The memorial complex Tunnel D-B, better known as the “Tunnel of salvation”, is among the most interesting and most visited museum locations in Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the past year, there has been a significant increase in attendance. “Tunnel of salvation” has been visited by more than 160,000 visitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the world.
Elvira Kokor, public relations specialist of the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund, confirmed this for Fena, stating that this number represents a significant increase compared to the previous year, when more than 100,000 visits were recorded.
According to her, “Open Days” and “School of Remembrance Culture” as activities in the context of fostering the culture of memory, which are continuously carried out by the KS Memorial Fund, resulted in the visit of about 9,500 students and teachers from Sarajevo Canton, but also from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina .
– In addition to the students, it is important to point out that about 35,000 students also visited the D-B Tunnel, which confirms the continuous cooperation of all educational institutions and the KS Memorial Fund. The above confirms that the “Tunnel of salvation” represents a place of great importance in the collective memory of our homeland – said Kokor.
Speaking about which countries have the most visitors to the Tunnel of Salvation, Kokor emphasized that the Tunnel D-B Memorial Complex attracts tourists from all over the world.
– The largest number of visitors come from Arab countries, Turkey, Europe and Asia, especially from China. The main reason for their interest is the story of the siege and defense of Sarajevo, as well as their own passage through the “Tunnel of salvation”, which represents an unforgettable experience and a unique experience for many. International interest emphasizes the importance of the “Tunnel of Salvation” as a place of great importance to collective memory – said Kokor.
She emphasized that the Tunnel D-B Memorial Complex is continuously working on enriching the contents and expanding the museum exhibition on the tunnel.
– In 2023, several significant projects were realized, including the preparation and setting up of exhibitions, the organization of workshops, education, competitions and other similar activities based on education and raising awareness about nurturing a culture of memory and building a culture of memory. Among other things, in 2023, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the digging of the “Salvation Tunnel”, an exhibition was prepared by the curator of the KS Memorial Fund, Belma Ćuzović, entitled “Transformation: From Earth to Salvation, from Salvation to Memory – Tunnel D-B Memorial Complex” – she said is Kokor.
She added that the greatest interest of young people was still attracted by the Minecraft competition called “Building a Tunnel of Rescue”.
– We emphasize the importance of the documentary film “Sarajevo Artery”, which talks about Sarajevo’s airport runway and architectural wonder, a symbol of the resistance of the city of Sarajevo as the only exit and entrance to besieged Sarajevo. The film, produced by the Association of Film Artists “Reakcija” and co-produced by the Memorial Fund, Federal Television and MY TV, became part of the rich heritage of Ahriva as a witness to the events during the siege of Sarajevo – said Kokor.
In 2023, the conceptual project “Museum installations of the Tunnel D-B Memorial Complex” was presented, with plans for the development of the implementation project in 2024.
– Plans for the coming year include the opening of the Educational Center on the Dobrinja side of the “Salvation Tunnel”, the continuation of the “School of Remembrance Culture” project and the reconstruction of the 25-meter tunnel tube. This project aims to preserve and improve the structure of the tunnel itself, thus prolonging its authenticity and significance as a monument to historical events. The educational center, like other projects, emphasize the importance of education and memorialization for the preservation of collective consciousness and cultural heritage – said Kokor.
She underlined that the plan for the next year is to change the museum display in the Tunnel D-B Memorial Complex, to restore the 25-meter tunnel pipe and other activities aimed at improving this complex.
– Regarding digging the original length of the “Tunnel of salvation”, it is important to emphasize that it would be an extremely complex undertaking considering the technical and safety challenges. For now, we cannot talk about specific plans for digging the original length of the tunnel. All in all, the focus remains on improving the existing parts of the complex in the coming period – said Kokor.
