On April 9th, at the Jugoslovenska Kinoteka in Uzun Mirkova 9, the Diplomacy & Commerce magazine will be celebrating its 8th anniversary at the DIPLOMACY&COMMERCE AWARDS 2024 and rewarding those who left a mark in society with their actions. In anticipation of the event we discussed with Dejan Ljevnaić, director of the Jahorina Olympic Center, about their last-year experiences as laureates, the work they’ve done in the post-award period and how they see the development of their company by the end of 2024
How much do awards like this mean to you as a company?
Awards like this, which highlight humanity and positive impact on society, are extremely important to us as a company. Humanity is a value we cherish and which is an integral part of our mission. We are recognized as an organization that strives to improve the life of the community and contribute to a better world.
This award not only confirms our commitment to humanitarian efforts, but also gives us additional motivation to continue positive action. That is why we consider these types of recognition more valuable than some others, because they not only highlight our achievement in the field of altruism, but also encourage other organizations and individuals to follow the same path.
Humanity is something that makes us recognizable, and this award is a confirmation that our efforts in this direction are recognized and appreciated. In addition, we are convinced that it is important to use our influence as a large organization to promote positive values and actions that contribute to the community, because ours is only what we have given to others.
With our example, we want to inspire all those who have any influence and space to reconsider their values and actions, and to take an active role in creating a better world, because success gets its true dimension when we share it with others.
What else have you done in the area for which you won the award in the past 12 months?
After winning this award, our motivation increased further, which resulted in a series of humanitarian activities in the past 12 months.
We are especially proud of the actions “A thousand helmets for our children” and “A thousand skis for our children” for which we received an award last year. Their primary goal is to return children to a healthy lifestyle and physical activity. In addition to the chance to learn about nature and the environment in which they live, children get the opportunity to develop their self-confidence, social skills, as well as family bonds. Nurturing and creating love for the mountains is something we develop in our children. My main motive is to contribute to the creation of conditions in which every child will have the opportunity to ski, regardless of the economic position of his family.
We have organized a large number of actions of this type, enabling the youngest to take their first skiing steps on the beautiful slopes of Jahorina. The Jahorina Olympic Center dedicatedly advocates the idea that skiing cannot and should not be a privilege of the rich, but an opportunity that every child can achieve.
Also, children from the territory of the city of Istočno Sarajevo received free ski tickets as part of the action “Be a child of Jahorina”, which was our gesture of support and an incentive for their active participation in winter sports.
We are especially proud of our humanitarian actions for the Terzić and Todorović families, whose houses were destroyed in a fire. During the winter season, we organized an action where all our skiers could join in and do something meaningful. This initiative was a reflection of our commitment to help those who need it most, showing that solidarity is part of our identity.
Therefore, the award had a very motivating effect on the entire collective, encouraging us to continue with positive action and to improve living conditions in our community with our activities.
How do you see the development of the company until the end of 2024?
The attribute of the most modern ski center in South-Eastern Europe, the Jahorina Olympic Center got, in addition to the dedicated work of its employees and the visionary way of doing business, through the realization of numerous great investments. The work of this company does not end with the closing of the winter or summer season, because work on investment projects continues throughout the year.
Our goal is to make the most of Jahorina’s potential, which is huge. Currently, our priority is the construction of the Jahorina-Pale gondola, a capital project that will change the appearance of the entire Sarajevo-Romania region, and especially the municipality of Pale. The project is huge, it is seven kilometers long, which means that it will take about three years to build. The implementation of this idea will change the lives of the citizens of Pale, our goal is to raise living standards and employ new citizens.
Also, we are bringing the construction of the ski center Igrišta ko Vlasenica to an end. At Igrište, we expect tourists from all over eastern BiH and western Serbia. A great advantage is a good strategic position, as well as the proximity of the Tuzla airport. By building a snowmaking system, we will have at least 120 days of skiing in the season. This will be a ski center ideal for day and weekend tourists. In addition, with this investment we will create the conditions for rapid economic and economic development of Vlasenica and Han Pijeska.
It is important to point out that we continue with our dedicated mission to make Jahorina recognized as a destination that offers visitors content and activities throughout the year.
For all information on DIPLOMACY & COMMERCE AWARDS 2024 click here.
