Cornerstone Laid for Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art in Sarajevo

(Patria) - With the issuance of a building permit and the laying of the cornerstone, the decades-long idea of building the Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art in Sarajevo enters a new phase of development from today.

- A great day for Bosnia and Herzegovina and our capital city. We have waited for years for this day when we will begin construction of a facility that has been a dream for generations behind us.

That facility will be home to the Ars Aevi collection, but also a meeting place for Bosnians and Herzegovinians, tourists, art lovers, and ultimately a place where progressive ideas will be generated.

I am pleased that we are laying the cornerstone and will soon start construction of the Museum that will be a source of pride for all of us - said the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Nihad Uk.

He emphasized the contribution of artists to this project, their efforts to draw attention to the events during the siege of Sarajevo.

The Ars Aevi Museum was created as a result of an initiative by a group of enthusiasts led by Enver Hadžiomerspahić, which gathered world-renowned artists who, in support of Sarajevo under siege, donated their works.

The collection owned by the museum, which will finally get a building, is considered one of the most significant collections of contemporary art in Southeast Europe.

The project for this building was designed by the renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, who also donated funds for the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the Miljacka River, near the future museum building.



The Sarajevo Canton secured the land for the museum's construction, with support from the Novo Sarajevo Municipality.

- The Museum of Contemporary Art will become a center of cultural activities and one of the key artistic attractions in Sarajevo, contributing to its cultural and tourist identity.

This museum will be one of the segments of a new museum quarter, which will significantly enrich the tourist offer of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It will nurture a culture of dialogue, providing an open space for every member of our society, with a special emphasis on respecting human rights.

The museum will also serve as a platform for promoting Sarajevo as a cultural center of the region, with the aim of ensuring its sustainable functioning.

Ars Aevi will be a place for enhancing international dialogue, promoting a culture of peace, and appreciating cultural diversity.

Also, the museum will play a key role in strengthening the creative industry and cultural cooperation, both with the region and with the European Union - added Uk.

Those gathered were also addressed by the EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Johann Sattler, the Italian Ambassador to BiH, Marco Di Ruzza, the Mayor of Sarajevo, Benjamina Karić, the founder of the Ars Aevi collection, Enver Hadžiomerspahić, the Director of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, Magdalena Landry, the Head of the UNESCO Office in BiH, Siniša Šešum, the Mayor of Novo Sarajevo Municipality, Hasan Tanović, as well as the Director of the Public Institution Museum of Contemporary Art Ars Aevi, Senka Ibrišimbegović.

Also present were ministers in the Government of Sarajevo Canton, the Director of the Institute for Construction of Sarajevo Canton, and many others.