Halid Beslic: Thousands across the world bid farewell to Bosnian music legend

Under the slogan “The Whole World for Halid”, emotional gatherings are being held in more than 60 cities, including Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla, Banja Luka, Zenica, Ljubljana, Graz, Dortmund, Hamburg, Stockholm, Toronto, Doha, St. Louis, Ottawa, Zagreb, and Podgorica. People have come together to celebrate the life of a man whose songs shaped generations and whose kindness left a deep mark on everyone who knew him.

In Sarajevo, Titova Street and the area around the Eternal Flame were filled with thousands of mourners singing Halid’s most beloved hits through tears. In Mostar, citizens gathered at the Spanish Square, while in Tuzla, crowds joined voices in “Sarajevo, My City,” the song Halid traditionally opened his concerts with.

In Banja Luka, organisers placed a donation box for the Red Cross, a gesture they said symbolised Halid’s lifelong generosity. The city on the Vrbas River holds special significance, as it hosted his final concert despite his fragile health at the time.

The gatherings were initiated by Bosnian actor Enis Beslagic, who addressed citizens via video message. “We lost a man who lived humbly and spread love wherever he went. This unity we see today is something rare and beautiful. Let us sing his songs with all our hearts in his honour,” Beslagic said.

Prominent film director Ademir Kenovic also spoke in Sarajevo, recalling a touching story that captured Beslic’s character. “He once told me how, during a wedding in Zagreb, someone asked him to sing one song. He replied, ‘I can’t sing just one, I’ll sing until morning.’ Halid hasn’t passed away; he has moved into all of us. He made each of us better,” Kenovic said in an emotional tribute.

Nazif Gljiva, Beslic’s longtime friend, lyricist, and collaborator, also addressed the crowd: “You fulfilled your mission in this world, my brother. Millions love you and sing your songs. Wait for me up there so we can continue where we left off. Be like Halid, kind, generous, and true.”

Popular singer and longtime friend of Halid Beslic, Hanka Paldum, emphasised that Beslic, through his own example, conveyed to everyone a message of mutual love and respect.

“There are no words to describe the irreplaceable loss for all of us who shared moments with him filled with love, life’s challenges, joy, and even sorrow.”

“We have read many stories, told and untold, about his kindness, his soul, his humanitarian deeds. About how he loved people and how people loved him. Halid has found his home, which is why grief and sorrow for him echo throughout the Balkans and beyond, wherever his songs are heard.”

“That is why rivers of people sing and weep, bidding farewell to a good man, a true soul, a kind companion, friend, and brother. It is not only Sarajevo that will see him off, but countless other cities, towns, and villages across the planet.”

Sarajevo Canton police estimate that over 15,000 people gathered in Sarajevo.

As dusk fell, the sound of Halid’s songs echoed from Sarajevo to Vienna, from Tuzla to Dublin, a testament to the legacy of a man whose voice and humanity transcended borders.