Thank you Tunjo – We are missing you

THANK YOU TUNJO – WE ARE MISSING YOU

It is with great sorrow we have received the messages about the death of Tunjo Damjanovic.

Tunjo was among the ‘veterans’ in the Open Fun Football Schools program as he attended the very first seminar we held in Brøndby in 1998! Since then Tunjo have always been among the core instructors and leaders of the Open Fun Football Schools program, both in Bosnia Herzegovina but also beyond on several seminars and Open Fun Football Schools around the whole Balkan.

Tunjo has always been a trusted instructor. Coming from the town of Orasje in the “corridor” of Bosnia he has managed to use the Open Fun Football Schools as tool to connect Croat children of Orasje with friends from Modrica, Brcko, Samac, Odcac, Gradacac, Petrovo, Tuzla and many others.

Especially during the first years of Open Fun Football Schools the situation in Bosnia Herzegovina was very sensitive. Representing the community of Orasje Tunjo served as a kind of ‘ice-breaker’ for the Open Fun Football School program towards the Bosnian Croat communities. Thus Orasjes and Tunjos active involvement in our program opened many doors to other Bosnian Croat communities and friends and beyond.

Tunjo has thus always been among “the first movers” in the Open Fun Football School program. Tunjo started as school leader together with Esko, Velimir, Adem, Djzumhur and other key persons of Open Fun Football Schools in 1998. He took part as instructor when we introduced our Open Fun Football Schools program to Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia. He organized regional tournaments that also included the Danish team of B93. Tunjo has been hosting regional coach seminars, and at latest Tunjo has been the driving force in Orasje in our effort to use the Open Fun Football Schools as outset to organise our Crime and Conflict Prevention Initiative (CCP).

Tunjo had such a nice and “round” personality. I will always remember Tunjo sitting with a friendly smile on his face during the lectures listening to the topic, or walking around the tables facilitating the workshops.

During the breaks Tunjo was always in the centre of his group with his silent, trustful and round personality.

We are many in the Open Fun Football Schools that have lost a good friend and colleague. So will the children and the football community of Orasje and Bosnia as a whole.

Our warm thoughts go to Tunjos wife, children and family.