The 30th Anniversary of the Re-Independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina was celebrated with a ceremony held in Fatih on March 1, 2022, in cooperation with the Fatih Municipality, the Ankara Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Preporod Bosniak Cultural Union.
The program, hosted by Mayor of Fatih M. Ergün Turan, was attended by Bosnia and Herzegovina Ankara Ambassador Adis Alagic, Secretary General of Union of Turkish World Municipalities (TDBB) Fahri Solak, local administrators, Bosnian Associations and representatives of many non-governmental organizations and guests.
Making the opening speech, Mayor of Fatih M. Ergün Turan stated that he congratulated 30th independence anniversary of the friendly and brotherly country Bosnia and Herzegovina with his sincere feelings and added: “I commemorate with mercy the innocent Bosnians who were brutally murdered in the Srebrenica and Jepa genocides, one of the most shameful and brutal events in the history of humanity, and our martyrs who lost their lives on the way to independence. I commemorate Alija Izetbegovic with respect and mercy, who has become a moral monument with his stance and lifestyle, who is also one of the most honorable and most important intellectuals raised by the Islamic world. With the proper struggle of him and his friends, Bosnia and Herzegovina gained its independence. In this process, all of Turkey as a unit stood by the Bosnian people and will continue to do so in the future. Despite all the injustice and unlawfulness that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been exposed to in the past, the dedication they show to live together in peace and tranquility with their neighbors is admirable. I congratulate the Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 1 and greet everyone who visits our program from home and abroad.”
Bosnia and Herzegovina Ankara Ambassador Adis Alagic, in his speech at the ceremony, said, “I would like to express my gratitude to Fatih Municipality and Preporod Bosniak Cultural Union who contributed to this night. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our friends in Turkey, who are with us and who are not here today, who have not spared their tremendous sacrifice, determination and persistent efforts for the last 30 years. Our country is tall in the saddle today thanks to your efforts. Endless thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Republic of Turkey, who have tirelessly supported our country and region and contributed greatly to the increase of peace and prosperity, and to our sincere friends of Bosnia and Herzegovina who are in every square meter of Turkey, and to our Turkish brothers.”
The program continued with concerts, poetry performances and dance performances by the Preporod Bosnian Cultural Union, one of the rare institutions that Bosnians, who have witnessed the cultural and historical responsibilities of the Bosnian community for more than a century, are proud of.
The ceremony was completed with the presentation of thanking plaques and a group photo shoot to commemorate the day.
