Date: 15-02-2021

In Memoriam Radmila Rangelov Jusovic – Our Rada

It is with great sadness that we share this news. Our beloved friend and colleague, Radmila Rangelov Jusovic, Director of the Center for Educational Initiatives Step by Step from Bosnia & Herzegovina, passed away on February 13th. We welcome you to share your memories and tributes on this memorial page. A Commemoration is being planned and will take place on the COI Step by Step YouTube channel.

For those who knew her, she will remain irreplaceable for her inexhaustible energy, dedication, generosity, vision, and power to bring and mobilize minds and souls around strong values celebrating the art of education, the art of learning and teaching, the art of human connections. Those who did not know her, have missed being touched by Rada’s unique way of filling every space with daring ideas, of fighting for the freedom of thought, of growing and celebrating professionalism, of believing in solidarity, in true friendship beyond any border.

Rada was among the experts in 15 countries who started implementing the pioneering Step by Step Program funded by the Open Society Foundation back in the 90s in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Her organization is one of the 27 founding organizations of ISSA. Since 1999, when ISSA was established, throughout the years, she acted as an ISSA Board Member, President of the Board of Directors, and member of ISSA’s Program Committee. She participated in almost all ISSA working groups and events, where she generously shared her expertise and experience and always contributed with her sharp mind and critical thinking. She believed in the beauty of life and of people, in the joy of being together and building beautiful memories together. Her laughter and her beautiful voice always made ISSA meetings and conferences special.

With her strong belief in teachers’ professionalism and her high respect for this profession, Rada created a unique event that should be replicated in all countries: an annual award for the best teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, from preschool to secondary education levels. A national celebration where practitioners are the most important protagonists, and they drive the change. Rada's way saying: “It changes the way we talk about education instead of criticizing or focusing on the negative we show the country what excellent teachers we have.”

Furthermore, over the past 10 years, every summer she organized an annual regional conference bringing together teachers from all countries of former Yugoslavia into a powerful learning and forward-looking community of professionals. She was the ‘’glue’’, as an expert and as a person with a big heart, cementing relationships, beliefs, and ambitions in her country and beyond. In a region and a country still recovering from devastating conflicts, where so many are trying to divide people and build walls to separate children, she managed to create unity among professionals and a solid ground for life-long professional and personal connections.

A strong and warm expert and advocate, an engine for forward-looking changes. A wonderful human being who left behind a powerful and long-lasting legacy, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and more widely in the ISSA network. One of the big souls of our network. She gave a lot of love to all of us and we will love and keep her always in our hearts and minds.

On February 15 at 17,00 CET, a Commemoration was broadcasted live in Bosnian by the Center for Educational Initiatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina. You can watch it here.