Zlata's Diary

“I hope that my role in life will contribute something the understanding of war, and to the advancement of peace.”

Filipović’s Preface references her diary and advocacy work. While her diary served a purpose for her during the war as a safe outlet for her emotions, her authorial purpose has since shifted: Both her diary and advocacy work have moved beyond informing the world about the events of Bosnia to shed light on the experiences of all children caught in war. She hopes reading such stories of children will inspire people to act on their behalf and one day prevent war altogether.

“When we hear of wars, we hear the numbers of dead and wounded, of dates of battles, of attacks, names of places that no longer exist. We become numbed by the onslaught of cold facts, and we forget that every event touched individuals, ordinary people, children, young people, grownups, grandparents, one by one. If we listen to each and every story, or even if we hear one and imagine all the others, we can get some sense of what the extent of war really is.”

Zlata Filipović reflects on the differences between historian’s recounting of war and the stories of those who experienced war firsthand. Filipović locates her diary’s meaning and purpose in the empathy it inspires, suggesting that it remains relevant as a tool to show the real Loss Due to War, combatting the apathy that lists of battles and body counts can inspire. It is her hope that the stories of children like her will inspire better care and understanding for children living with war.

“We’re worried about Srdjan (my parents’ best friend who lives and works in Dubrovnik, but his family is still in Sarajevo) and his parents. How are they coping with everything that is happening over there? Are they alive? We’re trying to talk to him with the help of a ham radio, but it’s not working. Bokica (Srdjan’s wife) is miserable. Dubrovnik is cut off from the rest of the world.”

Zlata’s first reference to war is distant: It is a cause for concern but happening to other people in another country, so it remains abstract. Nevertheless, scattered references to