Saving the planet isn't easy, but this is how we can do it
A mess after a landslide in the village of Zlata, near Jablanica, about 50 kilometres south-west of Sarajevo. Photo Canva.com, AFP, Elvis Barukcic
Christian Life
In Sarajevo, people are living on dangerous soil. At any given moment, their homes can be covered by tons of debris toppled by a landslide, Mirela Popaja says. “Are we to wait for disaster to strike before anyone acts?”
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Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s famous words from The Idiot, “Beauty will save the world” have been echoing in my mind these days, as I prepare for a performance on trembling ground in Sarajevo.
Our city is layered with history, hope, and deep fractures. Here, the earth itself threatens to give way; a looming landslide inches closer to a neighbourhood that has stood for generations. To stay close to Dostoyevsky's words: Beauty is very much needed here. But saving people is not easy.
Risk
Below the unstable slope of Curine Njive are family homes, inhabited by Bosniak families with roots which are part of Sarajevo’s historic Stari Grad community, tracing back far into history. For months, residents have watched as the earth moves, as trees lean precariously, and with each rainfall, the risk grows that 400,000 cubic metres of earth will collapse onto their homes.
Bosnia and Sarajevo live within one of the most complex political frameworks in the world.
Evacuations have begun, but many people drag their feet. They don't want to depart from a place with so many memories, find it impossible to leave a lifetime behind, and are insecure because of a lack of safe alternatives.
Bosnia and Sarajevo live within one of the most complex political frameworks in the world. The landslide we face is in Republika Srpska, the territory that came under Serbian control after the war. Local politicians often hide behind the excuse of “not my jurisdiction”, while the people living within the reach of the shifting soil remain forgotten.
This danger is not new in our country. Last year, a landslide in Jablanica claimed several lives and destroyed many homes. Are we to wait for disaster to strike again before anyone acts?
Urgency
In response, my acting troupe decided to raise our voices against this injustice through performance, right in the place where danger brews. We wanted our audience to witness the place, to meet the people living under threat, and to create a shared moment of urgency, demanding action from our local politicians.
We chose for a medieval morality play to create awareness, a timeless art form that tells the story of humanity’s eternal battle between good and evil through allegory. The play is called “The Tale of a Sleeper and a Great Awakening”.
In our play, a young heroine listens to the voice of Nature, embodied by a dragon, while villagers naively believe that building a new castle promises progress. Meanwhile, a wealthy lord schemes to buy the land with gold, embodying greed and disregard.
That magical night, the entire community gathered. The flames were flickering, and our theatre friends brought the great dragon to life.
We owe it to children like her, to give them a childhood free from fear.
The most moving moment was when a six-year-old girl from the neighbourhood came forward, and told us with beaming eyes she loved the show. Looking at her, I thought: we owe it to children like her, to give them a childhood free from fear, a future not overshadowed by landslides and neglect. We, as humans, must do more for our environment and for each other.
Waterloopbos
I recall a visit to Waterloopbos in the Netherlands, a unique open-air museum blending nature and technology. There, in a forest near the city of Lelystad, scale models of dams, canals, and pumps tell the story of human ingenuity in water management. These innovations made possible the creation of Flevoland, the largest artificial landmass on Earth. Originally an experimental ground for engineers to test their ideas, Waterloopbos now invites visitors to experience the harmony of nature, history, and technology in one place.
We, too, can invent and create solutions that allow us and the Earth to thrive in unison. Instead of petty disputes and shifting responsibility, we can unite to protect what matters most.
Beauty, whether in art, nature, or human compassion, can indeed save the world. But only if we dare to act. How will you contribute today to protect our planet and secure a safer future for all children around the world?
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