Ernada Alibegovic comes from a Bosnian mixed marriage. When the war began, she and her mother had to remain hidden at home for two months until their Serbian neighbor helped them leave immediately, guiding them through checkpoints to Sarajevo. The two women found shelter in the home of Nada's director, Ahmed, who had made the decision to flee to Split, Croatia, in the early days of the war. However, Nada was unaware that Split had become the meeting place for Western journalists attempting to reach Sarajevo. Shortly after Ahmed's arrival in Split, he encountered a young French war correspondent, Philippe Simon, to whom he had also offered his house. This encounter sparked a remarkable connection and an unexpected cohabitation, resulting in a story brimming with brotherhood and humanity. Throughout the war, Philippe stayed with Nada and Mama in their home in Breka, tirelessly making trips between Sarajevo, Paris, and Split to ensure the two women lacked nothing. As a nightly ritual, Nada greeted Philippe outside the house, sitting on the steps of the staircase while he removed his boots, and she would ask, "Philippe, what's new in the city?" Amidst the suffering of war, Ernada recalls this period as one of the happiest in her life. With a hand on her heart, she expresses, "Philippe saved my life." In his book 'Les éclats de la guerre,' Philippe depicts Ernada and Mama's unwavering determination to resist. Despite the chaos and destruction unfolding outside, they maintained their humanity, fostering warmth, kindness, and family values within their home—a beacon of hope in a faltering world. After the war, Ernada returned to live in an apartment in Vogošća. She shares her life with Neven, her Serbian companion of many years.
Vogošća, September 2022.