Zvizdić, Forto, Delić, Đapo: Who Canceled Their Trip to Dubai at the Last Minute

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of 192 countries presenting at the oldest and most prestigious exhibition EXPO 2020 in Dubai this year, from October 2021 to the end of March 2022. As part of the exhibition program, each participating country has a designated National Day, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The National Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina at Expo Dubai 2020 will be marked on Saturday, December 18, 2021, and the ceremony includes raising the BiH flag, playing the anthem, addresses by official representatives of the Bosnia and Herzegovina delegation, and a festive cultural and artistic program in the Bosnia and Herzegovina pavilion, performed by our artists, with a special focus on the cultural and historical heritage of our homeland.

On this occasion, a delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be in Dubai, led by the Chairman of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, Denis Zvizdić, while the delegation members include the President of the Organizing Committee of EXPO 2020 BiH, Minister of Economy of Sarajevo Canton Adnan Delić, BiH Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Šerif Mujkanović, Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton Edin Forto, Minister of Science, Higher Education and Youth Aleksandra Nikolić, Minister of Tourism of FBiH Edita Đapo, as a representative of the academic community, Prof. Dr. Vjekoslav Domljan, and Emir Granov, as a representative of the state investment fund of Dubai and the business community.

As stated by the Ministry of Economy, the Mayor of Sarajevo Benjamina Karić and the Minister of Transport of Sarajevo Canton Adnan Šteta, who were also planned as members of the Bosnia and Herzegovina delegation, canceled their trip yesterday, in the late afternoon.

„Our delegation, which will attend the celebration of the National Day of our homeland at the EXPO 2020 Dubai exhibition, is part of the official protocol and, according to the protocol, consists of representatives from the political, scientific, and business communities. We invited representatives from all levels of government to attend our festive ceremony, and those who are not in the delegation justified their absence with previously assumed obligations,“ said the President of the Organizing Committee of EXPO 2020 BiH, Minister Adnan Delić.

He also emphasized that during their stay in Dubai, representatives of our country's delegation will meet with potential investors and other government representatives, with the aim of connecting both with governments and representatives of the global business community.

Minister Delić added that representatives of the business community will also attend the Country Business Briefing (CBB) of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday, December 19, 2021, where they will have the opportunity to present to interested participants the comparative advantages that BiH offers in the areas of entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprises, as well as attractive projects in the sectors of transport, energy, information technology, wood and metal industries, agriculture, and of course, tourism.

"This event is a platform for representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina and experts from strategic industries to present the commercial potential of our country and seize the opportunity to network and connect with global investors and decision-makers, with the aim of improving business, attracting quality foreign investments, and ultimately enhancing the business environment," emphasized Minister Delić.

It is important to note that representatives of the business community who will participate in the CBB responded to the invitation extended by the President of the Organizing Committee, Minister Delić, in cooperation with the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH, the Employers' Associations of BiH, the entities of FBiH and RS, and the Brčko District and the Foreign Investors Council (FIC).

Representatives of the business community who will attend the Business Briefing of Bosnia and Herzegovina cover their own costs of participation, travel, and stay at the Expo 2020 exhibition in Dubai.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina delegation is accompanied by a press team consisting of representatives of Bosnian-Herzegovinian media who, based on international media monitoring, meet the organizer's conditions, including, among other things, the national coverage necessary to follow the National Day and the Country Business Briefing, which will be held the day after the celebration of the National Day of BiH.

The Ministry of Economy of Sarajevo Canton reminds that the broadcast of the ceremony marking the National Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina can be done by all BiH media accredited to follow Expo Dubai 2020 in the Tawassul system, and that video recordings and photos can be downloaded via the Media Asset Management System: MAM | Expo 2020 Dubai.