The Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in Birmingham and their friends gathered at the Bosnian House in Birmingham to celebrate our homeland’s Independence Day together. The energy and atmosphere was extraordinary.
The program began with a minute of silence in honor of the victims of the devastating earthquake that recently hit Turkey and Syria.
After that, MA Amra Dautović, coordinator of the BH supplementary school Birmingham, spoke about the significance of the Independence Day of BiH, as one of the most significant dates in the recent history of our homeland. The results of the referendum held on March 1, 1992 made it possible international recognition of Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent state.
Since then, March 1st has been celebrated as the Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On May 22, 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina became a member of the United Nations, and the flag of our homeland flew in front of the headquarters in New York.
The event continued with a cultural program. The main actors were the students of the Birmingham Bosnian supplementary school who, with the help of their teachers Azra Bašić, Emir Bolić, Alma Aganović, and Eldina Bolić, did their best to entertain the audience and show what they had prepared for this important day. Of course, the celebration of the national holiday would not be complete without a performance by the Cultural and Artistic Society “Mladost Bosne”. Dressed in national costumes, they embellished the program with a variety of dances, and the large audience selflessly rewarded them with applause, because music is the one that reaches the heart the easiest and fastest.
Visitors had the opportunity to enjoy the exhibition “Man in the East” by Hadis Medenčević. Hadis was born in Derventa and has lived and worked in Prague, Czech Republic, since 1992. He has received significant recognition for his work, had a number of notable exhibitions, and his photographs have been used as illustrations for numerous books and reporter reports.
The event was also attended by Dr Waqar Azmi OBE, founder and president of the Remebering Srebrenica Foundation. Dr Waqar is a great friend of our homeland. He stressed that as patron of the BH UK Network he is proud of the many successes of the Bosnian community in the UK.
At the end of the program, Dr. Anes Cerić, manager of the BH UK Network, addressed the audience. “We are proud that the national holidays of Bosnia and Herzegovina are celebrated throughout Great Britain, where our associations are active. “Tonight we celebrate the Independence Day of our homeland at the Bosnian House in Birmingham, and in two weeks we will do the same in the British Parliament.”
Certificates of appreciation were presented to Dr. Waqar Azmi OBE, President of Remembering Srebrenica and Patron of the BH UK Network for his support to our community over the years, Hadis Medenčević to an artist from the Czech Republic and Amra Dautović, coordinator of the BiH supplementary school Birmingham.
Moderators of the entire program were students of the BH supplementary school Emina Bolić and Harun Zlomužica.
The message of all present BiH citizens from the Bosnian House is that we must build a better future for the new generations. We cannot forget the past, but we can learn from it, and go on the path of a common and more beautiful future.
BH UK Network
