About the author

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

I was born in Virovitica, Croatia, in 1973.

I grew up in Budancevica, in the municipality of Klostar Podravski, where I also finished primary school.

After primary school, I enrolled in the Geological-Mining-Petroleum Secondary School in Varazdin, which I dropped out of in the second semester.

    I decided to become a priest and after that I enrolled in the Archbishop's Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb in 1989, in Salata. In the former Yugoslavia, it was called the Inter-Diocesan High School for Priests, which was not recognized by the communist authorities as a high school, but took the final exams at the end of each school year at the high school in Krizaniceva Street in Zagreb.
    For the first two years I was in the Jesuit seminary on Fratrovac in Zagreb. There I felt how much renunciation it took for an honest priestly vocation. I was not ready for that and after the second year I left the seminary.
    I continue my third and fourth years at the Archbishop's Classical Gymnasium as an external student, outside the seminary.
In the meantime, Croatia became independent, so the school was recognized as a classical grammar school with the right of the public.
    Because of my talent and talent in the fine arts, I wanted to enroll in an art academy or study art history. With the Classical Gymnasium at that time, I could choose where I wanted to continue my further education because it was one of the strongest and most respected high schools in Croatia. I'm sure it is today.

In the meantime, the Greater Serbia aggression against the Republic of Croatia began. Croatia suffered under attacks, a third of Croatian territory was occupied, Croats were killed or expelled from their homes, settlements and towns were destroyed. Ethnic cleansing of the occupied territories of Croatia is being carried out.

All this caused me, as a young adult, disgust and youthful rebellion.

     In 1993, I graduated from the Archbishop's Classical Gymnasium at the age of 19, and immediately after graduation I applied for military service with the decision to participate in the defense of Croatia.
    Already at the end of 1993, I started a specialist reconnaissance training in Delnice, and after 4 months of regular training in Koprivnica and Delnice, I enlisted in the 2nd Guards Brigade, Thunders.
I'm coming to Thunders's elite reconnaissance company.
    As a scout-saboteur, I am going through the second half of the Homeland War, mostly on the battlefield of Banovina.
I am a participant in Operation Storm and Una, along which I pass other terrains as part of reconnaissance combat operations.

I was awarded the "Storm" medal, the "Thunder" gold badge, and I was one of those nominated in our unit for the Medal for Outstanding Ventures, which I am extremely proud of, although I did not receive that medal because the award was limited to only two of the total four nominated members of our unit. I also received a proposal for the Memorial of Homeland Gratitude, which was not handed to me due to leaving the army.
After winning the Homeland War, I remained in the same unit as a professional soldier until 2001, when I left the army and became unemployed.
I was then diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I am starting treatment, which continues today, with significant progress. After numerous commissions, I was granted permanent disability based on illness from the aftermath of the war.

I tried to get involved in civilian life through membership in the Association of Greens in Klostar Podravski. I was also a member of the Association of Veterans with PTSD, which was later renamed the Association of Croatian Veterans of the Republic of Croatia due to the need to expand to a higher level. Today, I was an active member of the presidency in that Veterans Association and contributed my skills and knowledge to its work.

During unemployment, in the most difficult period of my life, I worked on short-term seasonal jobs. At the same time, I was learning and developing my graphic skills.

It was almost impossible to find a permanent job due to the large number of unemployed. So I accepted a job in a printing house in Koprivnica where I get a direction and vision of further personal development in the graphic profession.

After two months, I resign from the printing house for non-payment of salary and non-registration of workers. The printing house collapsed shortly after my departure due to poorly run business and accumulated debts.

In 2003 I opened my own business, Mic-grafika, and I work with small format printing, graphic design and other forms of this type of business where I could use my knowledge and skills.

I started the business without start-up capital, so my family helped me get started with the simplest tools like a personal computer, ink-jet printer, scanner and a few finishing tools.

I developed the activity a bit, although it was challenging to work in such conditions.

I had to close my job in 2005 due to disability retirement.

What disability and the fight against illness could not take away from me are creativity and a sense of fine art. I used this creativity as a method of treatment, with regular medical treatment and constant check-ups by medical professionals.

In retirement, I used my talent and spite to progress in overcoming illness through artistic expression, learning, and perseverance. And I don’t mean to stop there while there is even the smallest atom of strength in me.

I want to learn, move forward, develop. I have made great strides in that direction. The biggest steps were to accept faith in God, in yourself and in your abilities, decide to fight and not give in to self-pity.

In all this, I was helped and supported by members of my family, my comrades and my doctors. I thank them all along the way.

Thank you, dear users of this website, for deciding to visit me. I believe that your visit will be pleasant and that you will enjoy the fruits of my efforts and creativity. Be a loyal audience to me and I will reward you with new creative fruits of my talent.

Danijel Pedi

If you like the works and want to financially support my work, I ask you to pay the money to the Caritas accounts for the hungry in Africa instead of me.

I am happy with everything I have in life and I am thankful to God for that. Many people die of hunger and need every help.

Link to Caritas page: https://www.caritas.org/donate-now/