Winter Olympic Games 1984 left a special trace in the history of BiH, the former Yugoslavia, but especially in the hearts and memories of the people who were in Sarajevo at the time. The capital of BiH became a construction site and, one year later, center of the world.
Members of the Center for Healthy Aging Novo Sarajevo remembered these golden days while drinking coffee. No one remained indifferent. Their faces lit up and eyes shined with tears and pride.
“I remember the love in every citizen I met then. I was relatively young, my son was 11 years old then. I walked with him, hand in hand. I bought a new jacket I hardly found, but one had to prepare for the Olympics. The tickets were purchased on time, because there were no more tickets on that day. There were columns of people on the streets,” Nafa said.
Nafa said that the snow surprised everyone and that she especially remembers one thing – the snow was never that white. She said she recalls every detail from the opening ceremony, as well as every day of the Olympics.
“If we go one year back, Sarajevo was a construction site. Until then, Bjelašnica was registered as a wild mountain. Everything we have on Bjelašnica today was made during the Olympics. Then 1992 came and everything was damaged or destroyed,” Nafa said.
Nafa said that everything in and around Sarajevo was in the sign of the Olympics. Numerous exhibitions related to this event were presented across the city.
“Sarajevo was decorated. All shop windows were in the sign of the Olympics and the sales of souvenirs started then. Those souvenirs live up to this day,” Nafa said.
Ramiz said that the entire city was in fear, because the weather was similar to the weather now. There was no snow and people were afraid that the snow cannons will not be able to produce enough snow and that the Olympics will be canceled. However, the snow fell – as much as 70 centimeters in the city and over one meter on the mountains.
“We all cleaned the snow in the city. Journalists came from all around the world, the streets were filled with people, shops were working late… There was a single soul and Olympic spirit everywhere. You cannot forget that, ever,” Ramiz said.
