A Journey Through Bosnia and Herzegovina's Universal and Rich Cultural Heritage

The universal and rich cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the inspiration for a new exhibition opened on Friday, May 29, at the Bosniak Institute Foundation Adil Zulfikarpašić, reports the Patria News Agency.  

The Foundation Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) and the Bosniak Institute – Foundation Adil Zulfikarpašić prepared this exhibition, which will remain open until June 5.

The exhibition celebrates the results of a 12-month project titled “Make It Yours!”. It is designed as a tram journey through the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each stop on this ride represents an aspect of the cultural heritage and the “Make It Yours!” project.

“The cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina is very rich and intertwined with various influences, therefore, it would be ungrateful to try to present it chronologically. Within the exhibition, the tram is not just a symbol of the city of Sarajevo; it is a time machine through the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming to act as a link between the stations of our tangible and intangible heritage.

The arbitrary choice of the starting and ending stations for the exhibition presents itself as a natural solution that, we hope, will encourage all visitors to explore the common cultural heritage of all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Ana Đikoli, one of the exhibition curators.

Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to symbolically travel to the first carpet factory and the City Hall in Sarajevo, learn more about traditional crafts, music, food, and clothing through exhibited items made by high school students during a series of workshops organized as part of the “Make It Yours!” project.

As part of the exhibition, a video projection by artists Mensur Demir and Maja Zeco about the common cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be shown. The “Make It Yours!” project is financed by the European Union and is part of the “Sarajevo 2014” program. The “Sarajevo 2014” program consists of a series of projects implemented on the occasion of the centenary of the beginning of World War I, with the aim of sending a message of peace, reconciliation, and solidarity from Sarajevo to the world.

“We are pleased to point out that approximately 700 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina from more than 30 cities across the country were involved in some way in the promotion and protection of cultural heritage. Through this process, we have gained new partnerships, both with individuals and institutions dedicated to preserving endangered heritage, who will join us in the future protection of BiH heritage,” stated Arijana Mandić, coordinator of the “Make It Yours!” project.

CHwB – Swedish Non-Governmental Organization

This project is implemented by CHwB in cooperation with the Bosniak Institute – Foundation Adil Zulfikarpašić and the US Alumni Association in BiH. CHwB is a Swedish non-governmental organization founded in April 1995. CHwB is dedicated to the protection, preservation, and promotion of cultural heritage worldwide. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, CHwB has restored 25 facilities and implemented more than 40 projects in the last 20 years.