Osmanović with Bokova: BiH has experience in restoration and preservation of cultural heritage

Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH Adil Osmanović, on the sidelines of the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, spoke with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, reports the Patria News Agency.

Minister Adil Osmanović emphasized in his conversation with UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova that he greatly appreciates Bokova's patronage of seven events in Bosnia and Herzegovina that have been included in the calendar for the 70th anniversary of UNESCO's founding.

He informed his interlocutor that BiH has applied for membership in the World Heritage Committee for the third time this year and expressed his expectation that this time we will receive support and become a member of this extremely important body.

-BiH has experience in the restoration and preservation of cultural heritage, and we would gladly share that experience with other countries. BiH is committed to the preservation of cultural heritage and to fulfilling the obligations arising from the inscription of the Bridge and the Old Town of Mostar and the Bridge in Višegrad on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Osmanović emphasized.

They also discussed the regional project of serial nomination of stećci, medieval tombstones, for inscription on the World Heritage List, together with Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro. All countries hope for a positive opinion from the expert bodies of ICOMOS and a positive decision from the World Heritage Committee next year.

In a separate meeting, Minister Osmanović also spoke with the Director of the World Heritage Centre, Mechtild Rössler. They discussed the protection of intangible cultural heritage. Osmanović recalled that Zmijanjski vez was inscribed as the first element from Bosnia and Herzegovina on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and after that, the nomination for Konjic wood carving was submitted.

Minister Adil Osmanović expressed his expectation that the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee will make a positive decision on the inscription of Konjic wood carving on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at its session at the end of November this year, it was announced from the relevant Ministry.