Zlata Filipovic

During the Bosnian war, thousands of children became trapped in Sarajevo with their families when Bosnian Serbs lay siege to the city in April of 1992. Zlata Filipovic, an eleven-year-old girl living in Sarajevo with her family when the war began, kept a diary of her experiences during the siege. In her diary, which she addresses as "Mimmy," Zlata recounts her family's efforts to survive and describes the destruction of Sarajevo. Zlata's diary reveals her transformation from a happy schoolgirl to an angry, frightened survivor. Zlata submitted her diary in 1993 to her teacher, who then had it published with the help of UNICEF. Zlata survived the war and now lives in Paris, France.

Friday, April 3, 1992

Dear Mimmy,

Mommy is at work. Daddy has gone to Zenica. I'm home from school and have been thinking. Azra leaves for Austria today...