The ceremonial session of the Sarajevo City Council was held in the City Hall on the occasion of April 6, City Day, in the presence of numerous representatives of the city administration and other government institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as delegations of friendly cities, the diplomatic corps and the international community, the media and other guests.
The participants were addressed and congratulated on this significant date by the Chairman of the City Council, Alen Girt, and Mayor Samir Avdić.
At the ceremonial session, the City’s highest awards were awarded – this year’s individual and collective April 6th Award, as well as Plaques and Diplomas.
The individual April 6th Award for 2026 was awarded to Elvir Karalić, founder of the humanitarian association Pomozi.ba, and the collective one to the Obala Art Center Sarajevo Association for significant achievements in the field of culture and art.
The City Plaque winners are Dr. Claudia Zini, a supporter of Sarajevo’s development as a space for cultural and international cooperation, as well as long-time journalist and documentary filmmaker Arijana Saračević Helać for her courage and professionalism in reporting not only during the war but also afterwards. The plaque was received by her son Adi Saračević, as Arijana was unable to attend the session due to her current health problems.
The Sarajevo Snowflake diploma was presented to the young musician Omar Halilović.
The Honorary Citizen of Sarajevo for 2025 was previously announced to US Senator Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen, a supporter of peace and cooperation in the region of Southeast Europe, who addressed the participants of tonight’s ceremonial session in the City Hall via video link.
This recognition for 2025 is also intended for Matt Joseph, a supporter of broader cooperation between the cities of Dayton and Sarajevo, who also addressed the participants via video link. He and Senator Shaheen will receive the aforementioned honorary recognitions during their upcoming visits to the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
An honorary citizen of Sarajevo is also Eric Hauck, one of the first foreign journalists to report on the days of the wartime siege of Sarajevo. Hauck attended tonight’s ceremonial session in the City Hall, where he was presented with the award by Mayor Samir Avdić.
Hauck began his visibly emotional address to the guests with the words: “Dear citizens of Sarajevo, dear fellow citizens…”.
Part of the ceremonial session was also dedicated to the recently deceased Bosnian and Herzegovinan entertainer Halid Bešlić, and one of his songs was performed during the cultural and artistic segment of the program.
Also, in honor of the unforgettable sevdalinka performer, the late Safet Isović, one of the songs dedicated to Sarajevo was performed, which he immortalized with a superb performance.
The ceremonial session began with a tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Sarajevo, an open city that can be a home for anyone who comes with pure intentions, as Mayor Samir Avdić emphasized during his address to the guests at the City Hall this evening. According to him, April 6 is a date deeply engraved in the being of every person who experiences Sarajevo as their city. It is a city that has been taught patience for centuries, but not submission, Avdić also said.
The ceremonial session was opened by the Chairman of the City Council, Alen Girt, emphasizing, among other things, that Sarajevo is celebrating its past today, but with a clear view of the future, as a symbol of coexistence and prosperity.
Avdić and Girt awarded the April 6th Awards and other recognitions to the winners, and the guests were previously addressed by the Chairwoman of the Committee for the Award of the “April 6th Award of the City of Sarajevo”.
The 6th of April Award of the City of Sarajevo is awarded to prominent individuals, groups and organizations in recognition of exceptional results and significant achievements in various areas of political and social life, Fena writes.
