On August 15, Sarajevo will host a major international cultural event “The Bridge of Friendship – USA, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans”, which will bring together prominent artists from the United States of America, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the countries of the region.
The gala concert, which is a gift to the citizens of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also to all visitors from different parts of the world staying in Sarajevo, will be held in the Congress Center of Hotel Terme na Ilidža, starting at 8 p.m. Entrance is free.
As part of the program, American opera artists Leah Anne Myers and Jacqueline Aldana Ledesma will perform, as well as numerous artists from the region, including Besa Llugiqi, Jovana Timotijević, Hana Andrle and Ermin Asćerić.
The audience will have the opportunity to enjoy performances of traditional Bosnian and Balkan music. Famous musical names Slađana Mandić, Malik Smajlović, Zejd Šoto and Alma Subašić will perform.
A special part of the program will be the premiere performance of the Balkan Philharmonic and the “Ilirikum” choir, which brings together artists from different countries of the region. The orchestra and choirs will be conducted by Maestros Emir Nuhanović, Mehmed Meša Bajraktarević and Milenko Karović.
As the organizers point out, the basic idea of the project is to build a new bridge of friendship between the American and Bosnian people, but also to strengthen the ties between the United States of America and the Western Balkans.
The program is conceived through three key segments: art, meeting and heritage. In addition to the gala concert, the American delegation plans to visit Sarajevo, Mostar and Banja Luka during their stay, as well as countries in the region, including Montenegro, Croatia, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo.
The visit will have both a business and development character. Meetings are planned with government representatives, businessmen and representatives of cultural and public life, during which they will discuss possible investments in infrastructure, energy, culture, education and tourism.
One of the announced initiatives is support for the construction of modern concert halls in Sarajevo, Zenica, Banja Luka and Mostar.
The organizers say that the “Bridge of Friendship” should not be just a one-time cultural event, but the beginning of long-term cooperation and cultural exchange between the United States of America, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the countries of the Western Balkans.
