Today, Sarajevo Mayor Samir Avdić presented the “Honorary Citizen of the City of Sarajevo” award for 2025 to U.S. Senator Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen. During the formal ceremony at City Hall, she said she accepts the award with a sense of responsibility and will continue working for a sovereign, multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina.
She received the award because during her long-term political career, the Senator consistently demonstrated dedication to strengthening relations between the US and Bosnia and Herzegovina and support for the country’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Her advocacy for sovereignty, territorial integrity, democratic development, and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina made her one of the most significant and consistent allies of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the U.S. political scene.
In addition to political support from Washington, Senator Shaheen confirmed her engagement through numerous visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During her visits, she indicated the strategic significance of stable and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina for the United States.
Her contribution to the affirmation of Sarajevo is also reflected in continuous efforts for the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a symbol of resilience, multi-ethnicity, freedom, and the European future of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Mayor of Sarajevo, Samir Avdić, said it is his great honor to present the award to Senator Shaheen in Sarajevo’s City Hall.
“It is a great honor for me to present the ‘Honorary Citizen of the City of Sarajevo’ award to the U.S. Senator Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen. This is an honest expression of gratitude for her years-long, principled, and continuous support for Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Avdić said.
He emphasized that Senator Shaheen has consistently advocated for sovereignty, territorial integrity, stability, and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“It is particularly significant that her support did not remain limited to political messages from Washington. Sarajevo was more than a diplomatic meeting place for her. In our city, she recognised a symbol of resilience, freedom, and European future of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Avdić said.
He recalled that, as a member of the US Senate and Foreign Relations Committee, Shaheen was an important voice in promoting American engagement in the Western Balkans and supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European and Euro-Atlantic path.
“Her advocacy for reforms, the rule of law, the fight against corruption, economic development, and stronger ties between Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Western Balkans, the European Union and NATO,” Avdić added.
According to him, it is particularly important that Senator Shaheen was a voice in the US political sphere that insisted on democratic and sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“With this recognition, Sarajevo shows that it remembers its friends and appreciates those who stood by our city and our country in crucial moments. Senator Shaheen, welcome to Sarajevo, a city that proudly calls you its honorary citizen,” Avdić said.
Senator Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen expressed her gratitude for the award, highlighting that it is a great honor to be named an honorary citizen of Sarajevo.
“It is a great honor and privilege to become an honorary citizen of Sarajevo. It is wonderful to be back here once again in this beautiful city and this impressive City Hall, together with the Mayor and all of you,” said Shaheen.
Speaking about the history of Sarajevo, she emphasized that the city survived one of the longest sieges in modern European history.
“In a city where Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim, and Jewish places of worship are located just a few minutes from each other, the war was partly waged through attempts to divide communities along ethnic and religious lines,” Shaheen said.
She emphasized that Sarajevo, for more than three decades after the war, represents an example of coexistence among people of different backgrounds and religions.
“That progress did not happen on its own. It took great efforts and true courage,” said the U.S. Senator.
She added that after the war, Bosnia and Herzegovina could have taken a path toward even deeper divisions, but that its citizens, democratic institutions, and commitment to a shared future made a different path possible.
“Throughout my tenure in the Senate, I worked to support strong U.S. enlargement in the Western Balkans,” Shaheen said.
She recalled she visited Sarajevo multiple times, observed elections at the polling stations across Bosnia and Herzegovina, met with young leaders who are working to build their future in the country, and participated in the commemoration of the 20thanniversary of the Srebrenica genocide.
“In each of those moments, I saw progress that was realized and work that needs to be done,” Shaheen said.
According to her, it is necessary to continue working to protect sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the multi-ethnic character of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as its credible path toward EU and NATO membership.
“I accept this recognition not only with gratitude, but also with a sense of responsibility to continue this work. Thank you once again for this great honor,” Shaheen said.
At the end of the ceremony, congratulations and thanks were expressed for her dedicated contribution to strengthening the US engagement in the Western Balkans, as well as her support for democratic development and the European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Shaheen announced she will visit Srebrenica.
“One of the things we will do during tomorrow’s visit is going to the Srebrenica Memorial Center. I have been there multiple times, and I know how much it is important to pay respects to those who were killed, remember them and their families and survivors, and acknowledge what happened there,” Shaheen said.
Speaking about sanctions against Milorad Dodik and his associates, she recalled that legislation was passed last year which envisioned the re-imposition of sanctions on individuals advocating the secession or dissolution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“I have been very firm in my position that sanctions should be re-imposed on Mr. Dodik. He is trying to divide the country in ways that are not in the interest of its progress,” Shaheen said.
She added that during tomorrow’s visit to Srebrenica, she will meet with people and discuss the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
