Damir Islamagic

Our two children are born in Denmark, and our family is in fact a quite ordinary Danish family. Our daughter lives in a townhouse with her Danish boyfriend and is expecting a child. So, we will soon have our first grandchild. Our lives are like any others: we work, have a home life, go shopping, go on vacation and have house projects. Like all other families.

I’m not a foreigner, I’m a Dane with a Danish passport. My wife and I have spent more years of our lives in Denmark than in Bosnia. So when discussing Danish matters at my workplace, I have every right to talk too, because this is also my country. I’m interested in what happens in society, because this is where I live and have my life. And it is important for me to make my contribution to the social economy. I work, and have always worked, in all of these years.

We spent the first years at an asylum center with other Bosnian families, who became our friends, and who we still see today. We also have good Danish friends. You have to reach out and make an effort to become part of the local community. Instead of isolating yourself, go out and seek people.

One day, I went out and saw the local oldboys team playing soccer. When they were done, I said to the coach: “My name is Damir and I want to play football.” That was in 1995, and then I started playing.
They observed me for about a year, because many Danes have a “wall” that takes some time to tear down. Then I was accepted, and I have played for about 18 years and made friends. Today I know a lot of people here in Funder.

52 / male / married / children / blacksmith / Silkeborg / from Bosnia / came to Denmark in 1991 / residence permit in 1995