Part of the process of social maturity includes acknowledgement of each other’s sufferings
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Vesna Teršelič was born in Ljubljana on April 18, 1962. She spent her childhood and early education in Ljubljana and Brežice, and in 1980, she enrolled in the study of philosophy, comparative literature and physics at the University of Zagreb. Since the beginning of her studies, Teršelič worked on civic self-organization, getting involved in a number of activist initiatives for the promotion of human rights. In 1985, Teršelič, together with like-minded colleagues, started the initiative TTB, and then Svarun, organizing ‘empty demonstrations’, in order to raise awareness and promote the value of freedom of speech and civic society. During those years, Teršelič launched several initiatives, among others, a successful protest and petition against the construction of a nuclear power plant in Prevlaka, near Zagreb, and presenting a petition for the recognition of conscientious objection and the introduction of civil service as an alternative to mandatory military service. At that time, Teršelič also started the association Green Action and Savez Greens of Croatia. At the beginning of the Homeland War, in 1991, Teršelič launched an anti-war campaign, advocating for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Croatia. In 2004, Teršelič established Documenta - Centre for dealing the past, where activists follow war crimes trials, publish trial reports, support all civilian victims of war, and to this day investigate the fate of those killed and missing in the Yugoslav war in the 90’s.
