On the occasion of the Day of Italian Sport in the World, the Embassy of Italy in Sarajevo organized a special event on Tuesday, September 16, at the Olympic Museum — a symbolic venue that preserves the legacy of the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.
This year’s edition was dedicated to the theme “Mountain and Sea”, highlighting two major international sporting events Italy will host in 2026: the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina and the Mediterranean Games in Taranto.
Senka Ibrišimbegović, director of the Public Institution City Museums Sarajevo, which includes the Olympic Museum, emphasized that cooperation with the Government of Italy and the Embassy in BiH has existed for many years and that today they are jointly promoting the Italian Sports Day.
She noted that today’s event is planned to promote the Winter Olympics, which will be held next year in Italy.
“Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are the winners of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and the Olympic Museum, together with the Italian Embassy in BiH, is promoting a film that will be available to watch in the coming period in our museum,” explained Ibrišimbegović.
She reminded that Sarajevo, as an Olympic city, still inherits a lot of Olympic heritage, including the Olympic Museum, which cherishes the memory of that great event for the capital of BiH.
The Ambassador of Italy to BiH, Sarah Eti Castellani, explained that the Italian Sports Day is an annual initiative organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but this year with a special emphasis on the Olympic Games.
“Since we had the Olympic Games in Sarajevo in 1984, we thought it would be nice to be at the Olympic Museum tonight and organize this event together,” said Castellani.
She emphasized that it is quite complicated to organize these Olympic Games in Italy because they are held in different locations, from Milan and Cortina to other surrounding areas.
However, she also pointed out that they are very proud and enthusiastic.
“I am sure that in the future we will be proud of our Olympic Games, as you are of yours,” she added.
The Italian ambassador also said that the best way to promote a country is through sport because it means dialogue.
“Sport represents a good tool for promoting bilateral relations between BiH and Italy, dialogue between people and the value of sport, because sport speaks a universal language,” she concluded.
The central part of the initiative was the screening of the video “People Of”, which will remain available to visitors at the Museum until the end of September. The film showcases the strong ties between communities and territories participating in the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, while emphasizing the Olympic values of solidarity, inclusion, and togetherness.
The initiative forms part of the Italian Foreign Ministry’s broader strategy of using sport as a tool of cultural diplomacy and economic promotion. With sports equipment exports worth €4.7 billion (9.19 billion BAM), Italy ranks among the top five global exporters and holds second place in Europe.
