Much like the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, members of Sarajevo Phoenix are rising from the devastation of the 1992-1995 war in the former Yugoslavia. The 17-person embroidery cooperative is comprised of Croatians, Muslims, and Serbians who are attempting to heal the wounds of despair, bitterness, and loss through the work of their hands. The group, originally all women, formed in the fall of 1997; at that time they were all unemployed. Some existed on minuscule pensions but each woman had learned to embroider at the feet of her mother and grandmother. Now the 16 women and 1 man meet in program director Bela Sejdic`s home and in their own homes to produce altar cloths, liturgical stoles, and wall hangings. Each person who cuts and sizes, designs and embroiders represents the rich diversity of Bosnia-Herzegovina; each believes in a multi-ethnic Bosnia.
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