Ivana Šimundža, journalist and director of Mondo BiH, dies at 45

Ivana Šimundža, a longtime journalist, editor and director of the news portal Mondo BiH, died suddenly in Banja Luka at the age of 45. Her passing has left colleagues, friends and many in the Bosnian media community in deep sorrow.

Colleagues recall her as the newsroom's driving force

Staff from the portal expressed grief at the loss and praised her leadership and personal support for the team. Her coworkers said she had been a central figure in the newsroom and a person the team could rely on in difficult moments.

In a statement from the editorial staff they paid tribute to her with heartfelt words: "Ivana was our locomotive, the driving force and the head of our collective. She was our friend, colleague and adviser." These sentiments, colleagues said, reflect years of shared work, journalistic challenges and stories the team produced together.

Šimundža built her career over many years on the Bosnian media scene, working as a journalist and editor before taking on the role of director at Mondo BiH. She studied at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Banja Luka and was recognized in the newsrooms where she worked for her dedication, responsibility and energy.

Her premature death has left a large void among those who worked with her. Friends and coworkers remember her not only for professional results and journalistic stories, but above all for the human mark she left as a devoted journalist and a trusted member of the collective.

The farewell ceremony and burial will take place on Thursday, August 27, at 13:00 at the Sveti Marko cemetery in Banja Luka. Her family, friends and colleagues are expected to attend to pay their last respects.

Photo: press material from the event