Over three hundred Bosnians and Herzegovinians and guests gathered at the Bosnian House (Birmingham, United Kingdom) on two occasions, first on Thursday, November 21st, and then two days later, on Saturday, November 23rd, to celebrate the Statehood Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina together.
The ceremony lasted on both occasions with a two-hour program, the singing of the national anthems of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Kingdom, musical performances by Elvira Solaka on guitar and opera singer Lejla Jusić of the National Theatre in Sarajevo, then performances by children from Bosnian schools in Hertfordshire and Birmingham , and the KUD “Fahira Hasedžić” . Sevdalinka was sung by a retired teacher from a school in Birmingham, Azre Bašić , and performances were also given by Iulii Marcu , a student of the Ukrainian school whose classes are held in the Bosnian House, and Aurora Rayes , an artist from Italy.
The ceremony, organized by BH UK Network, was held with numerous guests, including the Ambassador of BiH to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Osman Topčagić , King Charles III’s Envoy for the West Midlands, Lord Lieutenant Derrick Anderson , more than 20 councillors from Birmingham and Coventry city councils, including the Mayor of Birmingham , Lord Ken Wood , and the Deputy Mayor of Coventry, Rachel Lancaster .
Also present in the Birmingham neighborhood of Sparkhill were Jasmina Sarajlić (Embassy of BiH in the UK), Dr Waqar Azmi OBE , President of the organization “Remembering Srebrenica” and patron of the BH UK Network, Hajrudin Isović , President of the RVI Diaspora, Hamdija Draganović , President of Platform BiH (the umbrella organization of BiH associations in the Netherlands),
Aida Olujić and Željko Javor (Platform BiH – Netherlands), Amir Grabić , president of BiH youth in the Netherlands, Enisa Bukvić (Italy), BiH writer and chairwoman of the “Woman with a Book” association, Naida Ribić , editor-in-chief of Radio BH Diaspora based in the Netherlands, Dr Kim Sadique , chairwoman of the “Remembering Srebrenica” committee for the East Midlands region and chairwoman of the academic board of the BH UK Network, Zaim Pašić , president of the BH UK Network, Sabit Jakupović , recipient of the highest decoration (MBE) of the British monarchy, Professor Irina Lindley, etc.
Member of the Presidency of BiH, Dr. Denis Bećirović , addressed those present on the occasion of the holiday via video message.
The organizers from the BH UK Network in Birmingham made an effort to provide a rich snack for all present along with the ceremony.
– We are making every effort to make our new center the best place for all those who need support. We strive to be a role model for other communities and are ready to learn best practices from others. We have achieved a lot and feel that we can do even more with the help of our friends and partners. To all our countrymen around the world and friends of our homeland, we congratulate the Statehood Day of our one and only Bosnia and Herzegovina – said Dr. Anes Cerić , director of BH UK Network.
The Statehood Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina is celebrated on November 25, and on that day in 1943, at the first session of the National Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ZAVNOBIH) in Mrkonjić Grad, the ZAVNOBIH Resolution was adopted, which expressed the determination of the people of BiH to have their country be a community in which equality for all within the future SFRY would be ensured, with historical borders dating back to the time of medieval Bosnia.
BH UK Network
