Named after Tom Lantos, who initially arrived in the United States on a scholarship and later became a professor, the Lantos Congressional Fellows program honors his deep-seated belief in the power of education and the value of life-long learning.
Lantos Fellows are carefully chosen from a select group of post-college and post-graduate level students from Europe and Israel. Through fellowships hosted by U.S. congressional offices, they have the opportunity to work in the United States and gain a better understanding of the role of human rights in American politics and the legislative process.
More than 100 fellows have participated in the program from countries including Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Nearly 50 congressional offices have hosted Lantos Fellows, and the program is fully bipartisan – both Republican and Democratic offices host Lantos Fellows.
Haris Sehovic. Haris is a native of Bosnia-Herzegovina with a demonstrated commitment to foreign policy and national security. With professional experience in both counter terrorism and higher education and significant volunteer positions with OSCE and democracy building groups, he brings expertise with international cooperative efforts, research and written publications. Haris is also an aspiring filmmaker and a devotee of the American film industry.
City/Country of Origin: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Languages Spoken: English, French
Top Professional Experiences/Achievements: Became a member of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina Youth Advisory Group and advanced efforts for cyber security sector reform in the country; advocated for the fight against menstrual poverty in BiH through the Humanity in Action BiH project by calling on the government to ensure that young women and girls have access to free menstrual products.
What motivated you to apply for the Lantos Fellowship program? The main motivation was to follow in the footsteps of late Tom Lantos, to acquire legislative knowledge and experience in the US Congress and apply it upon returning home to Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is a lot of work to be done back home in terms of basic human rights, all of which stem from the flawed Dayton Constitutional foundations. Hopefully I will be able to bring about changes in line with European Court of Human Rights decisions.
What do you hope to learn or gain from your time as a Lantos Fellow? I hope to learn how to negotiate better by observing how US Representatives work across the political aisle in order to pass legislation which will improve the lives of all Americans. That is something that political life in my country needs more of -- constructive political proposals and efforts to find common ground.
If this will be your first time living in DC/the United States, what are you most excited about? I'm most excited about experiencing new food, as the Balkans people are very passionate about food (especially our own). This will be the perfect opportunity to try out new cuisine from every corner of the globe.
What will you miss the most from your native country while you are living in America? My family and friends, but I will be able to manage on my own as this is once in a lifetime opportunity.
What is your dream job? How do you think being a Lantos Fellow will help you on your career path? When talking about my dream job, I always say that it's going to be a position which will allow me to help people who cannot help themselves. Now what that position is going to be exactly, whether in the government sector or in an NGO, remains to be seen.