Date: October 9, 1991
Speaker: Valentina Krčmar, Mothers for Peace – Bedem Ljubavi (Toronto Chapter)
View the Original Speech: krcmar book 2_Part11 -10-12 -with typed version.pdf
About This Speech
Delivered at a Mothers for Peace gathering in Toronto in October 1991, this speech by Valentina Krčmar reflects the raw emotion and urgency of the early months of the Croatian War of Independence. Speaking not as a politician but as a mother, she embodies the collective voice of Croatian women mobilizing from afar — frightened, determined, and unwilling to remain silent.
Valentina’s words capture both the sudden loss of normalcy and the power of shared compassion:
“Who would think that Croatians would line for bread, who would imagine that our neighbors would also be responsible for bringing terror to our families. This is why I am here today. I am not a speaker — so just listen to my heart.”
She describes how Bedem Ljubavi (Mothers for Peace) formed out of necessity — mothers, wives, and sisters uniting to protect families in Croatia. She urges listeners to act through any means possible: letter writing, petitions, fundraising, and humanitarian collection drives.
As winter approached, Valentina emphasized the human cost of war, calling for donations of warm clothing, blankets, and funds for the Croatian National Fund:
“Cold weather is here. Our troops are cold. Send whatever you can. They need everything, from winter coats to blankets.”
Though modest in tone, her message was profoundly mobilizing — a mother’s plea transformed into a movement.
