Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is a development agency of the Government of Japan which has been active in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1996, making great efforts to the country’s recovery through numerous projects to improve the quality of life in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

What is JICA Alumni Association?
In 1954, JICA started a program of holding courses and educations in Japan in different fields. The ex participants of these courses wanted to disseminate knowledge and know-how that they had acquired through these programs. They were also looking for a way to maintain the friendship and bonds between the ex participants, so they formed local alumnus associations. The first such association was formed in 1967 in Philippines. Today there are 84 JICA Alumni associations, gathering around 40.000 members, and these numbers are in constant rise. Bosnia and Herzegovina got its JICA Alumni association in 2006, when a group of ex participants from BiH to Japan gathered in Sarajevo and decided to start with the work. From its arrival to Bosnia, JICA has organized courses in Japan for some 700 our fellow citizens.

 

The main activity of JICA Alumni in BiH is capacity building through knowledge dissemination, primarily the knowledge acquired on the courses in Japan. We accomplish this through seminars and workshops in different fields and subjects, taking into account long-term needs of the society in general as well as needs aroused from urgent situations (such as floods, earthquakes, etc). We also find very important cherishing of friendships and good relations between our members and friends of Japan, so we organize a cultural event every year, and by rule in different city or town every time, where we have a good time enjoying interesting programs, and use the opportunity to make new friends and learn something new about the culture of Japan, at the same time promoting ours. All friends are welcome!

 

Besides the mentioned activities, JICA Alumni in BiH gives support to future participants of JICA courses and other persons who are interested on JICA courses. JICA Alumni also support other organizations and associations through the support of lectures of our members. The work of JICA Alumnus in general is autonomous, and JICA gives financial and advisory support for their activities.

 

Bodies of the Association:
Assembly
Managing Board

 

President: Zivorad Kovačevic
Vice-President : Toni Nikolic

 

Marijana Galic, president of the Managing Board
Bojana Grujic, MB member
Snezana Kanostrevac-Cvijetic, MB member
Petar Gvero, MB member
Bozo Bago, MB member
Bakir Krajinovic, MB member
Sinisa Bencun, MB member
Mirza Uzunović, MB member