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Thousands of mourners gathered in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital on Monday to pay their final respects to Halid Beslic, one of the most celebrated folk singers in the Balkans, who died on Oct. 7 at the age of 72.
The day of mourning, officially declared by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Brcko District, began with a ceremony at the National Theatre in Sarajevo.
Family members, colleagues, and cultural figures paid tribute to Beslic’s nearly five-decade career and enduring influence on regional music.
Fellow Bosnian musician Dino Merlin delivered an emotional speech recalling his last visit to Beslic in the hospital: “We laughed so we wouldn’t cry, to cheat the pain, to cheat death,” he said.
Following the theatre ceremony, Beslic’s coffin was taken to the Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque, where the funeral prayer was performed.
His casket was covered with a cloth inscribed with Quranic verses, and a traditional Bosnian fez was placed at the head.
The procession moved along Ferhadija and Marshal Tito Street toward Bare Cemetery, with thousands of mourners lining the streets, many carrying flowers or quietly singing his songs.
Halid Beslic was born in Knezina, near Sokolac, in 1953.
He began performing at a young age, drawing inspiration from traditional Bosnian folk music and the emotional storytelling that would become the hallmark of his career.
His professional breakthrough came in 1979, and over the next four decades, he became one of the most prominent voices in the former Yugoslavia and later across the Balkan region.
Throughout his career, Beslic released 19 studio albums, many of which featured songs that became cultural staples, played at weddings, celebrations, and community gatherings.
During the Bosnian War (1992–1995), Beslic became more than a musician—he emerged as a humanitarian.
He organized and performed over 500 benefit concerts across Europe, raising funds to aid Bosnian refugees and displaced persons.
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