Edvin Kanka Ćudić

Edvin Kanka Ćudić (born 31 December 1988) is a Bosnian human rights activist, martial artist and author who is best known as the leader of the UDIK, a non-governmental organisation campaigning for human rights and reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia. In 2023, he won the Kemal Kurspahić International Journalist Award for best published story in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian for his story "Grobnica nade" (The Grave of Hope).

Biography
Born as Edvin Ćudić on 31 December 1988 in Brčko, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina (at the time part of Yugoslavia). He grew up in Gračanica and Brčko. He studied at the University of Sarajevo and Ankara University. He got bachelor's degree in journalism from University of Sarajevo in 2012. In 2018 earned his master's degree in political science.

At the age of 14, Ćudić joined the Academy of Martial Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (a member of the International Martial Arts Federation - IMAF Europe), led by Boško Vidović in Brčko. He trained for eight years and earned a 1st Dan in jujutsu. In 2017 he earned a 1st Dan in judo.

He began practicing aikido in 2017 under Alen Hadžiabdić in Sarajevo. In 2022 in the Vrnjačka Banja he graded 1st Dan by Saša Obradović Shidoin. He is member of the Aikikai Serbia.

From 2006 to 2008, Ćudić was a jujutsu instructor at the martial arts schools belonging to the Academy of Martial Arts of the Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Donji Žabar and in Gornji Zovik near Brčko.

As a journalist, he collaborated with many regional media outlets, including Danas, Monitor and Oslobođenje. In 2017, he signed the Declaration on the Common Language of the Croats, Serbs, Bosniaks and Montenegrins.

In 2013, Edvin Kanka Ćudić founded and become coordinator of the UDIK. In 2019, he was elected in Regional Council of the RECOM Reconciliation Network.

In UDIK he started activism with public commemorations dedicated to the victims of past war in the former Yugoslavia (1991-2001). At that time, some war crimes were commemorated for the first time in Sarajevo, as well as in other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. These commemorations traced Ćudić to one of the most famous human rights activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has given interviews and provided commentaries on a range of issues from his area of expertise, including genocide denial, post-conflict recovery, and human rights to many national and international media outlets including El País, Berria, AFP, DW, RFE, RTL Nederland, FENA, Oslobođenje, Danas, HRT and Novosti Ćudić helped to memorize the crimes at Kazani. He is one of the initiators of the memorial at that site.

He often received threats related to his work.

Honours
In 2012, the Bosnian poet Adem Deniz Garić dedicated him a poem I ne treba da šutiš (And you should not be silent). In 2014 and 2018, in the biographical lexicon Ko je ko u BiH (Who is Who in B&H), Edvin Kanka Ćudić is listed among the most significant people in Bosnia and Herzegovina today, which through their works and actions contribute to a better Bosnia and Herzegovina and who make this country a happier place.

In 2019, the Bosnian-born French sculptor Mirza Morić created a memorial dedicated to the killed civilians in Brčko (1992-1995). Morić engraved the whole story called Možda bi trebalo da ih mrzim (Maybe I should hate them), written by Edvin Kanka Ćudić in 2011. The monument was installed in Paris. In 2022, the Bosnian poet Erbein Osmanović dedicated Edvin Kanka Ćudić a poem Geronimo.

His awards include the following:
 * Emerging Europe Award, Category: Young Influencer of the Year (2019)
 * Kemal Kurspahić International Journalist Award (2023)