World Refugee Day
Stories of Our Community
World Refugee Day is celebrated around the globe each June to honor the strength, courage and contributions of those who have been forced to flee their home countries.
Author Talk - Bosnian St. Louis: Between Two Worlds
Join us for an early celebration of World Refugee Day on Tuesday, June 16.
As part of this celebration, MO-ORA is partnering with Left Bank Books to welcome authors Patrick McCarthy and Akif Cogo to discuss their award-winning book, Bosnian St. Louis: Between Two Worlds. Their work shares firsthand stories of Bosnian refugees who rebuilt their lives in St. Louis and helped shape the city through their resilience, culture and strong-work ethic.
This event will include a conversation with the authors, followed by time for audience Q&A. Admission is free and attendees must register.
June 16, 2026 | 7:00 to 8:00 PM
International Institute of St. Louis - Hall of Nations
3401 Arsenal St, St. Louis MO 63118
Doors open 6:00 PM
About the Authors
McCarthy and Cogo have worked together since 2010 to document the history and experiences of Bosnians in St. Louis. Their collaboration grew into Bosnian St. Louis, which discusses the early Bosnian presence in the region and the strong vibrant community that has become an important part of St. Louis.
Patrick McCarthy
Patrick McCarthy
McCarthy has worked with the Bosnian community since 1993. McCarthy traveled to wartime Sarajevo in 1994 to provide humanitarian assistance, entering the besieged city by way of the tunnel under the airport. The same year, he founded the St. Louis Bosnian Student Project, which located scholarships for Bosnian student refugees.
Patrick is the author of After the Fall: Srebrenica Survivors in St. Louis, a companion volume to an exhibit at the Missouri Historical Society that drew 55,000 visitors. An honorary member of the Bosnian Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences, McCarthy’s professional work is as a Professor and Associate Dean at Saint Louis University, where he directs the Medical Center Library.
Akif Cogo
Akif Cogo
Cogo is historian and archivist for St. Louis Bosnians Inc., the nonprofit he founded in 2011. As a Bosnian refugee himself, Cogo’s work began as research on the St. Louis Bosnian community for a school project at University of Missouri- St. Louis. He realized this information should be accessible, which led to the creation St. Louis Bosnians website.
This effort has now expanded to an organization that provides educational programming, advocacy and humanitarian relief to both Bosnian Americans and non-Bosnian St. Louis residents. Cogo’s work highlights the experience of refugees balancing life between a homeland and a new community.
This event centers community storytelling and respectful dialogue. By registering, you agree to participate in a manner consistent with these values.
Free parking available on-site, with additional street parking nearby.
Questions? Please reach out to us at moora@iistl.org.