Samir Becic, as a Bosnian-born American, is an avid Apple user both personally and professionally (everything is Apple!) but every time he goes to type in his native tongue of Bosnian, has no dedicated language/keyboard. While seemingly benign, the lack of a Bosnian language/keyboard is triggering for many people in the region who feel excluded from representation- especially considering the neighboring countries of Croatia and Serbia each have dedicated languages/keyboards. Here is his open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and his team:
Tim Cook, CEO
Apple Inc.
One Apple Park Way
Cupertino, California 95014
Dear Mr. Cook:
I write to you today to respectfully request that Apple consider making a symbolic, but deeply meaningful and significant, gesture in commemoration of the upcoming anniversary of the slaughter of more than 8,000 Bosnians in the infamous Srebrenica genocide of July 1995. Specifically, I ask that Apple add language support for the Bosnian language to the iOS and iPadOS QuickType Keyboard, both as a means of honoring the memory of the tens of thousands of lives taken in the genocidal Bosnian War of 1992-1995, but also as means of supporting the current generation of Bosnians who continue to struggle today for the survival of their nation against the same forces of Serbian nationalism and separatism that sought to wipe them from the face of the earth three decades ago.
I make this request as a native-born Bosnian who witnessed first-hand the horrors and unspeakable tragedy of the 1992-1995 war. In my birth city of Ključ, more than 700 of my fellow townspeople lost their lives, many of whom were my family members, friends, and neighbors. These events left an indelible mark on me and inspired me to commit my life to helping people in need. As an athlete, I have pursued this goal by devoting myself to improving health and fitness for all peoples by creating a foundation to promote health and fitness for underserved and at-risk communities, writing the HarperCollins published book ReSync Your Life (a step-by-step guide for pursuing a healthy, happy, and fit life without the need for expensive equipment or trainers), and, serving as the current “fitness czar” for the City of Houston. I have also dedicated myself to supporting Bosnians as they have attempted to recover and rebuild, as a people and a nation, in the aftermath of the last Bosnian war and in the face of the same forces of separatism and nationalism that seek to reignite bloodshed and ethnic cleansing in their homeland.
Apple has a chance to make a symbolic, but real, difference in the struggle of the Bosnian people. Adding language support for the Bosnian language to the iOS and iPadOS QuickType Keyboard would act as a powerful, daily, affirmation to Bosnians everywhere that they have not been forgotten, and that their identity and culture have value, are alive, and are thriving despite past (and ongoing) efforts to destroy them. Apple possesses a unique position in the corporate world because of its prioritization of people over profits. I urge you to act on this laudable philosophy by supporting the Bosnian people as I have here suggested.
With kind regards and thanks for your consideration,
SAMIR BECIC
CEO ReSync Enterprises
Official “Fitness Czar” for the City of Houston
Also CC’d to Apple’s executive team:
- Katherine Adams, Senior Vice President and General Counsel
- Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President Services
- Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President Software Engineering
- John Giannandrea, Senior Vice President Machine Learning and AI Strategy
- Greg “Joz” Joswiak, Senior Vice President Worldwide Marketing
- Sabih Khan, Senior Vice President Operations
- Luca Maestri, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
- Deirdre O’Brien, Senior Vice President Retail + People
- Johny Srouji, Senior Vice President Hardware Technologies
- John Ternus, Senior Vice President Hardware Engineering
- Lisa Jackson, Vice President Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives
- Isabel Ge Mahe, Vice President and Managing Director of Greater China
- Tor Myhren, Vice President Marketing Communications
- Adrian Perica, Vice President Corporate Development
- Kristin Huguet Quayle, Vice President Worldwide Communications
- Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow
