Minister for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sevlid Hurtić attended the promotion of the book “Safari in Sarajevo” by Andrej Nikolaidis on Wednesday,which was organized by the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina in partnership with Vrijeme Publishing House.
He pointed out that the promotion, held in the premises of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was much more than the presentation of a single book and that it was an evening that opened space for deep reflection on human nature, moral responsibility and the way we remember the most difficult pages of our history.
“Safari in Sarajevo” is not a book to be read indifferently. It disturbs, questions and confronts us with questions that are not always easy to answer. It talks about the limits of human empathy, about the attitude towards other people’s suffering and about how much we, as individuals and as a society, are ready to recognize and condemn indifference to human suffering. This is exactly why this book leaves a strong impression and stays in the reader’s mind for a long time,” stated Hurtić.
He added that as a society that has felt the weight of war, loss and pain, we have an obligation to preserve the truth and cultivate a culture of remembrance based on the dignity of victims, but we also have an obligation to talk, to learn and not be afraid of difficult topics. Forgetting is never the path to reconciliation, and silence is never the answer to injustice.
Hurtić said that the conversations reminded him of how important it is for literature to remain a space where emotion and reason, memory and responsibility meet.
He stressed that books have the power to take us back to the past, but also to teach us how to be better people in the present.
“They remind us that behind every historical fact there are human destinies, someone’s lives, families, fears and hopes. I thank the organizers for the opportunity to be a part of this important evening. In a time when we often talk too much and listen too little, events like this remind us of the value of dialogue, culture and humanity. These are values that we must preserve and pass on to the generations to come,” concluded Hurtić, the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced.
