Effendi Hasanović held lecture to members of 19th contingent
As part of the preparation for deployment to the ISAF international mission in Afghanistan, members of the 19th contingent were given lecture by Aziz Effendi Hasanović, deputy mufti and main coordinator of the Islamic community in Croatia.
The purpose of lecture was to introduce members of the Armed Forces with a way of life, religious and cultural customs, traditions and history of the Afghan people. The knowledge gained during lectures contributes to members of our armed forces in the ISAF mission to be recognized not only as the top professionals in performing their tasks, but also to be recognized as those who respect and appreciate the customs and way of life of Afghan people and have their confidence.
Effendi Hasanović met soldiers with the specifics of Afghanistan and the lifestyle of its inhabitants, and gave them a number of useful tips, those from everyday life, that will make their mission easier and help them in respecting and understanding of life in the Islamic world. Among other things he put the attention on the behaviour in public, on the street, the differences in customs between Sunnis and Shiites, and on the complex ethnic and tribal structure of Afghanistan.
“You do not only represent yourselves in Afghanistan but the entire nation. You are there the ambassadors of peace, advocates of human rights, that what you are is the country you represent”, Effendi Hasanović said and particularly highlighted the establishment of trust and positive atmosphere, which is built primarily by respecting the country in which you would come.
Contingent Commander Colonel Tomislav Galić thanked the Effendi and stressed the importance of such cooperation and emphasized that their mission was to go help the people of Afghanistan.
Such co-operation with the Islamic community has proven to be very useful and has become an integral part of training of our soldiers who have been preparing to go to the ISAF mission.