization in Tuzla and Canton of Tuzla that deals with the rights of LGBTI+ people and women. Of course, TOC is not stagnant, but is expanding and growing; Recently, a major focus of TOC has been on the youth of Tuzla Canton and the effort to encourage, educate and connect them, in the hope that they will eventually become the ones who will create new “TOCs”, whether in their local communities, elsewhere in BiH or in the world.

Over the past decade, TOC has opened many doors, literally and figuratively. From the first meetings in small rooms to large conferences and projects that connect the entire Tuzla Canton, BiH and the region. Some of these moments may have passed unnoticed, but each of them has left a mark on the community: through education, workshops, festivals, campaigns and, above all, through the people who found support and a sense of belonging there.

Ten years of TOC means ten years of fighting prejudice, but also ten years of love, friendship and solidarity. This is not just a story about an organization – this is a story about all of us who believe that freedom is not taken for granted, but is built, preserved and shared.

Authors: Alija Osmić, partners, friends and users of the Tuzla Open Center

Editor: Alija Osmić

Translation: Umihana Mrković

Design and break: Lana Kulić

Publisher: Tuzla Open Center

You can download the publication below, and the English version is included in the PDF document "10 godina tuzlanskog otvorenog centra".

10 godina Tuzlanskog otvorenog centra.pdf

Download PDF • 1.14MB

The publication for "10 Years of the Tuzla Open Centre" was produced with the financial support of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The contents of the publication for "10 Years of the Tuzla Open Centre" are the sole responsibility of the Tuzla Open Centre and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the Irish Government.