The path to international success of Muris Čerkez, a final-year student of the Second Gymnasium in Sarajevo, and his team began with the support of FabLab Sarajevo – the Laboratory for Digital Fabrication. This progress was enabled through the support of the Private Sector Development Initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, co-financed by the European Union and the Federal Republic of Germany. The initiative made it possible to organize the Economic Olympiad in Bosnia and Herzegovina and provided the resources for the country’s best students to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina on the international stage.
On June 25, 2025, in the ceremonial hall of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina, silence prevailed, broken only by the mentors’ final words of advice. The best high school students from across the country gathered for the national finals of the Economic Olympiad of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ready to demonstrate their knowledge, focus, and determination to win.
The competition consisted of a written test with ten questions prepared by Assistant Professor Anes Hrnjić, PhD, and an oral examination before a panel composed of Professor Kasim Tatić, PhD, Assistant Professor Tea Mioković-Polić, PhD, and Assistant Professor Adnan Muminović, PhD. The final ranking was determined by the combined results of both parts. Five finalists stood out at the top: Muris Čerkez from the Second Gymnasium in Sarajevo took first place, followed by Emina Hodžić, Annur Mešić, Faris Ćerim, and Benjamin Mulić.
“I am very satisfied with the result I achieved, especially since this was my first time participating in a competition of this kind,” Muris said after the winners were announced.
After the national success, the team shifted its focus to the international finals in Olympia, Greece, held from August 21 to 24, 2025. Bosnia and Herzegovina was represented by Muris Čerkez, Annur Mešić, Faris Ćerim, and Imran Zukić, with professional support from Aida Hasanagić of the Liberal Forum and Assistant Professor Anes Hrnjić, PhD, from the Faculty of Economics in Sarajevo.
The international finals brought together 130 competitors from 29 countries, while more than 120,000 students worldwide participated throughout the 2024/2025 cycle. After four days of intensive tests, simulations, and team challenges, Muris won a bronze medal, while his teammates also achieved respectable results.
“The competition was extremely strong… I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that I had won the bronze medal,” Muris said, emphasizing that this recognition motivates him to continue developing his knowledge and skills in economics.
Behind this success stands an entire team of mentors, organizers, and partners. The Economic Olympiad of Bosnia and Herzegovina was launched in 2020 as a joint initiative of the Liberal Forum and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Sarajevo, and its fifth edition gathered nearly 600 students from 52 schools.
Speaking about the organization of the event in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aida Hasanagić, Executive Director of the Liberal Forum, noted that the Economic Olympiad represents a strategic commitment to investing in the country’s greatest potential—young people.
“Through this competition, we actively promote inclusivity and accessibility of economic knowledge for all high school students, regardless of their future professional ambitions. We believe that economic and financial literacy is a fundamental life skill. Our goal is to encourage critical thinking and the development of an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age. The ultimate vision is to prepare generations of future leaders and entrepreneurs capable of building a dynamic, resilient, and competitive economy. After all, a deeper understanding of economic principles is the foundation for the long-term prosperity of the entire community,” Hasanagić concluded.
A special role in the organization was played by FabLab, which, through the Private Sector Development Initiative (EU4PSD) funded by the European Union and BMZ, organized the travel of the winning team to the final competition in Greece.
“The Economic Olympiad combines knowledge, healthy competition, and international visibility. This directly aligns with our mission to support young people with above-average abilities in economics and innovation,” emphasized Dr. Mirza Suljagić, Director of Research and Development at FabLab.
The story of Muris Čerkez and his bronze medal in Olympia is not just a story of individual talent and perseverance. It is a confirmation that a well-organized and systematically supported initiative can empower young people, provide them with international experience, and give them the opportunity to showcase their knowledge. The Economic Olympiad thus sends a clear message that the next generations have the knowledge, support, and motivation to learn, compete, and achieve results that can be measured on the global stage.
