New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- Tens of thousands of people from across the Balkans poured into the streets of Sarajevo on Monday to bid farewell to Halid Beslic, a Bosnian folk singer whose music and humanitarian work broke down barriers in a region riven by ethnic animosity.

In his native Bosnia, he was highly respected for organizing concerts during the 1992-95 war to raise money for displaced Bosnians. He also won hearts across the region with his refusal to embrace hatred at a time of bloody conflict. His songs about life and love, delivered in his distinctive clear voice, captured a deep sense of longing.

Mourners filled the streets in a funeral procession, many crying as they made their way in silence toward Sarajevo's main cemetery. Besli...