Suada Kapic was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina. Upon completing her first BA degree at the University of Sarajevo – Faculty of Philosophy, she moved to Belgrade to complete her second BA degree in Theater and Film Directing at Faculty of Performing Arts. With the fall of communism across East and South-East Europe she moves away from her distinguished career as a Film/TV/Theatre Director into the media world. In 1990, she founded FAMA, an independent multi-media company – a first of its kind in the former Yugoslavia. In the process she became an opinion leader whose objective was to advance new approach to defining politics in the media. As such, she was able to launch a new (fully profitable and uncensored) media concept often referred to as a political entertainment. The ‘Art of Living’ was one of the most watched TV programmes across the country, as it tackled the most pressing contemporary issues in unconventional and highly creative manner, whilst positioning itself as credible source of information – a rare mix during those turbulent days. Her intention to transform FAMA into CNN of South-East Europe was obstructed by the war in the former Yugoslavia which forever changed her personal and professional outlook on life. In April of 1992, Suada escapes her home in Grbavica (Sarajevo district occupied by the Bosnian Serb forces), becoming a refugee in her own city. In the midst of total destruction and collapse of basic societal elements, she made a personal decision to remain in the besieged city, and launched ‘Science of Survival’ mechanism as means of defying terror through creation, invention, culture, arts and humanism. She was observing the Siege of Sarajevo (the longest in the modern history) as a study of human nature, the mechanism of terror and human ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances through mechanism of survival. This was a stepping stone to her dedication to the cause, as she proceeded to document facts and evidence of change in the city through series of internationally acclaimed projects and initiatives. Between 1992 and 1996, Suada launched projects such as ‘Sarajevo Survival Guide’ and ‘Survival Map 92-96’ in the besieged city, determined to publish and present them internationally. She smuggled the preparation for print through secret underground tunnel and attended meetings and presentations from New York to Tokyo. From 1997 she diligently works on one of the most comprehensive projects: Oral and Visual History of the former Yugoslavia for the period between 1991 and 1999. FAMA Collection (Archives) and related individual projects are considered the largest and most comprehensive independent source of information pertaining to the Siege of Sarajevo (’92-’96) and the Fall of Yugoslavia (’91-’99). FAMA Educational Pack ‘The Siege of Sarajevo 1992-1996’ has been promoted and distributed in Serbia since 2005. Most recently she authored ‘Srebrenica Mapping Genocide’ (a documentary animation project) in partnership with Youth Initiative for Human Rights in BH (producer of the project). The Project is widely presented as educational initiative in Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. Suada was actively involved in promotion and presentation of individual projects and the concept of ‘Science of Survival’ across the world – from New York to Tokyo. Her projects adorn walls and shelves of some of the most prominent international institutions, from the US Holocaust memorial Museum, to UN War Crimes Tribunal, Pentagon, Library of Congress, UNESCO, Tokyo Big Site and similar. A thinker, an author and a doer, Suada Kapić faced the greatest challenges imaginable, and working in impossible circumstances succeeded to generate internationally acclaimed projects and to secure their implementation. Her company has been active for 21 years in one of the most complex and dangerous regions in the world. Her work that begun back in 1992, is now completed and FAMA Projects and Archives will be transferred into virtual domain via FAMA COLLECTION – a virtual bank of knowledge for the future generations. At this stage, Suada moves back into her original multi-media realm and will be focusing on regional and global issues that require collective solutions by engaging with regional/global audience.
