Give your best everyday!

Give your best everyday! 

Interviewer Véronique Lerch
Jingle Laura María Calderón Cuevas
Editing Brua | bruapodcasts.com

Transcript

Una Bejtovic  00:01

Two roads diverged in the wood. And I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

Véronique Lerch  00:19

Welcome to a new episode of our podcast the road less traveled. This is a project of the Center of human rights from the University of Padova and Global Campus of human rights. With this project and this podcast, we aim at exploring less usual careers and career paths that are possible after a degree in human rights. We started it because we strongly believe that we need people doing human rights in many different ways. And we do need many people like Una our guest from today. She's been including human rights in our prolific Media and Public Relations career for over two decades. Una Bejtovic which was born in Sarajevo where she began her media career. During the siege of Sarajevo in December 1993 working on radio ISV as a 16-year-old student. She then worked for another radio station for six years and in the editorial office of the federal TV morning program. After 10 years in the media and a master's degree in human rights, she started working on public relations with different stakeholders, ranging from the private sector, non-governmental and government sectors, for instance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009, she again, made a new turn in her career, and she began a career as a freelance consultant for public relations, mostly collaborating on projects in culture, human rights and business sectors. She won an award for excellence in public relations and for her contribution to the development of the profession in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2013, and 2014, she founded her own agency, a PR agency Bejtovic communication Welcome to this podcast.

Una Bejtovic  02:14

Thank you, Veronique. And I'm really glad to have great conversation with you today.

Véronique Lerch  02:22

Yeah, I look, I look forward to it. So in your bio, in the way that you send me, you mentioned public relations can contribute to a better understanding among the people and make us better individual. So we'd be very interested to know a little bit more about what you mean by this. And and maybe in relation to this, the way you you apply human rights knowledge values in your work, because I think that's just the link.

Una Bejtovic  02:50

Well, if you look at the origins of public relations of modern public relations, the United States Public Relations emerged with the democracy. So you cannot exercise public relations. In autocratic regime. So the PR developed itself, within the democratic system, when the government realized that the public has the right to know. So at the core principle of the public relations in is ethics and communication. And it's a two-way street. And it should contribute to the understanding because among the 1000s of definitions of public relations, one of the, one of the ones that somehow reflects all the things that I'm interested in is one of the Sam Black, which says that it helps I of course, paraphrase. It helps the understanding between the individual or project or institution to reach the understanding with its all target audiences based on the truthful and timely and proper communication and conveying the messages. So, if you if you transplant, that, that principle in everyday life, if we are the ones who communicate openly, transparently, honestly, with all our stakeholders, with all our target audiences, we could really better understand each other. So actually, after the Masters, I've decided to make a shift in my career because I liked the radio and television at the moment when I was really a most prominent TV figure in Boston Herzegovina, but I wanted something more because the Masters opened the eyes open hundreds of new windows and I want more, something different. And there is really one important thing I would like to mention, because 2002 was the beginning of my academic year, and it was only six years after the Dayton Peace Agreement in Boston Herzegovina. So after this 20 years of time distance, I realized how Bosnia and Herzegovina was really in fragile post war situation. At the moment, because I was working on the pretty much some relaxing radio and TV programs, I wasn't aware of all the elements that were part of the Bosnian society, because I lived in Sarajevo, when I wasn't much aware about the other parts of Bosnia and problems that people are experiencing, and human rights violations and all the other things that are related to that topic. So this program helped me to understand what is the actual situation that my country is going through. At the moment, when I realized that we have done the program that was financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and European Union, and we were the ones who were selected and we received a scholarship for the program, I realized that we are the chosen ones, we are the ones who have some additional privileges in society that still have girls that don't go to elementary school. So when you realize that you are being blessed actually with, with a great experience with the extraordinary education and interdisciplinary approach, and to realize that you're having that knowledge in that country, I realized that I want to make a great shift in my career. And that that, as I used to call it like my like, pink balloon, and soap balloon that I was living in, I wanted to change that perspective. And I'm wanting to give back to the site to society. So I've decided to use the tool that I'm most skilled to use. So I've decided to shift to public relations. And although at the beginning, I wasn't directly connected with the human rights issues, but that came along because people I knew, because of the topics that I was interested in, because of the project ) that I worked in a civil society, regardless of my PR career. So from that very moment, these two careers basically intervened for already 20 years now.

Véronique Lerch  07:50

Yeah, because you made the shift of public relation from media to public relation, but also the shift to human rights at the same time.

Una Bejtovic  07:58

Yes, I was in public relations thing in, in agencies, and for some corporations or something that will also projects that are not related to human rights. But still, I was done a lot of projects that were related to human rights. And actually two years after I graduated, I started to work for the NGO that was providing free legal aid. It was huge UNHCR Legal Aid network. At the time, it was a huge network of 16 offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina with almost 70 lawyers employed, who offered free legal aid to 55000s of beneficiaries, countrywide. That was a huge mission, and I was their public relations manager. So it was, for me, it was one of my, my best experiences, because I connected all the dots, I was so excited and passionate about all the good things that the NGO was doing at the field. On the other side, I was using my media experience to to pack the stories in a way that media would like to take them. And by doing that, I I could say that, I ensured that some of the topics and issues and stories gained much more visibility, because I knew the media principles and techniques. And the on the other side, I really had in depth knowledge and understanding of the human rights principles.

Véronique Lerch  09:40

Now it's interesting because we can hear from what you're saying that you really apply very high standards in your media and PR work and this is also a way to continue working on human rights is to make sure that you have high standards because I think when we when we think of I mean if I think of public relation very often we also have an idea. I understand this side of public relations. But we also have a more mundane version of public relation where people are doing damage control and using public relation, not with a very honest and transparent objective way, you know, where like you've done something wrong, and you're trying to cover it.

Una Bejtovic  10:18

Because public relations do not have the good public relations.

Véronique Lerch  10:22

Yes, exactly, exactly.

Una Bejtovic  10:24

There are also misunderstanding and some other words that are connected like spin like a propaganda like misinformation and all other negative context. But telling the story from the beginning, about the core principle of ethics and communication and the two-way communication and that PR is a tool of democracy. Because for example, if you have an elections, you should have like great campaigns based honestly, on some programs, some messages, some ideas, and then you have great communicators who are conveying those messages. And when you're exercising your right to vote, you should be informed citizen, choosing from all the offered stories and ideas and platforms, and then have the right to vote and choose the ones that you find best for yourself and, or according to your principles and values. In that regard. Unfortunately, I never done a campaign political campaign in Bosnia Herzegovina, because I couldn't, I couldn't really relate with any of the policies and figures that are currently present. And there are present for 20 years on the political scenes in Bosnia, unfortunately, but but I'm still trying to really exercise the highest possible standards of ethics in communication. And in one podcast, I was just said that people are thinking that we are the ones who are cleaning the mess. No, we are not, we cannot, we can make a good story from something that is worth it. We are the ones who are making a good story from something that is really good. But the clients are not aware of the good stories, or whether we are the ones who have a craft to make a message to make a great campaign, great video, great events, press conferences, really neatly written press releases, and so on. So in that regard, public relations is a great tool, and it should be side by side together with the professional media, professional journalists, the ones who are bringing some values to the society.

Véronique Lerch  12:42

No, I think, yeah, it's

Una Bejtovic  12:44

idealistic. I know. But on the other hand, I mean, we have only what our values and we are, I mean, I am aware, this is a society where I'm living in and not only a Bosnia, you have an old global trend of her. Right ideologies and fascism and all the nationalism, and all the global politics is completely in mass. I mean, I can do what I can do. So I'm doing it on every day basis and on applying all the values in every project I do, from the other hand, especially I'm really satisfied and feel content, content about giving the voice because the public relations is also about giving the voice, especially to those who are not being heard in the societies. Where, for example, we have a huge problem and 1000s of women who survived sexual wartime rape, and they are experiencing grave violations of human rights in I work for 30 years now with the TRIAL (Acronym for Track Impunity Alway). It's a Swiss international NGO. So I've done a lot of projects and campaigns with them. And by doing that, I felt that I'm the one who can help them to help the people from the NGO to contribute to making some advocacy for these women for these survivors of this sexual war time rape. So when you're doing those projects, you feel that you are at least doing some difference because if What if it was somebody else, without knowledge without background in human rights, maybe they don't have that empathy where they don't have knowledge about specifics of the topics about legal issues and everything that actually we started twenty years ago.

Véronique Lerch  14:56

Absolutely. And 100%. And I think that's The biggest issue is having communication people knowing how to work on human rights issues and how to deal with, for instance, as you mentioned, you know, survivors and other victims of human rights violations, and talking about managing to find the positive stories as well. So everything that you mentioned we're missing, that we're missing the communication people with the Human Rights background, or human rights people with good communication skills. See, what do you think we can do to improve this because you're, you're a rare person in our world, you know, really being at that, at that point, being a human rights activist and being a communication person. So how can we make sure that maybe, you know, we have more people with your skills in maybe already in the master, but even after.

Una Bejtovic  15:54

I think that one thing that crossed my mind is, it's a perspective, because I've done a lot of trainings and capacity buildings for the NGOs, providing some lectures about media relations, Introduction to public relations, how to write a press release, how to organize a press conference. And what I've noticed, people who are working in the Human Rights sector are prone to being Don't get me wrong, but kind of they have superior moral superior position. So they have an attitude like kind of a preaching attitude, some patronizing attitude, like, because the mission of the organization that they are working for, provide them with an attitude that they are the ones who are doing great job, and that the others should come to their door and ask like, do you have some great story that we should write about? It was 2007. I've changed three sectors. Professionally, by the end of February, I was still in the free legal aid network. And from March to October, I worked in the cabinet of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Overnight, I realized that what was important for me two years doing this PR job for NGO was completely not important in the cabinet of Foreign Affairs Minister. And then after seven months, when I came to the full-service creative marketing agency, I realized what was important for the minister, and what was important for the NGO wasn't at all important for the profit driven sector and for the commercial campaigns and communication which is on the market. So by doing this, you have to know how other side operates. So very often, I was telling this to the people from NGOs and said like, Okay, you're doing great job, but if nobody knows anything about it, so what is the point? So you have to you have to meet the others, you have to have some skills about the media, the writing, the press release, and so on. Because people are thinking, Okay, we wrote the, I don't know, five, five pages of press release, and what nobody published anything, of course, because they don't have time. And the thing that you are working for some important NGO doesn't mean that the editor will sit for 10 minutes and read your press release, in order to realize that your key message is in your last paragraph on the fifth page.

Véronique Lerch  18:37

and probably using words that nobody else understands.

Una Bejtovic  18:42

Yes, especially. So you have to, you have to learn how the other side operates in order to convey your message. And of course, all of these things that I'm saying is not that something should decrease the importance of your work or the project or anything, but you should really have to put it in the exact words that the media is expecting to receive and the format that the media expecting to receive. So when you're doing that correctly, and realizing that they have their own agenda, our own priorities, so you have to mingle somewhere in between. So of course, I've heavily been using my experiences and acquaintances from the media in order to sell the stories, human rights stories.

Véronique Lerch  19:28

Yeah. And I mean, I think it's exactly what you say is like, as is the question of perspective, but it's also understanding the media and the way they function and what they need. But also, I guess, also something you said is about not feeling that you're diminishing the work you're doing by communicating in a simple way. And I think this is very often where people are afraid of simplifying because if you simplify, or if you use other terms, are you losing the content? And I think this is really actually to make them understand no, you actually serving the cause you're working for by communicating better, because you're touching a wider circle. And this is what we want. We don't want to keep human rights in those tiny circles of people who may have studied and had a chance, as you said, of you studying human rights.

Una Bejtovic  20:16

So it's kind of exclusive. Yeah, or not, because human rights are something that that is related, and it should be connected with every single human being on the earth. So you have to adjust your message to every target audience. If you're if your target audience is a media media as a tool, as a channel, you have to adapt, you have to know how to sell the story to them and not to be offended. Like, of course, this is so important. Of course it is. But there are like hundreds of important stories that are ongoing, and especially nowadays, because media became so. So click driven, so capitalistic, so money driven. And these are the stories that do not bring them any money. So the thing that you can bring to media and to their audience is a story, story that people can relate to.

Véronique Lerch  21:14

Una, allow me to maybe take one step back, and I think you are a natural talent and communication as we can hear from this from this interview, actually, I've read in another interview, just before we started another interview from you, that your mum was actually paying you when you were a child not to speak. Or when when she had guests. So yeah, so we I mean, I can I can see the communication started really early in your life very early. But I'm wondering, you know, when? When did you start being conscious about human rights? You know, when did you feel this urge to study human rights and have words for it? Because this is, this is often interesting, you know, to hear from our guests, you know, where does that come from? Because, as we just discussed, human rights remain in very small circles. You might not have heard about it at school. But even though you live in a country, which experienced grave human rights violation, I wonder, when did that start to be a reality for you that you felt you needed to then study human rights?

Una Bejtovic  22:20

Well, actually, I think that that idea somehow started during this high school period that I've spent entire high school period during the siege in Sarajevo. So when you are the object of the human rights violation, and the experience of siege, which is like, unseen in 20th century, you, I don't know. I mean, it's not for everyone. But for me, it meant something that you have to, you have to fight for this message. We were the ones who were not being heard, we were the ones who were not being seen. And I remember all I mean, Bosnian War is considered to be really heavily covered with the photography, international agencies and the media. But it was so important for us, it was so important for us to send our message to send the truth to the world what is happening in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina in Srebrenica, in Foča, all the all the parts. And I think that quest for truth, and for the dignity of human being was something that came, I wasn't maybe aware of the fact that at that moment, but I felt the urge to not being an object of human rights violations anymore, and to be in a position to communicate the truth in any other circumstances. So after the high school, I went to the Faculty of Philosophy I graduated the literature of Bosnian people and Bosnian language, and actually I applied to US to some universities wanting to pursue my career, maybe in diplomacy and foreign affairs and something like that. And it didn't happened. And then I enrolled at the Masters in 2002 here in Sarajevo, but I was so delighted about because it was pioneering a program because the I was third generation. So in year 2000, that was the first generation of interdisciplinary postgraduate studies which was completely something new here. And it was so progressive and I was so delighted that I'm going to study in English and have various professors from entire region and from 30 universities. And so it was kind of part of some global community. And I really wanted to people to feel that I'm part of the world. So that sense I was so happy when I was enrolled to the program. And that year actually changed my life completely. And I'm, I'm really, really happy that have that I have that experience. And to tell you the truth, since I was in high school during the war, and after the war, it was also a difficult period. So I haven't acquainted so much friends during that period, because for, for example, we have to go to, to building to the school, but have to work about an hour back home. So during the war, it wasn't a part of the high school having fun going to cafes, parties on so it was something it wasn't that kind of thing. So basically, that year of studying for me, it was like re living this high school period. And the fact is that I've met great people, which are my like best friends, even nowadays, even we don't see each other every day, and the people are living in different countries. And of course, there are some who are living in Bosnia. But that energy that that was around us that connected us for a lifetime, that was something really amazing. And actually, we are trying to, to organize celebration of 20th anniversary this year, this year. So we already invited everyone from our third generation, and I hope is going to be a lot of fun. And I hope that we will try to do also some small panel discussion or conference or something in order to show to the society and to the region that we we developed ourselves in great professionals in various careers, and that we can still can that we are contributing to our societies every day.

Véronique Lerch  27:09

Well, I mean, if this is not the best advertisement possible for this master? I don't I don't know. I think it's a combination of everything, you know, of the interdisciplinary the fun, the solidarity, the Yeah, it's I really hope you have a beautiful reunion and I think we're very lucky to ever seen in our global community. And then, as you said, because it's 20 years, I'd be curious to know, what are your understanding of human rights might have changed in 20 years? From what you studied and what you're practicing today? What do you feel as change is and if anything has changed,

Una Bejtovic  27:48

of course, lots of things change. But

Véronique Lerch  27:51

we I don't know, if you experience a change.

Una Bejtovic  27:54

We're a little bit older. And we took various paths, and of course, the enthusiasm that we need to change the world that we had after the graduation, little bit shifted through the course of time. But I feel that it's not something that should be a part of the society. So I think that why this human rights, education matters matters, because of the values because it should be intrinsic part of every education of every part of society. So we need not only to have separate institutions dealing with human rights, of course, we have to have them. But I think that these elements need to be involved, included in various other parts of science. And I think that this economic situation worldwide is, is like an end of capitalism, as we used to know it, like for 10 or 15 years ago in science, that this inward individualistic, materialistic approach will just bring this earth to the end. So I think that this human rights approach if it's important implemented in various sectors in various fields, from bottom up and in, in various forms, in arts and culture, in economy, everywhere. I think that that can contribute to shift this narrative that we are not alone and it's not the point because I had that conversation with myself after the graduation because to be honest, of course, that in my CV when the people are seeing that I graduated, I have my master's degree in democracy and human rights that opened the door of numerous consultancy and projects that I've worked for, but it's not a point I and I said like okay, you can be like a So now and only to earn some extra money and to live your life happily and prosperous ever after. But that's not the point you have to give back, you have to, you have to help the ones who are not in the same position. So I think that those values that are not tangible, like money is, but the values of solidarity, empathy, honesty, those are the things that needs to be implemented throughout the society in which most possible forms that that could be. And one of the things that I'm really happy about that, for 15 years now, very soon is going to be my 15th Festival. It's, it's one of the famous theatre festivals in the former Yugoslavia is international Theatre Festival MESS. And I'm as working as a PR manager from 2009. And this is the festival that that was created on anti fascism and anti nationalism and anti this negative ideologies. So it was like, in its core values is freedom and human rights and empathy and creativity, and are all the ways that artists could, could contribute to the, to the society. So I think that we have to fight for the freedom, it's not given, right, it's not something that you should take for granted. And that fight is every day fight. And we need civic courage more, so you cannot leave all the things to the institutions that they will solve the issue, but you have to react. So this world needs free educated, brave citizens, no matter of nation, ethnicity, or religion, or any other background. And that's the issue. And I think that this program helped me to fight for the ones who are not, who are deprived who are not in the same position in the privileged position that I am, I am actually in this program helped me to realize how privileged I am, and I was, until I've enrolled, so and I felt the need to help them because I had, it was really heartbreaking experience during the program, we visited the people who were in concentration camp, and they are brought us to the point to the mass graves, locations and to visit the cemetery where more than 170 people were murdered, including babies from their old like two months or so. So those people were looking at us and said to us thank you for studying human rights. And thank you of the for the for the thing that you are the ones who are going to fight for the truth. And you see, like 20 years, no, I'm my heart is breaking. Because at that very moment, I realized that they were not privileged in any moment of their lives. And I realized that I am the one so I cannot, after the Masters just pursue my career and be some great international consultant or whatsoever. I have to give back to that society.

Véronique Lerch  33:32

Oh, that's difficult to follow from this. I think what I'm what I hear from you is, you know, I think it's stuck, we have to keep it real and to keep our humanity in, in what we're doing and as much as possible, you know, of human rights integrated in, in in the life around us and not limited to a small group of people who are very lucky to study human rights. So it cannot be limited to this. And I think we have, we have a big responsibility. And as you said, we need more women more courage assets, but we need to also infuse that courage in, you know, in the in the people around us.

Una Bejtovic  34:22

And maybe, maybe it's just also, maybe it's more visible in the societies that experience something similar, like Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example, because a lot of projects that I was involved for that related to transitional justice, and we worked also for struggling. It's a mapping genocide, great project about entire chronology of the genocide in Srebrenica. And we had a program project of youth initiative for human rights, called the days of Sarajevo in Belgrade and we brought 300 artists from Sarajevo to perform in Belgrade but in the dates that are the dates when the when we are marking the siege of Sarajevo started. So we, we embarked back then in 2010. I was it was my first festival of is of Sarajevo and Belgrade. So, when you bring so much people from one society, to you actually see that human rights violations is not something that is happening somewhere to someone. But the consequences of this are basically shaping my life for 30 years now, since the war started in 1992, entire Bosnian and Herzegovinian society is being affected with this. So you have to deal with it in any possible way you have. So if it's economy, do something that is just for the ones who are experiencing social issues, if you're, if it's, if you're a lawyer, do some proper laws that will protect the human rights, if you're a communicator, communicate the messages that will bring people together. So what whatever is your profession, you realize that we are the ones who are living the consequences of human rights violations, of course, it's different for the ones who are coming from great societies did not experience the war, for example, like for 200 years from Sweden, or Norway, or something like that. And it's completely different, and their motives are different. But I know for the people that I know, and we are the ones who are living this reality. And so you have to find a way to find for fight for that freedom on everyday basis.

Véronique Lerch  36:48

I think, I think what you you're saying, I think that really resonates with me, because you you take I think you take a much more collective approach or perspective on human rights and then other people and I think this is a way I think we should understand human rights, not this individual marketized version of it, you know, where it's like, people are given a set of rights, and then they fight for their rights. And we're not understanding the way we all connected. And as you said, you know, the rights if the rights of somebody else and are respected, you know, we cannot live in peace and in freedom. So it's, it's really about and also, you know, the influence African, as you said, the influence of the economy on human rights is huge. And it's not to be underestimated. Even, you know, in the relation with war and all of this, I think this collective understanding of human rights and to human rights and peace is very important. When I think you your passion is, is, is quite, you know, something that you communicate very well and I wonder if you have any advice to give to two graduates and by the way, they can work in the in a smear away as you're doing using communication for human rights. Yeah. Do you have any advice for them?

Una Bejtovic  38:07

Well, I know, I mean, sometimes, when I think about my career, I don't see it was some kind of a planned path. It's just one thing next to another. So the point is that I think it's important to go with something that you feel in your stomach and something that you want to do so no matter if it's profitable, is it good? Does a good look on a CV or something if you want to have some certain experience? Go for it on the other hand, I think it's always important and it always pays off at the end to think why are why do you want to do that and the money and career and success are the consequence they're not the aim. So go in the direction that will help you to develop yourself to be better person and to share the knowledge and message and to help others and on that path, you will definitely be successful and by doing so, of course after the graduation if you do not have some professional background and you are at the beginning of your career you have to at first place gain lots of skills and knowledge still so you don't behave like you're entitled to some great career and position in something which is young people are usually do when they graduate from the faculty they like oh my god, here I am the new CEO or something. No, no, no, you're not. So you have to you still have to lots of water to learn. But on the other hand, give your best. Give your best every day to be better person to be better professional and to be the one who can help others. And also, I mean, you have your own your own company. So you're basically your own employer now for 10 years. Yeah. 10 years? And is there anything in particular in relation to this, you know, where you feel there are, you know, the skills you need, if you want to be your own boss, if you want to, you know, what are the advantages or disadvantages of having your own company. like, it's a metal with the two phases. It's, I first first I was I was a freelancer for four years and a half. So at one point, I said, like, Okay, I've, I've, I've kind of overcome this concept. So I need something more some, some new challenge. And I wanted to have a company because of the more professional relation to the, with the clients and society and so on as a platform for all the businesses that I want to run. But on the other hand, it's not for everyone, I know that there is a global trend of encouraging people to be intrapreneurs. But maybe it's not for everyone. And people should be really honest with themselves. Because you don't actually have working hours, you're living your company 24/7. And sometimes you can come to work at 11. But sometimes you don't have holidays, and weekends. So yeah, you're kind of your own boss, but every client is your boss,

Véronique Lerch  41:44

to make sure.

Una Bejtovic  41:45

You know, and, of course, this is the 10th year that the agency is operating, we have done more than 150 projects. And we have really extensive experience various segments. But of course, you have burnout as a really important part of that. So you have to be a good professional in the line of work, you're what you're doing on a daily basis, in order to be recognized as a professional. And that's the why that's why I put my last name in the title because people will already knew about me for 20 years when I opened the agency. So I wanted that the name is conveyed the message of the quality that they that they already knew that I already established with my 20 years of career. So it's a promise, it's a promise you have to fulfill. So it's a, it's a quest for excellence. And that could be tiring process also. And sometimes when you're when you're running your own company, basically, people usually start their own company because like, I want to do what I like what I'm really good at. And that's what I want to do. And then to work that and there's the one project second, fifth, and then you employ somebody else and you're working together and that car is going go like on the highway. But then you realize that doing businesses also something dealing with some accountancy, some project management, some finance organization, or logistics, some managing employees and other things that are not part of your core work that made you started the agency. So at what point you keen to burn out because you want to have all the segments in your hand, you want to control all the processes, and it's really hard to delegate and which is like the best is you should have at first you should have a PhD in delegating the task, then to open any kind of intrapreneur partnership, but then you let go, then you decide to let go to give the opportunity to other people to step up to, to help more power in decision making and everything and you that's what's happening right now with me. I mean, I'm done 30 years. I mean, like, can I go through retirement or something? But um, no, I just want now I want to work more on for example, like public public speaking, training and presentation skills, and other sorts of training and then for 30 years, I'm continuing my continuous career is being master of ceremonies, all kinds, all sorts. So that's something that that is fun for me, and I love to do that and I'm really well established and recognized in Bosnia for doing that, and I will do that. So it means that I need to have a colleague to, to step up to learn a lot about processes and managing the company because you have to learn a lot about the clients and relations and then what is always important to never compromise about the quality of your output.

Véronique Lerch  45:27

Absolutely.

Una Bejtovic  45:28

It is a hard process. Of course, there are great benefits of it.

Véronique Lerch  45:33

But now, I think it's good that you're saying I mean, I agree with you, I think it's, it's, it's not for everybody.  

Una Bejtovic  45:40

you're having when you have a great plan, a great period, hard period on your work, it's hard, but on the first in a month, you will get your salary. Yeah, when you're experiencing hard periods, as an entrepreneur, you don't know, if you are going to have your salary the first so it's additional pressure on you. So no matter how hard your job is, if you have your salary on first, it's quite easier to handle the life. And of course, it's respective in different periods in life, of course, when you're young, you don't have family dependents and everything you can do whatever you want, and go for it. But afterwards, you know, it's that's why I'm saying it's not for everyone. And people should be really honest with themselves and not push themselves so much beyond all their old boundaries, they have to find the balance between the quality of life we know today we shouldn't work, live to work, we should work to live.

Véronique Lerch  46:45

No, absolutely. Wise words. And as you as you said, you know, you go through our times as an entrepreneur, you go through hard times as a human rights activist. I mean, is there something in particular that helps you in in your, in your hard times? And music books, anything your family? What helps you in those moments?

Una Bejtovic  47:10

Well, for me, I must say it's a faith. And I really turn back to Quran and the thinking. And, and the prayer and of putting that element of that spiritual religious element in everyday work helps you to stay sane, I would say. And of course, when I'm driving, I'm singing out loud, I am a great fan of Queen. Back then, before the war, I've graduated the musical elementary musical school on the Department of classics. So I'm really great fan of Ballet, but I like to listen to classical music, especially the music from the famous ballets. These are the some of them means to navigate your everyday life, which is kind of really hectic in current times.

Véronique Lerch  48:16

Is there a song in particular? That is your is there one thing in particular is your pickup song? Yeah, because you said you love music. So is there one song in particular that you love?

Una Bejtovic  48:28

There is a way okay when you're talking about the rock music like Yeah, yeah, I like the one I said the Queen. Yeah, I like all their Greatest Hits and everything and U2, of course dire straits. But um, I remember the lakmé it's duet flowers. So I will, I can, like, find that composition. I like Tchaikovsky also. So the the, the composition of the entire Swan Lake.

Véronique Lerch  49:06

Yeah.

Una Bejtovic  49:09

and of course concrete, you always have to love the Bohemian Rhapsody. And don't stop me now. Which is I think it was originally the most uplifting happy song that was selected in some kinds of charts and surveys. So don't stop me now. The show must go on. It's something that is really uplifting and doesn't doesn't allow you to give up.  

Véronique Lerch  49:40

yeah. No, I can't imagine he's like great songs. Great choice. And now we are reaching the end of the interview that I could have continued for a long time. But is there any any final concluding words you know, that you want to let us with?

Una Bejtovic  49:55

Well, it's really hard to summarize everything. Oh, I just wanted to say it's like I mean, it's allowed to leave. It's do others flowers, it's a flower or flowers do it that position that I was referring to, for the end. I'm a great fan of Formula One, but in but in a period when Ayrton Senna was the driver, and I remember this one quote that he, he said once and I'm very often I'm using that quote. And he said that I have no idols. I admire the competence, dedication and hard work, something like that. So I think it's important to do your best on an everyday basis. And I'm thinking to think about the others. And to always think of your actions. Is it possible that your actions can help somebody else who is not privileged as you are? So I usually say that be the light in others heart.

Véronique Lerch  51:17

Wow, these are beautiful words to conclude this interview, thank you so much, and keep the amazing work that you're doing and I hope you inspired a lot of people today. Thank you.

Una Bejtovic  51:28

I really do hope so.