On March 24, 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Elmedin Konaković, participated in the Congressional Passover Seder held on Capitol Hill in Washington, dedicated to the promotion of the Sarajevo Haggadah.
The event was attended by numerous members of the US administration, Congress and Senate, representatives of the diplomatic corps, as well as religious leaders from the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The program emphasized the universal values of interfaith solidarity, courage and cooperation between communities, the protection of cultural heritage in times of conflict, and shared responsibility in opposing all forms of persecution and discrimination.
The Sarajevo Haggadah, as one of the most important symbols of the cultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina, carries a strong message of solidarity and humanity. Its history testifies to how, in the most difficult times, individuals and communities have protected values that transcend religious and national divisions, demonstrating that the preservation of cultural heritage and the protection of human dignity are inextricably linked.
In his address, Minister Konaković emphasized that the history of Sarajevo bears witness to a deep-rooted tradition of interfaith solidarity, courage and mutual respect. Speaking from the experience of a people that survived genocide and siege, Minister Konaković emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina finds its strength in solidarity and courage, not in hatred. He recalled the Sarajevo Purim of 1819, when Muslim citizens stood up for their Jewish fellow citizens, and the heroic act of Derviš Korkut, a librarian who hid the Sarajevo Haggadah in a mosque among the Qurans during the Holocaust. He added that the Haggadah survived not only the Holocaust, but also the Siege of Sarajevo, the longest siege of a city in modern history, and that its durability symbolizes the strength of the communities that have preserved it for more than five centuries.
“The story of the Sarajevo Haggadah carries a moral lesson: defending the lives and heritage of another people is not an act of mercy – it is an act of justice,” said Minister Konaković.
In light of contemporary global challenges, the rise of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination, Minister Konaković emphasized that the story of the Sarajevo Haggadah represents a universal call for joint action and the defense of fundamental human values.
