On July 18th, 1992, a convoy of children left the sieged city of Sarajevo to reach Italy. 46 of those who left the Bjelave orphanage never came back to Bosnia: they were given up for adoption, although their parents were alive. A tragic story, resurfaced from the dark
Watch the report "Peace orphans " by RAI journalist Andrea Oskari Rossini in collaboration with OBCT, broadcast on November 12th, 2017 in the Rai3 programme "EstOvest" (In Italian)
THE INVESTIGATION
26 November 2018
Amer is one of the 46 children from the Bjelave orphanage taken away from the siege of Sarajevo in July 1992 to be hosted in Milan. At the end of the war, instead of returning home, he was given up for adoption although his parents were alive. After 26 years, his search for his biological mother has finally ended
16 October 2018
Kenan and Haris Hasanagić searched for years for traces of Amer and Alen Ljuša, their two cousins who left Sarajevo in 1992, together with other children from the Bjelave orphanage, to be sheltered in Italy. Instead of being returned to Bosnia at the end of the war, they were given up for adoption. They finally met last summer, with the help of OBCT. An interview with Kenan Hasanagić
25 September 2018
Our investigation continues on the dramatic case of the 46 children from the Bjelave orphanage in Sarajevo. The second part of the interview with human rights activist Jagoda Savić, who has been dealing with the case since 2000
21 September 2018
During the siege, 46 children from the Sarajevo orphanage were sheltered in Italy. Although not all of them were orphans, they were not repatriated, but given up for adoption. Some of the biological parents have been looking for them for years. An interview with human rights activist Jagoda Savić, who has been dealing with the case since 2000
20 September 2018
On July 18th, 1992, a convoy of children, picked up from the Bjelave orphanage, left Sarajevo under siege. 46 never returned to Bosnia: they were given up for adoption, despite living biological parents. A tragic story, re-emerged from the dark
Watch the report "The newly found mum " by RAI journalist Andrea Oskari Rossini, based on an investigation by OBCT, broadcast on November 18th, 2018 in the Rai3 programme "EstOvest"
THE ARTICLE THAT INSPIRED THE INVESTIGATION (ITA)
3 March 2006
Nel 1992, in piena guerra, partirono dall'orfanotrofio "Bjelave" di Sarajevo 46 bambini per essere accolti in Italia. Non hanno mai più fatto rientro in Bosnia nonostante alcuni di loro avessero genitori ancora in vita. Tra loro Uzeir Kahvić che cerca sua figlia da 14 anni. Ora si è appellato al Presidente Ciampi