The Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in Great Britain will soon gather again at one of its most significant and beautiful events – the 27th gathering of Bosnian-Herzegovinian supplementary schools, which will be held on June 20, 2026, at Southam College near Coventry, under the auspices of the Bosnia UK Network, the umbrella organisation of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in the United Kingdom.
For almost three decades, this traditional gathering has brought together students, parents, teachers, and representatives of Bosnian-Herzegovinian associations from all parts of Great Britain. What was once a meeting of schools has today grown into one of the largest annual gatherings of Bosnians and Herzegovinians on the Island, a place where friendships are nurtured, memories are preserved, and bonds between generations are strengthened.
Children and young people give special value to this event. They are the reason supplementary schools exist and the best proof that the Bosnian language, culture, and tradition continue to live on, even far from the homeland. Through the work of supplementary schools, children not only learn to read and write in their mother tongue but also develop a sense of belonging, get to know their roots, and build friendships that often last a lifetime.
The first Bosnian-Herzegovinian supplementary schools in Great Britain were founded in the 1990s, during a period when thousands of Bosnians and Herzegovinians found a new home in this country. Today, schools operate successfully in London, Hertfordshire, Derby, Coventry, Birmingham, and Manchester, bringing together hundreds of students and their families.
Supplementary schools play an extremely important role in preserving the identity of our community. They represent a bridge between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Great Britain, between the past and the future, between the generations who arrived during the war years and their children and grandchildren who are growing up in British society today. Precisely because of this, their importance grows year by year.
The host of this year’s gathering is the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Community Association Coventry (BHCA Coventry), an organisation that has been bringing together the Bosnian-Herzegovinian community in this part of England for over three decades. The supplementary school holds a special place in its work, representing one of the association’s most successful and longest-running projects.
A rich cultural and entertainment programme awaits visitors, featuring participation from students and teachers from all Bosnian-Herzegovinian supplementary schools in Great Britain. Through song, folklore, recitations, and other performances, the youngest generations will show the importance of the values passed on to them by their families and teachers.
The organisers expect the arrival of a large number of guests from all over Great Britain and believe that this year’s gathering will confirm what this event has represented for 27 years – the strength of unity, the importance of education, and love for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In a time of rapid change and growing challenges to preserving national identity in the diaspora, Bosnian-Herzegovinian supplementary schools remain one of the most important foundations of our community. They are not just classrooms where a language is taught, but places where memories are kept, values are transferred, and the future is built.
Therefore, the 27th gathering of Bosnian-Herzegovinian supplementary schools is not just another event in our community’s calendar. It is a celebration of language, culture, identity, and unity – proof that, no matter how far away from the homeland, Bosnia and Herzegovina lives on in the hearts of the new generations.
