Alija Izetbegović was a Bosnian politician and the first President of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served from 1990 until 1996, during a critical period that included the Bosnian War. Izetbegović was a key figure in advocating for the rights of Bosniaks, the Bosnian Muslim population, and played a significant role in the country's transition to independence from Yugoslavia. Born on August 8, 1925, in Bosanski Šamac, Izetbegović was also a writer and an Islamic thinker. He founded the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) in 1990, which aimed to represent the interests of Muslims in Bosnia. His leadership was marked by efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in a war-torn nation.