Christmas Concert Held at BiH Armed Forces Hall

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - On the occasion of the upcoming Christmas holiday, a traditional Christmas concert and reception were held for representatives of political, military, religious, cultural, and economic life, representatives of international organizations and the diplomatic corps, hosted by the BiH Minister of Defence Marina Pendeš.

Among others, the concert in the packed ceremonial hall of the BiH Armed Forces Hall in Sarajevo was attended by the BiH Presidency Chairman Dragan Čović, Chairman of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly Bariša Čolak, President of the Federation of BiH Marinko Čavara, ministers in the Council of Ministers of BiH, as well as a large number of other representatives of the legislative and executive authorities in BiH, and representatives of cultural and public life and religious communities in BiH. The reception after the concert was also attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly Borjana Krišto.

Among the present representatives of international organizations and institutions and the diplomatic corps accredited in BiH were US Ambassador to BiH Maureen Cormack, EUFOR Commander Major General Anton Waldner, representatives of the NATO Staff in Sarajevo, and many others.

Also, the traditional concert was attended by the Deputy Minister of Defence of BiH Sead Jusić, Chief of the Joint Staff of the BiH Armed Forces Lieutenant General Anto Jeleč, Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Major General Senad Mašović and the generals of the BiH Armed Forces, Military Bishop in BiH Mons. Dr. Tomo Vukšić, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of BiH.

BiH Minister of Defence Marina Pendeš congratulated Catholics on Christmas and wished all attendees a happy and successful new year 2018, emphasizing that this concert instills "hope for a better future" and expressing the expectation that 2018 will be better on Bosnia and Herzegovina's European and Euro-Atlantic path.

In his welcoming address, Military Bishop Mons. Dr. Tomo Vukšić specifically addressed the need to solve problems, stating that "good solutions come from people who have hope".

- Nothing is as threatened as hope, but wise people have offered and found solutions to the most difficult questions and problems - Mons. Tomo Vukšić stated, among other things.

In the musical part of the evening, besides the Military Orchestra of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, conducted by Colonel Tomislav Sušac and Filip Svetinović, the concert featured the Vocal Group Lašvanske Dive, the Male Klapa Zvizdan from Posušje, and soloists Bartolomej Stanković, Monia Jarak, Matea Bošnjak, as well as EUFOR Chief of Staff Brigadier General József Szpisják as a soloist.